The Vancouver Humane Society is at the forefront of trying to help animals in all sectors in Canada and has already, with only a 'skeleton' crew of people, managed to get calf-roping banned in many rodeos in British Columbia. Now, with equal determination, they are also spreading their efforts out to Alberta (thank GOD!), where rodeo is not only abundant, but spreading & growing every year. The Calgary Stampede board is trying to EXPAND their rodeo events, despite growing public views that see at least some rodeo events as cruel, such as calf roping (shudder) and team calf roping ( double-shudder). AB is one cruel Province, so the animals and we who love them need all the help we can get!!!

Please help the animals and those of us here who would love to see an eventual but entire end to rodeos, where animals get maimed and killed ALL the time (chuckwagon racing usually nets at least one horse every, single year at the Stampede, for just one example), both in and out of the ring (the cowboys' training goes on ALL throughout the year, so you can just imagine), by signing the petition through the VHS website. It's only for calf-roping so far, but it's the first step in bringing more compassion into this horrid "entertainment" that teaches children to use, abuse and kill animals for only the selfish reasons of 'sport'.

You can find the petition by scrolling a couple of inches down on VHS's main website here. PLEASE HELP THE POOR BABY COWS at least be saved from this extra abuse before they grow up to get taken to either veal farms, shipped overseas, ending at the slaughterhouse for human consumption. Their lives are bad enough without adding this additional cruelty to them before they die, or even grow up some. And please then pass this petition on to everyone you think might add their signature. We need a whopping number of signatures to even start to make a dent, and the views of Americans count a LOT, too, as the Stampede thrives on (mainly) American, but also European, tourists coming all the way here JUST to attend this infamous rodeo each year. ONLY if massive amounts of the general public and tourists start expressing kinder views in a loud voice and stop attending (if only from shame) will this wind down here, as it's a huge money-maker for Calgary and surrounding areas.

I haven't attended the Stampede (also with midways, carnival rides, hundreds of exhibits, etc.) since our first, naive year here in AB, where I learned about the rodeo tied to it, saw the abused chickens and ducks stuffed in 'gaming' devices, unsupervised "petting zoos", etc., etc. We won't give them ONE DIME out of the general coffers that goes towards rodeo or these other cruel practices. So no more yearly mini-donut scoff for ME anymore!

I know that this is going to be a very difficult thing to achieve Rodeo goes so far back. In my small town we have a few of those every year. And, Sadly calf Roping is a tradition, I dont agree with the conditions of these animals either. But, People here are not willing to give it up.

Roseburg is very much a Cowboy area and, to even mention such a thing might end you up in a brawl. It is assine yes but my little town is still very much backward when it comes to being politically correct on issues.


Boo,poppy,Muse, Nyzki

thank you, FkM, for this link.
i did not know about that animal abuse.
looks like a never ending story.
it is heartbreaking.
Eva

It it really just too obvious to state? I am amazed that no one is talking about NOT eating baby animals such as veal or lamb. If there is no market, all this cruelty will stop and babies will get to live a few years before going for human consumption. And it would send a strong message to all farmers that people want all animals to be treated kindly. I would doubt that they can ever rehabilitate such rodeo traumatized calves, so after these 'games' all is left is the abattoir. Find out which farmers allow their animals a long and happy life and consume only their food, they're trying very hard and need all the support they can get.