animal treatment in rodeo

In response to animal welfare and animal cruelty concerns, a number of laws have passed regulating rodeo. In the United Kingdom the Protection of Animals Act 1934 effectively made rodeo, as it was then practiced, illegal in England, Scotland and Wales.{{cite book|author-link=Robert Garner|first=Robert|last=Garner|date=1993|title=Animals, Politics and Morality|publisher=Manchester University Press|page=88|isbn=0-7190-3574-0}} In September 2000, California became the first American state to prohibit the use of prods on any animal in a chute.{{cite book |last=Curnutt |first=Jordan |title=Animals and the Law |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara |year=2001 |isbn=1-57607-147-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p2p0MptGeBkC&q=Rodeo+events&pg=PA268}}{{Rp|268}}

==Independent assessments==

Modern rodeos in the United States are closely regulated and have responded to accusations of animal cruelty by instituting a number of rules to guide how rodeo animals are to be managed.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080411122325/http://www.prorodeo.com/pdfs/AnimalWelfare.pdf Animal Welfare: The Care and Treatment of Professional Rodeo Livestock. PRCA]

In 1994, a survey of 28 sanctioned rodeos was conducted by on-site independent veterinarians. Reviewing animal runs, the injury rate was documented at 0.047% (16 animals in 33,991 runs).{{cite web|url=http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=3233|author=Sellnow, L.|date=January 1, 2002|title=Rodeo horses|publisher=The Horse}}

In 2000, a survey conducted by independent veterinarians at 57 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos found an injury rate of 0.053% (38 animal injuries in 71,743 animal exposures).{{cite web|author=Schonholtz, C.|title=Professional rodeo horses are bred to buck |date=January 16, 2012|url=http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/article/professional-rodeo-horses-are-bred-to-buck#sthash.4WAHrlNx.dpbs|access-date=May 28, 2012|publisher=National Animal Interest Alliance}}

A 2001 survey reported an injury rate of 0.056% in 21 PRCA rodeos (15 animals in 26,584 performances).{{cite journal|author=AVMA|title=Welfare of animals integral part of professional rodeos |date=January 15, 2001|publisher=American Veterinary Medical Association|url=http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan01/s011501tt.asp|journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |volume=218 |issue=2001–01–15 |pages=183; 185 |year=2001 |access-date=2009-03-25 |pmid=11195811 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524205321/http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan01/s011501tt.asp |archive-date=2012-05-24 }}

A later{{when|date=July 2024}} PRCA survey of 60,971 animal performances at 198 rodeo performances and 73 sections of "slack" (competitions outside of the main competition events) indicated 27 animals were injured, i.e. 0.04%.

In Australian rodeos, similar injury rates occur. Basic injuries occur at a rate of 0.072% (one in 1,405), with injuries requiring veterinary attention at 0.036% (one injury each 2,810 times an animal is used in competition).{{cite web|title=Animals in rodeo|publisher=Australian Professional Rodeo Association|author=Welfare of animals integral part of professional rodeos|access-date=May 28, 2016|url=http://www.prorodeo.com.au/files/uploaded/file/animalwelfare}}

Accusations of cruelty in U.S. rodeos persist. The PRCA acknowledges they sanction only about 30% of all rodeos, another 50% are sanctioned by other organizations and 20% are completely unsanctioned. Several animal rights and animal welfare organizations keep records of accidents and incidents of possible animal abuse.[http://www.sharkonline.org/abuseinherent.mv SHARK] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110002548/http://www.sharkonline.org/abuseinherent.mv |date=2011-11-10 }}Animal Abuse Inherent in Rodeo. Retrieved 6 February 2008. They cite various specific incidents of injury to support their statements,Renate Robey, "Horse Euthanized After Show Accident," Denver Post 16 January 1999. and also point to examples of long-term breakdown,Steve Lipsher, "Veterinarian Calls Rodeos Brutal to Stock," Denver Post 20 January 1991. as well as reporting on injuries and deaths suffered by animals in non-rodeo events staged on the periphery of professional rodeo such as chuck wagon races and "suicide races." In terms of statistics on animal injury rate during rodeos, there appear to be no independent studies more recent than the 1994 study.

Groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) note incidents of animal injury, including an incident where a "bull {{sic}} suffered from a broken neck{{nbsp}}..."[http://www.peta.org/issues/Animals-in-Entertainment/rodeo-cruelty-for-a-buck.aspx Rodeo: Cruelty for a Buck]. Retrieved 23 November 2010. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), practice sessions are often the scene of more severe animal welfare abuses than competitions.[http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pp_en_rodeo ASPCA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123072049/http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pp_en_rodeo |date=2008-11-23 }} "Animals in Entertainment: 5.4 Rodeo" 27 June 2007.{{cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Susan Jean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=euDYADfcChoC&q=Rodeo+Animal+Cruelty&pg=PA489 |title=The Animal Ethics Reader |author2=Richard George Botzler |publisher=Routledge |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-415-27589-7 |location=London and New York |page=489}}{{cite book |last=Regan |first=Tom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PUDXwO22eqgC&q=empty+cages |title=Empty Cages |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2004 |isbn=0-7425-4993-3 |author-link=Tom Regan}}

File:Steer Roping Rodeo.jpg

The Calgary Humane Society "opposes the use of animals for any form of entertainment in which they are placed at risk of suffering undue stress, pain, injury or death," and "opposes high risk rodeo events."{{Cite web|url=https://www.calgaryhumane.ca/calgary-humane-societys-role-calgary-stampede/|title=Calgary Humane Society's Role in the Calgary Stampede|website=Calgary Humane Society}}

Vancouver Humane Society is "opposed to rodeo because most rodeo events involve the use of fear, stress or pain to make animals perform. There is also considerable risk of injury or death for the animals." In Canada, the City of Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver have banned rodeos.{{Cite web|url=https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/rodeos/|title=Rodeos|website=Vancouver Humane Society|date=June 2, 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.humanesociety.org/our-policies|title=Our policies|website=The Humane Society of the United States}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-policy-and-position-statements/rodeo|title=Rodeo|website=ASPCA}}{{cite web|url=http://americanhumane.org/app/uploads/2016/08/Guidelines2015-WEB-Revised-110315-1.pdf|page=96, 102|publisher=American Humane|title=Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media|date=2015}}

RSPCA Australia is "opposed to rodeos and rodeo schools because of the potential for significant injury, suffering or distress to the animals involved. The use of painful devices such as flank straps, spurs and electric prods contributes to suffering associated with this sport."{{Cite web|url=https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/rspca-policy-c08-rodeos/|title=RSPCA Policy C08 Rodeos – RSPCA Knowledgebase|website=RSPCA Australia}}

• Animal welfare in the United States

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.prorodeo.com/prorodeo/livestock/livestock-welfare-overview Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association: Lifestock Welfare]

{{Animal welfare|state=collapsed}}

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Category:Rodeo

Category:Cruelty to animals

Category:Sports controversies

Category:Animal welfare and rights in the United States