Sea Shepherd Joins Call for Rodeo Ban

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It has come to my attention that a draft correspondence between myself and a third party (link above) was recently posted on your site without approval/ authorisation from either myself or Sea Shepherd. This was a post that implies that it was posted by myself, which is not the case.

I would therefore ask that the above link be removed at your earliest convenience. Can I also request that you advise, by return email, when this has been actioned.
For the oceans,

Michael Dalton
Sea Shepherd Brisbane Coordinator

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20 March 2010 Sea Shepherd Joins Call for Rodeo Ban

Dear Members of Council,

I, like the RSPCA and many others, believe that rodeos are a cruel form of entertainment. These events serve no useful purpose for the animal, pose a high risk of cruelty and subject animals to stress. All in the name of 'public entertainment'.

Did you know?
o Horses and bulls have broken their neck or back in bucking events
o Cattle have broken their legs in roping events
o Calf roping causes severe bruising around the throat
o Flank straps, spurs and electric prods are used to inflict pain, making animals buck, in turn causing physical distress and injury.

Events such as calf and steer roping and bulldogging, bear no relationship to the Australian ethos or to existing Australian farming practice. Animal roping and bulldogging are considered to be cruel, as they may cause terror and abuse to the animal, physical distress and the strong possibility of injury.

Why do organisations like the RSPCA feel so strongly about rodeos that they need to send inspectors to these events? Why do they feel compelled to ensure that the event organisers do not breach any of the conditions of the rodeo permit or the occurrence of cruelty, as defined under Section 9 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

In some states, like Victoria, it is compulsory to have a veterinarian in attendance. However, veterinarians cannot prevent injuries. They can only treat injuries after they have occurred, or euthanase severely injured animals.

Here is a summary of what animals are subjected to;

Calf roping - In this event, a calf is released from a chute and chased on horseback. Once the calf has been lassoed around the neck, the horse skids to a halt, the rider leaps from the saddle, and then throws the calf to the ground. To get points, three legs must be tied within 30 seconds of the calf being released from the chute.
The frightened calf is travelling at high speed when lassoed and therefore the rope hits with great force. The force can be strong enough to jerk the calf off its feet and into the air. According to the voluntary (APRA) code of practice, calves should be in the weight range 100 kg -130 kg. However, there is no body weight that will prevent a calf from receiving stress and potential injury.

Steer wrestling - In this event, a steer is released and chased by two riders. One rider keeps the steer running in a straight line, while the other grabs the steer by the horns and leaps from his horse. He twists the steer's neck to force it to the ground. The contestant has 30 seconds from the time the steer is released, to throw it to the ground.
Apart from the stress of this brutal treatment, the neck of the steer can also be injured. Strained muscles and tendons can be a painful consequence of this event.

Team roping - When the steer is released from the chute, a pair of horsemen attempt to rope him within 30 seconds. One rope must be around the horns, neck or half a head, while the other must be around the back legs. A correctly-roped steer is stretched between the horses and will usually fall to the ground.

Bucking events - In all bucking events, the aim of the rider is to stay on the animal for 8 seconds after its released from the chute. Horses are ridden either with a saddle and lead rope or bareback. On bulls, a rope is pulled around the abdomen and groin.
Why they buck: Bucking straps cinched tightly around sensitive abdomen and groin; shocked with electric prods; kicked and cut with spurs; hair and tail twisted.Once the bucking strap is removed and the torment is ended the bucking stops.

In addition, bulls in particular are often given an electric shock as the gate of the chute is opened. A hand-held prod is used to deliver a shock to the shoulder or rump. The APRA Code of Practice says that electric prods should not be routinely used, but observations at country rodeos show that they are.

I urge you to take the time to think about how these animals are treated, why the RSPCA does not endorse them and if you allow your family pet to be treated in this way?

Please ensure that your council does not allow these barbaric practices to continue in your area. As a species we used to believe that slavery was acceptable, we now know this was wrong - the same is true for rodeos, it's now time to stop them!

For the animals,
Michael Dalton
Sea Shepherd Brisbane Coordinator

Permanent Link: Sea Shepherd Joins Call for Rodeo Ban
Publish Date: 21 Mar 10