Rodeos are sanctioned animal cruelty events that force terrified baby cows, bulls, and horses to suffer from fear, abuse, injuries, and sometimes death — all for human entertainment. Calf-roping, widely considered to be the cruelest event, involves chasing baby cows on horseback, catching them with lassos, yanking and twisting their necks as they’re violently slammed to the ground, then holding them down and tying their legs together.
In bull and bronc riding, normally docile animals are often zapped with electric prods or antagonized with flank straps to deliberately panic them so they charge out of the chute. These agitated bulls and horses then kick wildly in fear, trying to free themselves from their riders.
Animals used in rodeos also often suffer fatal injuries, including broken backs and necks, heart attacks, and aneurysms. Sometimes these fatalities are covered by the media, but the stress, fear, and pain the animals experience at rodeos are broadly overlooked.
Additionally, these animals are generally exempt from protection under anti-cruelty laws, making them even more susceptible to suffering.
Representative Image (Richard Buchbinder/Adobe Stock)
Defenders of rodeos call them “cultural tradition,” but this is not an excuse for subjecting animals to needless stress and harm for amusement. Rodeos are also often promoted as family-friendly entertainment, yet exposing children to violence against animals can make them less empathetic and more aggressive.
Rather than attending a rodeo, choose kindness by visiting your local animal sanctuary instead.
Animal cruelty should never be celebrated as entertainment or excused as tradition — and rodeos are no exception.
Sign today to promise to never attend a rodeo and add your name to the list of compassionate animal advocates speaking out against these cruel events. Then share this pledge with your family and friends to urge them to do the same.
