SDAA Exposes Abuse at San Diego Rodeos

Wednesday, June 14, 2006
San Diego Animal Advocates

Read the full article: http://animaladvocates.org/

Video was obtained in late April at the Lakeside, California rodeo and in mid-May at the Iron Horse Shoot Out rodeo in San Diego and the Ramona, California rodeo. You can view this footage here (WARNING: some images are disturbing).

Among other cruel actions, the footage collected by dedicated activists reveals young calves being hit, kicked, and struck repeatedly with rods, often in the head and face, to force them into the chutes. Once animals were inside the chute, rodeo participants regularly pulled and twisted the animals’ tails in an effort to make them run at full speed out of the chutes and into the arena, where they were roped around the neck from behind, jerked violently backwards, and slammed to the ground. The “cowboys” then grabbed the stunned animals, lifted them up and again slammed them to the ground before roping their legs. Men weighing approximately 175 pounds or more routinely sat on the animals to hold them down while roping the legs.

“It is clear from the video that many rodeo animals were terrified throughout the event,” said Megan Sewell of SDAA. “The very young ones especially sought desperately to escape being struck. You can hear their moans as their tails are being viciously twisted, and after being thrown to the ground many appear to be in pain and great distress. Some appear to have leg and neck injuries and are unable to walk normally after the assault,” Sewell said.

Rodeo opponents allege that the animals are treated as if they were athletic equipment. Veterinarian Peggy Larson, a former USDA inspector who once competed in rodeos and now opposes them, describes in her writings how rodeo animals are often injured with broken ribs, legs, and necks; ruptured ligaments, punctured lungs, severed tracheas and gallons of blood accumulated under detached skin. These injuries are generally hidden from the public as the animals are quickly removed from sight after the event.

“The abuse depicted in our video is not unique to San Diego,” said Sewell. “It is typical of rodeo events everywhere.” Sewell believes that rodeos are becoming increasingly violent toward animals, perhaps as a result of their need to compete with other more violent forms of “entertainment.”

Click on the above posted link for the full artcle.