Rodeo is a sport with long American traditions and loved by many spectators and participants. Past history has shown that rodeo needed to make way for a new era of riders and trainers with a larger emphasis on the welfare of the animals and not be discontinued or banned entirely. Today’s rodeos do not present a danger to the animals because the animals are well-cared for and protected, rodeos have strict rules and the stock are treated as prized animals.
There is a very important distinction when dealing with animal welfare and animal rights. After learning to tell the difference between the two, it is easier to distinguish the organization that wants to help animals and the people who wish to end the use of animals. Even though there are different groups that support different agendas for the sport, both should have the same goal. Animal rights are organizations that seek to end the ownership and use of animals. The largest of those groups are The Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. There is a ‘Pro-Rodeo’ organization under the guise ‘Friends of Rodeo.’ They claim to be the only organization solely devoted to protecting and promoting the sport of rodeo, all of rodeo regardless of association affiliation. “What rodeo proponents fail to acknowledge is that rodeos harm animals that are forced to perform in a competition that is essentially a display of human domination over other species” (The Rodeo 1).
Animal welfare is based on the humane care and use of the animals. Organizations that support animal welfare seek to improve the treatment of animals. The first rule on humane care was established by the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association in 1947. Seven years before the Humane Society was established. The a...
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... rodeo as cruel and abusive. But the rodeo today is changing with the hope of getting better. The bucking and roping stock are treated as prized animals. They even have their own bucking champions. The solution to any kind of animal abuse is in the continued scrutiny of the sport by the PRCA. As the sport evolves and the animals become more valuable it should cause better care for the animals.
Works Cited
“Animal Rights” 22 Nov. 2008
“Animal Welfare” 24 Nov. 2008
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Larson, Peggy W. Animal Abuse Inherent In Rodeos 2008 PO Box 28 Geneva, IL 60134
“Livestock Care” 23 Nov. 2008
“Rodeo Facts” 22 Nov. 2008
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“The Rodeo” 23 Nov. 2008
The U.S. Department of Interior’s, Bureau of Land Management, (BLM) was appointed to carry out the Act and given the task of managing the herds of wild horses and burros. Consequently, BLM’s management of wild horse herds has been highly criticized by animal rights activists, horse advocates, news media, as well as members of Congress. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against BLM regarding their management practices and their appalling wild horse round-ups. However, unimpeded BLM continues with the controversial issue of wild horse round-ups, resulting in the death and injury of many wild horses and burros. The vast majority of these round...
"Animal Cruelty and Human Violence : The Humane Society of the United States." RSS. N.p.,
Every event in rodeo has a practical purpose; all but one that is. There is no practical reason to get on a bull; only the thrills, chills, and rush of excitement. It¡¦s more than a challenge between riders. It¡¦s a challenge between man and beast. Legendary cowboy Larry Mahan had an even different way of looking at it. He said, ¡§It¡¦s not a challenge with the animal but with the weakness in one¡¦s self¡¨. At any rate, it¡¦s all about the challenge.
The imagery associated with bulls and steers is confusing, since it is clearly supportive of bulls over steers. Bulls are associated with passion. Those who identify with bulls through their enthusiasm for bullfighting are called "aficionado" from the Spanish word for passion (131). Those who lack aficion are valueless while a true aficionado is a "buen hombre" (132). The bulls are "beautiful," muscular, aggressive and "dangerous" (139, 141). Because of their physical prowess and their sexual potency, bulls are capable of ascending to the heights of glory. They arouse passions in the crowds who gather to watch them run and fight. In sharp contrast, the steers are weak and emasculate. ...
For many people across the United States rodeo is how they make a living. Weather its competing, selling, or just working behind the sense, they depend on rodeo for a job. Not only do humans depend on rodeo for a job, but so do all types of animals. Not all horses are cut out for the same job just as all humans are not. Many animal rights groups use words like animal cruelty and unsafe to describe a rodeo, but underneath the tough exterior strict rules combat the use of these words by cutting down on the unsafe and cruel events. Rodeo, despite being a dangerous sport, benefits a community in many ways and does not condone animal cruelty in any way. It is a place where a community of people can show their skills, sell their products, and find friendships with people just like them.
Robert Gonzales is only one of many people to commit animal cruelty. Kevin Brunson was also accused of harming an animal. He starved his dog, Rambo, until he weighed only fifty-one pounds. A normal dog his size would weigh around one hundred and twenty-five pounds. Rambo was seventy-four pounds underweight. A dog named, Lacey had scabbing around the eyes and other injuries from being abused. “Lashawn Whitehead of Greensboro, admitted to police that she beat her dog for fifteen minutes, then set it on fire. The dog ran away, and she was found. Her injuries were burned ears, a broken jaw, and teeth. She was adopted into a new loving family.” (Cawthon 2) All animals are affected when it comes to animal abuse. Horses have been reported to be starved and in very poor living conditions. Owners don’t clean stalls, feed the animals, or take care of the horses grooming needs. The horses become depressed to due to the lack of care they receive. Sixteen horses were found at Gina Rapuano’s Farm, Apache, Willy, and Destiny are merely three of the horses greatly in need of care. Apache was starved so much you could see his ribs; he was infested with worms, and needed hoof and dental care. Willy had trouble walking, and horrible eye infections. Destiny had such bad dental care that he could not eat properly, and was starving. “The horses eyes were dull; they were not alert. They t...
Human beings have been shown to be the cruelest animals on the planet. While other animals will kill for defense or food, humans are the only ones that inflict unnecessary cruelty onto others like they do through experimentation. Fortunately, some people throughout the years have shown sympathy towards the various animals that are tested on day after day and work to stop the atrocities committed by man. Animal rights activists and their cause can be traced back to their origins in the antivivisection campaigns of the 1900s. Both individuals and groups of people work to abrogate the abuse of animals, usually through protests. The most prominent organization that advocates for animal rights is PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who have fought many battles in the war against animal cruelty. Two of PETA’s victories were in their campaigns, where they worked with several other organizations, against Gillette and Colgate for their experimentation on and mistreatment of animals. Their victory against Gillette came with, “the multinational company announcing a moratorium in December 1996 on animal testing of its ...
These include: rodeos; performing animal circuses; jumps racing; horse and greyhound racing; zoos and exhibits such as travelling farm shows etc. The AJP believes that the wildlife should be appreciated, relished, respected and cared for like any other pets in everyday households. They believe that animals should not bet petrified as they perform peculiar behaviors under the whip or used to offer opportunities for the people to demonstrate ‘skills’ in taunting and using them for audiences’
4.)"Rodeo Facts: The Case Against Rodeos." Winning the Case Against Cruelty. Animal Legal Defense Fund, 1979. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. .
Rodeos take place either inside large buildings, or outside in dirt arenas. The events in a rodeo can range from bucking bulls, steer wrestling, and roping. Each event has their own rules as well as regulations. These rules keep the cowboys, and livestock safe when competing against each other. However, some people may consider rodeos as a form of animal cruelty. It is understandable why it can be seen this way because everything happens really fast, and it is hard to keep up with what’s happening in the arena. It would also be really easy to think it was hurting the animals if a person simply didn’t know everything that goes into each event. Rodeos are not animal cruelty due to all the rules, and the effort that goes into the care of each
When you attend the fair do you ever see people walking around with cowboy hats, boots and spurs, and button ups? Do you ever see girls with caked on makeup and crowns on their hats? Or maybe you have seen guys who have dirty clothes on, who kind of have a sway to their walk, or are wearing beaten up cowboy hats? If you are nodding your head yes then you have seen rodeo people, and you may already know the three most common types of rodeo people: Ropers, Roughies, and Barbie Dolls.
Animal activists and various animal rights/animal welfare support groups have been publicly declaring their beliefs against rodeos since the late 1800’s. Rodeo abolitionists believe PRCA members and contestants have always and always will mistreat their livestock. To support their opinion, activists use information such as the injury/death rate, veterinarians ignoring injured animals, and the belief that wranglers torment the animals into performing. The injury/death percentage is very low in PRCA rodeos. “PRCA has continuously called upon on-site, independent rodeo veterinarians at PRCA-sanctioned events
Every 60 seconds an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
The article “Animals Used as Entertainment” lists rodeos, circuses, bullfighting, horse racing, cockfighting, dog fighting, and zoos as examples of the many ways animals are used in entertainment. Circuses and zoos are the two most relevant forms of animal mistreatment. Both of these are sources of entertainment for children and adults. Zoos declare that the...
Smith, RaeLeann. "Circus Animals: Abused and Dangerous." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Nov. 2007. Web. 6 Apr. 2014.