Rodeo Cruelty 

“Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves.” ~ Cesar Chavez

“We need the boundless ethics which will include the animals also.” ~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Rodeo Cruelty

Rodeos are touted as entertainment, but in reality they are nothing more than displays of human domination, torment and cruelty to animals. What began in the 1800s by cowboys, has become a show of power and brutality, causing unnecessary suffering and death to animals. The rodeo is not tradition, custom, culture, or entertainment—the rodeo and its practices are outrageous acts of animal abuse, animal exploitation and cruelty done in public. It is driven by profit and greed. Forcing an animal, inflicting suffering and pain, abusing, beating, brutalizing, tormenting, injuring, harming and killing animals—is typical animal cruelty at rodeos. It’s time to ban rodeos and their abusive practices. Captive wild animals in traveling circuses for entertainment purposes are now banned in many countries, cities and states—and rodeos need to end all acts of animal abuse, cruelty and domination. Bottom line—the animals have no choice in this, they are forced to endure the cruelty of the rodeo. 

The bulls, horses, calves, and cows used in rodeos are captive performers. Most are fearful and distrustful of humans because of being mistreated. These animals are not aggressive by nature, but instead, are physically provoked—goaded by painful electric prods and bucking straps, they are whipped, roped, spurred (with sharp spurs), and poked at—to make them angry and aggressive, and to make “cowboys” look brave—but this is nothing but sheer animal cruelty.

Worse yet, there are few laws protecting animals forced to perform in rodeos. The federal Animal Welfare Act exempts rodeos from the protections it provides to animals. Some states exempt rodeos from their anti-cruelty statutes, while other states defer to the highly inadequate and unregulated Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association regulations to judge whether animal cruelty has occurred in rodeos.

Rodeos are banned in Britain, most of Europe, some of the U.S., and parts of Australia. They cause horrific cruelty to animals, suffering, injury, and death. Rodeos are not fun for animals, they are abusive and deadly—and need to be banned.

How Are Rodeos Cruel to Animals? 

The horses, bulls, steers and calves all suffer broken backs, broken ribs, broken legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, torn ligaments and ripped tendons, have their necks broken, experience gaping wounds, have their skin ripped off, and experience the deepest pain and suffering imaginable—all with very little to no veterinary or medical support. These animals are considered disposable by the rodeo. They will just be replaced by another unwitting victim. Most die agonizing deaths either at the rodeo, following an event, or when they are sent to slaughterhouses.          

James Serpell stated in his In the Company of Animals:

It is perhaps exaggerated to claim, as one author has, that the rodeo is ‘the modern equivalent of the public hanging’. Nevertheless, these performances hinge on the violent subjugation of living animals, some of which are deliberately incited to frenzied violence by raking them with spurs, constricting the genital region with leather straps, or by thrusting an electric prod into the rectal area. At the same time they are often given bogus, malevolent names in order to deflect sympathy from their plight. Occasionally, they are maimed or killed, and many are forced to undergo the same terrifying ordeal several times a day. Yet the rodeo is presented to the American public as a harmless, red-blooded entertainment in which the cowboy – uses his courage and skill to overcome and subdue untamable, outlaw stock. Doubtless, the Romans employed similar fantasies to justify their activities in the Circus Maximus — mass entertainment based on violence, cruelty and killing 1000 years ago.

The Cruel Tools Used

Rodeo promoters will tell you that horses are doing what they love, performing and competing. But nothing could be further from the truth. Tell this lie to the terrified horses, calves, steers, cows, and sheep who are abused, attacked, tormented, roped, slammed to the ground, are tripped and suffer injuries or broken bones, are whipped and beaten—then are sent to slaughter where most eventually end up. The potential for significant injury, suffering, distress and even death to these animals makes the rodeo deeply abusive and cruel to animals. Additionally, the use of flank bucking straps, sharp spurs and electric prods—used as devices to inflict pain, distress and torment and anger—also contribute to the pain and suffering associated with this sport. These are not standard ranching practices. Call the rodeo what it is: Institutionalized animal cruelty. And like circus animal cruelty and the closing of animal circuses worldwide, the rodeo and its animal torture acts need to go. 

Rodeos are highly unregulated and do not fall under the Animal Welfare Act. The penalties for mistreating an animal are minor, and the Rodeo Association’s rules are ineffective in preventing injuries, are not strictly enforced, and are not severe enough to prevent abuse.

Cruelty in Transport

Animals being transported to rodeos are not required (by the Rodeo Association) to be fed, watered or unloaded up to 24 hours before the event. So animals can be confined for an entire day, immobile, without food and water, which is deeply inhumane and irresponsible. Travel between events is punishing too. These animals are often transported over long distances in hot, overcrowded trucks and trailers. 

Animals Discarded to Slaughterhouses

When the particular horse, bull, cow, or calf can no longer function, or is injured, or in pain, or too old—these animals are sold for slaughter. Many are so extensively and badly injured, wounded with gaping cuts that are infected, have broken ribs and bones, detached skin, injured spines—their bodies are literally trashed by rodeo workers and cowboys. Many animals have been reported to have multiple broken ribs, broken bones, punctured lungs, and blood accumulated just under detached skin, have horrific untreated wounds—report slaughterhouse inspectors. These injuries are the direct result of cruel rodeo events.

Animals Killed at Rodeos

Statistics are extremely difficult to get, like in horse racing, they are hidden from public knowledge and not published. But this is indicative of how many animals die in every rodeo, then multiply that across all the rodeos in the U.S.

The rodeo protects themselves by not publishing statistics of injury and death to animals. So observers, attendees, and news media are the only vehicles to report these injuries. Serious injuries and death happen at every rodeo. Here is an example:

2010 – Colorado Rodeo in Denver– 11 animals injured / 2 died

2010 – Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada – 6 horses died including two heart attacks, one broken back, one euthanized and two were killed

2009 – Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada – 3 horses died / 1 steer broke his spine and died

2005 – Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada – Many animals herded over the bridge were pushed into the river, or jumped, killing 9 horses and several cows

Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, Injuries and Death

Specific Cruel Rodeo Acts and Practices

Inside the Horse Bucking Chute

Once in the chute, horses and bulls can panic, and rodeo men rile them by pulling their tales, slapping their faces—all to anger the horse before she is further abused by the bucking strap.

Horse / Bull Riding With a Bucking Strap

Inside the “Bucking Chute” a “bucking strap” is strapped onto the bull or horse’s sensitive flank like a belt. The contestant gets on the horse in the chute, and the chute gate is opened. Just before, the bucking strap is pulled tight to anger the horse in her sensitive flank area. The horses’ and bulls’ flank is full of nerve endings, so it’s a form of tormenting and irritating the horse or bull. The horse or bull bucks to get the strap off, which is futile, so they just continue to buck, while the contestant uses sharp spurs to make them even more angry. The strap can cause serious and obvious wounds that injure them. During a rodeo and bucking contest, horses and bulls often fall, injuring themselves. They are vulnerable, frightened and in pain. 

Horses and bulls that have been used at bucking events endure severe back and spinal injuries from the repeated pounding on the ground and the constant bucking—constant bucking also causes severe leg and tendon injuries. Jumping up and down is not a normal action for horses or bulls and can break their legs and back, and at a very minimum can cause severe tendonitis and painful injuries. Plus, the use of the electric prod or “hotshot” in the chute to incite them to anger causes intense pain. 

Horse and Bull Injuries 

• Broken neck  
• Snapped spine  
• Back problems, injuries, broken back
• Tears in leg tendons, serious leg injuries

Calf and Steer Roping

Calf roping or “rope and tie” is generally considered to be one of the cruelest and deadliest events of a rodeo. Young calves, approximately three months old, are chased at high speed, roped around the neck and thrown and wrestled to the ground. This is a horrific experience causing stress, fear, pain and often injury and even death. Calves who are roped while running routinely have their necks snapped back by the rope/lasso, often causing broken necks and spinal injuries. The same thing happens with steer wrestling. 

This event is deemed to be one of the most violent, cruel and deadliest to rodeo animals—causing severe and painful injury and death. The bulls, steer and calves suffer broken backs, ribs, legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, have torn ligaments and ripped tendons, broken necks and agonizing deaths. Many injured calves and steers must be euthanized at the rodeo. They are simply “disposed of and discarded” and replaced by the next unwitting victim. 

Calf and Steer Injuries 

• Broken legs  
• Back injuries and broken backs  
• Spinal cord paralysis  
• Neck injuries and broken necks  
• Severed tracheas  
• Internal hemorrhaging  
• Damage to internal organs  
• Bruises  
• Torn ligaments

Steer Wrestling

In this event, the contestant who is mounted on a horse, chases the steer out of the holding chute. He grabs the steer’s horns while dismounting, twists the animal’s neck, and slams him to the ground.

Steer Injuries 

• Broken necks  
• Torn ligaments  
• Broken bones  
• Severed spinal cords  
• Severed tracheas  
• Internal bleeding

Steer Tripping

In this event, a steer is forced to run while the mounted contestant throws a rope around his horns, then flips the rope to the right side of the steer, while turning his horse, who is galloping, to the left. The steer’s head and neck are jerked, causing him to be tripped, rolled, and dragged on the ground. His legs are then tied up. If the steer does not stay down the first time, he will be tripped and dragged until he is.

Steer Injuries 

• Fractured horns  
• Neck injuries  
• Back sores 
• Hip sores 

Barrel Racing

Many horses at barrel racing events balk and panic before entering the ring, and are whipped, beaten and abused to get the horse to enter the ring to barrel race. Many barrel racers are known to ignore their abuse to horses and are considered or deemed non-empathic people to animals. Between the riders yanking and pulling on harsh and severe curb bits, to excessive whipping, to kicking the horse constantly going barrel to barrel—this sport is notorious for riders who are insensitive to their horses, and are overly aggressive with their horses. The horses are forced to participate, perform and win.

This event and sport causes horses’ severe back strains, tendonitis of the knees, torn ligaments and serious leg damage and injuries. And with leg damage, a horses’ life can be over, especially with uncompassionate owners. To these owners, horses are disposable. Some of these horses are raced much younger than is healthy, so they are particularly susceptible to injuries. Some horses are raced too often causing injuries. And most horses are beaten and whipped excessively at events. Riders commonly try to justify the event as not cruel, but when is whipping, beating, kicking, hurting, abusing, causing pain and suffering, causing injury and severe physical damage—not cruel?

Horse Injuries

• Leg injuries, tendonitis, torn ligaments

• Joint arthritis

More Information About Rodeo Cruelty

Detailed Discussion of Rodeos, by Animal Legal & Historical Center

Rodeo Facts: The Case Against Rodeos, by Legal Animal Defense Fund

Rodeo: Cruelty for a Buck, by PETA

Rodeo Cruelty: Forget the Myth!, By Advocacy for Animals

The Underbelly of Rodeos: Busting the American Myth, by Huffpost

Are Animals Hurt in Rodeos? by SHARK

RODEO: Inherent Cruelty to Animals, by Humane Society Veterinary Medical Assn.

What You Can Do

1. Boycott the Rodeo – first and foremost
2. Protest the Rodeo to Local Authorities – When and if the rodeo comes to town, create and join protests, or hold a demonstration. Distribute leaflets at the gate describing and outlining the cruelty to animals, the injuries, the abuse. 
3. Share Rodeo Cruelty on Social Media – Raise awareness and consciousness about rodeo cruelty, and that animals should not be exploited for “entertainment” on any level
4. Write Letters to Sponsors of the Event – Get the names of the sponsors and write letters to each one and ask them to cancel their sponsorship
5. Report Animal Cruelty in your Community – Report it to the local police department, PETA, and local animal shelter authorities
6. Check State and Local Laws – Find out what types of activities involving animals are not legal in your state or area. Video and photograph the events if you attend, then submit film and photos documenting the abuse to authorities, legislators, city officials, newspapers, media, and on social media. Ask cities and counties to pass ordinances that will ban the rodeo and their cruel practices
7. Call Your State Senators — Call 202-224-3121. Ask the operator to connect you to the individual office, then leave a message for them about the particular rodeo 
8. Call Your U.S. Representative —  Call 202-225-3121. Ask the operator to connect you to the individual office, then leave a message for them about the particular rodeo.
9. Write Letters to the Editor – Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper(s)
10. Write to Your State Governor – The Governor and all state legislators can be written c/o The State Capital, the capital city, state and zip code. Keep your letters short to 150-200 words if possible, outline the cruelty, include photos for documentation (or not). 
11. Comment on News Articles – There are numerous articles in the newspaper and online every day relating to animals. This is an excellent opportunity to share your thoughts in the “Comments” section, to educate the public, pass information along, share documentation, and contact information.
12. Attend City, County Public Meetings – City council, County Boards of Supervisors, and State Fair Board of Directors all meet weekly, every two weeks or monthly. Call to find out their schedule, then attend their meetings. Most have public “comment periods” at the end of the meeting or beginning. Take advantage of these to speak on any number of animal issues.The State Fish & Game Commission meets about 10 times per year also. 
13. Public Outreach – Consider setting up a table on a busy street corner – have signs, blown-up photos, literature to hand out, petitions to sign, contact info for state legislators and agencies. Get a few animal advocates to go with you. Educate people.
14. Guerrilla Advocacy – This is cheap and effective. Print up several hundred flyers on a particular issue, then insert them in any of the free weeklies in your city, or staple them to posts, hand them out at transit stations or at sporting events, anywhere there is a crowd. 
15. Leaflet Your Neighborhood 
16. Ask Your Minister – to preach a sermon on animal welfare