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Vote with your feet to stamp out rodeos
Abuse of animals in the name of entertainment
Did you know?
Events such as calf and steer roping and bulldogging, bear no relationship to the Australian ethos or to existing Australian farming practice. Animal roping and bulldogging are considered to be cruel, as they may cause terror and abuse to the animal, physical distress and the strong possibility of injury. The RSPCA regularly inspects rodeos that tour Victoria on matters relating to animal welfare, however, such inspections do not mean that the RSPCA endorses these rodeos. On the contrary, RSPCA Inspectors are on hand to check if the codes of practice are being met. Inspectors investigate any breaches of the conditions of the rodeo permit or the occurrence of cruelty, as defined under Section 9 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. In Victoria it is compulsory to have a veterinarian in attendance. However, veterinarians cannot prevent injuries. They can only treat injuries after they have occurred, or euthanase severely injured animals. Rodeo events
Calf roping In this event, a calf is released from a chute and chased on horseback. Once the calf has been lassoed around the neck, the horse skids to a halt, the rider leaps from the saddle, and then throws the calf to the ground. To get points, three legs must be tied within 30 seconds of the calf being released from the chute. The frightened calf is travelling at high speed when lassoed and therefore the rope hits with great force. The force can be strong enough to jerk the calf off its feet and into the air. According to the voluntary (APRA) code of practice, calves should be in the weight range 100 kg -130 kg. However, there is no body weight that will prevent a calf from receiving stress and potential injury. Steer wrestling In this event, a steer is released and chased by two riders. One rider keeps the steer running in a straight line, while the other grabs the steer by the horns and leaps from his horse. He twists the steer's neck to force it to the ground. The contestant has 30 seconds from the time the steer is released, to throw it to the ground. Apart from the stress of this brutal treatment, the neck of the steer can also be injured. Strained muscles and tendons can be a painful consequence of this event. Team roping When the steer is released from the chute, a pair of horsemen attempt to rope him within 30 seconds. One rope must be around the horns, neck or half a head, while the other must be around the back legs. A correctly-roped steer is stretched between the horses and will usually fall to the ground. Bucking events In all bucking events, the aim of the rider is to stay on the animal for 8 seconds after its released from the chute. Horses are ridden either with a saddle and lead rope or bareback. On bulls, a rope is pulled around the girth. All horses and bulls buck because of the flank strap that is pulled tightly around their flank. Animals don't buck because they are wild or mean. They buck because the flank strap irritates them, and they stop bucking as soon as it is taken off. In addition, bulls in particular are often given an electric shock as the gate of the chute is opened. A hand-held prod is used to deliver a shock to the shoulder or rump. The APRA Code of Practice says that electric prods should not be routinely used, but observations at country rodeos show that they are.
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The RSPCA believes rodeos are a cruel form of entertainment.
These events serve no useful purpose for the animal, pose a high
risk of cruelty and subject animals to stress. All in the name
of 'public entertainment'.