It's hard to imagine a world where animal welfare advocates and a sporting event that involves farm creatures being rode, choked, roped and body-slammed would meet to discuss animal safety. But, yesterday, the Calgary Stampede, Calgary Humane Society and the Alberta SPCA did exactly that, and came to an agreement on a new rule for the steer wrestling competition to be enacted at this year's Stampede.
How the steer falls when a steer wrestler throws it is now crucial for scoring points in the event. In a press release the Calgary Stampede declared "that if a steer falls with his legs under him or lands on the opposite side of the cowboy, known as a ‘dog fall,' a judge will automatically end the run and the cowboy given a ‘no time.'" The Calgary Stampede Rodeo is the first to implement such a rule in North America.
President and chairman of the board for the Calgary Stampede, Dr. David Chalack wrote in the release, "this innovative change is an additional safety precaution that comes from our ongoing effort to enhance our animal care practices."
The ruling comes as a result of the growing animal welfare concerns voiced in recent years and especially during the 2009 Calgary Stampede Rodeo. On July 10, 2009 an animal rights group staged a protest in the form of a mock graveyard outside the Stampede Grounds after one steer and two horses died in the first week of the Stampede Rodeo. Protesters were not only angry about the animals' deaths, but also that the Calgary Humane Society - which monitors animal treatment during the 10-day event - did not join with them to demonstrate.
The Calgary Humane Society's participation in the meeting appears to be an attempt at reestablishing its status with hardcore animal rights activists in the city and also a sort of ‘if you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em' approach to ensuring the humane treatment of animals at the Calgary Stampede. Patricia Cameron, executive director of the CHS, said "while the Calgary Humane Society fundamentally opposes any form of entertainment in which animals are placed at risk of suffering undue stress, pain, injury or death such as chuckwagon racing, calf-roping and steer wrestling, we believe we can best protect the interests of the animals involved by working with organizations such as the Calgary Stampede."
Chalack also said the Calgary Stampede Board welcomes "the constructive input of those who share our passion for animals - after all, our common goal is ensuring the highest possible standards."
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I have a question please
Submitted 1 year 29 weeks ago
The SPCA and many other organizations do there very; very best to protect our animals. I am a huge animal lover and do my best to protect animals.
Many people that think what humans due to animals in a Rodeo is horrifying, do they think about what these animals due to humans?
Well the answer would be that’s the humans Choice to put them selves in that position,
It’s a Fair argument no question.
This is a part of our history, and more importantly apart of our future.
I put the question to the animal activists, where do you get your meet? Are you comfortable with a slaughter house (grocery store) or would you rather go to a Rancher for you good beef, chicken, or pork. How many recalls have their been in meet FACTORIES all over the world. BUT, and EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY.
When the companies you trust to provide your precious food from, and put it in PLASTIC. You are the first to run to the grocery store and buy the plastic food containers that OUR governments allow companies to provide to not only poison us but our earth and our Future.
Shame on all of you for not recognizing that these animals are not only cared for, they have a place to run, and be loved, and do what our ancestor’s shared with these animals to build the Future your PLASTIC, CONVENIENT FOOD LOVERS enjoy today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Would you rather see these animals cared for and Loved. or would you rather they were raised in a slaughter house with disease?
No wonder the economy is going to hell, and our earth is dying from Plastic, Plastic, Plastic.
I suggest you look into where you food comes from, and chemicals to make Meet last on a shelf for 10 years, is disgusting. These should be the issues.
I look forward to seeing you folks, when your plastics run out in you’ve killed us all with your Garbage.
All you give is your opinions without understanding and you don’t care where or how you next meal comes from as long as you can throw it away and the garbage man pick’s it up.
Shame, Shame, Shame on you.
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Call for drug testing and autopsies on horses
Submitted 1 year 29 weeks ago
They really should do drug testing on all the horses. Are they given stimulants to improve their performance? I would think it would be unusual for a fit race horse to die of heart attack and maybe autopsies should be required in those cases.
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Calgary Stampede Abuse and Torture Show
Submitted 1 year 29 weeks ago
A torture strap around their bellies and spurring them into a wild frenzie to escape the inflicted pain.Let the fat men who sream and wack the chuckwagon horses get off their asses and ride each other around the track.GROW UP FIND SOME OTHER WAY TO PROVE YOUR A MAN SOONER OR LATER YOU'LL HAVE TO GET A REAL JOB. Animals have a right to their life also. One who speaks to your heart......
Avenue Staff
Feedback from the the Calgary Humane Sociey
Submitted 1 year 32 weeks ago
We received a note from the Calgary Humane Society on this post and wanted to share it with our readers. Here it is:
"I’m not sure if you are the correct person to contact, but I just read Sean Young’s blog within your online magazine this morning and he implies in his article that Calgary Humane is an animal rights organization.
I would like to clarify and correct Sean that CHS is not an animal rights organization, but an animal welfare organization. Animal welfare organizations realize that animals are used within society for various functions, and we make it our goal to enhance the quality of lives of the animals we use, whether there use is companionship, work, or for consumption. CHS is also responsible for the care of 8,000 homeless animals each year within our community, and offers various other services to the public such as adoption, Animal Protection Officers (Peace Officers), behavior classes and educational seminars for children and youth. Animal rights organizations often engage in extreme tactics, such as large scale protesting, to have their voice heard, and often do not directly care for animals within their communities.
The Calgary Humane Society’s official position on Stampede Rodeo activities is the following: “The Calgary Humane Society opposes the use of animals for any form of entertainment in which they are placed at risk of suffering undue stress, pain, injury or death.” This is the position statement of Calgary Humane Society, and has been for more than a decade.
As indicated in the Society’s position statement on animals in entertainment, CHS fundamentally opposes rodeo events like chuckwagon racing, calf-roping and steer wrestling. While other organizations may wish to intervene through protest, or other means, CHS has found it can best protect the interests of the animals involved by working with organizations that put on such events.
Over more than a decade of work with the Calgary Stampede, Calgary Humane Society has been instrumental in significant changes that have reduced injuries (for example, changes to the chuckwagon track that reduced stress fractures of the legs of horses; penalizing of calf-roping that yanked the calf backward) and eliminated certain high risk events (like wild cow milking). CHS does its work by providing recommendations to the organizations, by following up on public complaints, and by having its Peace Officers attending these events to ensure the province’s Animal Protection Act (APA) is upheld.
Under the law, Calgary Humane Society’s primary role in attendance of the Calgary Stampede is to enforce the Animal Protection Act of Alberta. Calgary Humane Society Peace Officers attend every day of the Stampede to monitor and ensure the animals are being properly treated i.e., food, water, shelter and care. They are also immediately on scene of any accident involving an animal to ensure the animal is being treated promptly, efficiently and humanely, to document what happened, and to follow up with the unresolved cases.
Ultimately, the CHS wants no animal to be harmed at the Stampede – and this is the goal they expect the Stampede to work towards."
We think they have a fair point about the distinction between an animal welfare group and an animal rights group and so have made the changes they requested. What do you think?
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The art of dialogue
Submitted 1 year 32 weeks ago
Hi Sean. I believe Desiree Arsenault our manager of Communications and Marketing has sent you an information package regarding our decades long effort to eliminate animal suffering and death at the Stampede. Unlike demonstrations, which also have their place in our mutual efforts to foster a more compassionate and humane world, the efforts of Calgary Humane Society do not grab headlines nor are they intended to. They are intended to chip away at deeply seated social attitudes and practices through the too rarely used means of respectful dialogue. I don't know about you, but I find the many rancorous instances of people throwing labels and imprecations at others to be completely counter to the peaceful and compassionate world I envision (for all creatures). I also find that the emotions stirred impair deeper understanding and tend to cause even more engrained resistance. CHS is focused on its mission of helping as many animals as possible and thus really does not spend resources on trying to reestablish status with any particular group. If you have never visited our shelter, I personally invite you for a tour during which we can discuss our many community programs and services, our philosophy and approach to change, and the current social conditions that have lead to more than 15,000 homeless animals each year in Calgary. I would love for you to blog on this final issue since you could really help raise community awareness of this significant social and humanitarian problem. To set up time for a tour, please call our call centre at 403-205-4455. Thanks!
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