Opinion: How are rodeos still a thing?
The Calgary Stampede has a long history; it dates back to 1912 when it was promoted by American Guy Weadick to celebrate cowboy culture and the Wild West.
However, it's clear to those of us who care about animal welfare that rodeos have a long history of animal cruelty. Most recently, a horse was euthanized at the Calgary Stampede — having broken his leg during the chuckwagon race. His name was Rider.
The chuckwagon race involves four horses pulling a 1,300-pound covered wagon — reminiscent of old-time food wagons — in a race against other wagons. Entrants can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h and it is often during these races that animals are injured or killed. Outside of the chuckwagon, rodeo events also include calf roping, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and wild cow milking which also carry significant risk for animal injury and death.
Since 1986, there have been 110 known fatalities at the Calgary Stampede, with 79 horses killed during chuckwagon races alone. Other animals killed and injured include calves, steers and bucking horses. While many suffer from leg injuries and must be euthanized, horses also die from heart attacks, and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhages.
According to the Calgary Humane Society, these numbers only reflect the official number of animals killed during the event itself; there are countless other animals who die behind the scenes while riders are attempting to perfect their skills.
It is small wonder that animal rights groups have been calling for the termination of the rodeo events at the Stampede for years. In fact, Animal Justice has recently filed a legal complaint, calling for a full investigation into whether there should be charges laid against rodeo participants under provincial and federal animal protection laws following Rider's death.
A smaller scale version of the Stampede takes place every September in Quebec. The Festival Western de St-Tite attracts thousands of visitors annually. Animal events include saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling that have drawn criticism over the years. In 2017, a horse named Grady died of a suspected spinal cord injury during the bucking bronco event.
In 2018, Alain Roy, a respected Université de Montréal law professor and animal rights activist, published a report based on witness accounts at over 20 events. This lengthy report accused the organizers of the St-Tite festival of violating Quebec's animal welfare laws and found evidence that the animals were exposed to serious risk of injury as well as psychological distress.
According to the CBC, the festival's promoters responded that the report was biased and dismissed its findings claiming that their own animal treatment specialist had found 'no abuse, negligence or unacceptable behaviour' on their part.
Professor Roy had previously been unsuccessful in preventing the urban rodeo held at Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations in 2017.
The fact that the St-Tite rodeo continues to run, undeterred by complaints of animal cruelty, is curious, particularly in a province where its Civil Code (art. 898.1) recognizes animal sentience —requiring that animals be considered as more than just 'things' (i.e. property) but as beings with biological needs, capable of feeling pleasure and pain.
While the recognition of sentience in the Civil Code since 2015 is a step in the right direction, it must be more than symbolic to have any real effect. Moreover, one wonders if people would feel differently if companion animals were being killed annually at rodeos. What if the headline had read instead: 'Labradoodle euthanized after injury during chuckwagon race at the Calgary Stampede'?
Perhaps because cows and horses are not considered pets, nor are they part of our families (for most people), they do not rate the same considerations.
Arguments in favour of rodeos focus on their history, the so-called entertainment they provide and 'sport.' However, the injury, death and cruelty to animals that we see must stop. Rider and Grady, and countless others like them, deserve no less.
Kathryn M. Campbell is a full professor of criminology at the University of Ottawa. She is a member of the Canadian Animal Law Study Group and resides in Montreal.
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