Rodeo Animal Safety

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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

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