Ruthless Rodeo Animal Cruelty

“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”-Albert Einstein

I am proud to say that I have never been to a rodeo. They are notorious for the atrocities animals suffer at them. They purposely abuse animals. All for the sake of entertainment and competition. It is truly revolting.

The events themselves describe animal abuse. It is within their names. Examples of events are steer roping, barrel racing, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback horse riding, and bull riding. These events are purposefully cruel to animals. The suffering that animals undergo is atrocious.

In these events animals are tortured to elicit a wild behavioral response. Movies and society portray these animals as cruel beasts. In reality, these animals are docile. So, rodeo entertainers must physically hurt the animals into displaying uncharacteristic behavior for a “show”. The “show” is to make the cowboys look brave. It is an excuse to show inaccurate human superiority over innocent animals.

The torture devices include bucking straps, electric prods, and spurs. These inhumane instruments are meant to anger, petrify, and upset the animals. Electric prods are burned into the skin of horses and cows before they go out. This is to force them into a terrified, violent state. The hot burn of pain is meant to create a more entertaining “show.”

The bucking strap, also called the flank strap, is to cause extreme bucking from the animal trying to escape the pain. These straps are cinched unbearably tight and the animal just wants to escape. This strap will cause burns and open wounds due to rubbed off hair and chafed skin. Irritants are also placed under the strap to cause even more pain such as burrs. This is absolutely barbaric.

The cowboys in these events volunteer to participate. The animals have no such choice. The cowboys know and accept the injuries they are risking while animals must endure them. An unconscionable amount of animals in rodeos have experienced agony with deep internal organ bruising, broken backs, punctured lungs, broken legs, ripped tendons, broken ribs, snapped necks, torn muscles, hemorrhaging,  and torn ligaments. Finally, they experience a horrifically painful death. After they die, they are commonly sent to slaughterhouses.

Please visit http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/cruel-sports/rodeos/. This web page will give you more information. Plus, examples of reported injuries and deaths; what happens after their time at the rodeo is over; the abuses found after a rodeo has ended; and what you can do to help combat and end rodeos. After reading about what animals go through in rodeos, I am even more horrified than I was before.

I urge you to do your own research. The horrific facts that exist are enough to enrage anyone with a conscience on the behalf of tortured animals. Sadly, I live in a place where rodeos are a common occurrence. I have and never will go to one. On behalf of these poor animals I plead and beg you to not go to these “shows,” as well.

What rodeos truly are, are a place of abject animal cruelty. Animals are tortured and killed. Their lives and deaths are agonizing. This is all done in the name of sport and entertainment. The fact that people know what these animals endure nauseates me. The people who participate and go to rodeos are soulless.  Let us aim to stop this barbaric event from continuing by not supporting it and raising awareness about the torture of animals happening. I humbly thank anyone who chooses to help these animals from this suffering.