SAFE successfully secures rodeo ban
SAFE has applauded the Auckland City Council for their landmark decision to ban rodeos from council-owned land within Auckland. SAFE campaign officer Eliot Pryor presented evidence of injuries suffered by animals performing in New Zealand rodeos. 
Eliot also explained to the councillors the extreme stress that rodeo animals are forced to endure so that they ‘perform.' SAFE made a submission to the council under proposed new animal bylaws. "The rodeo is an outdated and inherently cruel way of treating animals and sets a terrible example, especially for a younger audience. We welcome the Council's decision and commend them for taking the issue seriously," says Eliot.
SAFE believes the council's ban will thwart efforts by an international rodeo promoter to bring a proposed rodeo spectacle to Auckland as part of Rugby World Cup in 2011. Craig Douglas organised New Zealand's first international indoor rodeo held last year in Christchurch, which was fiercely opposed by SAFE. Correspondence to Mr Douglas from Councillor Cathy Casey following the council's decision highlights the diverse support for the ban within the Council. She writes: "Mr Banks and I don't agree on too much politically but on animal rights he has my complete backing." "Rodeos are turning into extravagant pyrotechnic-charged spectacles in an effort to attract a new inner-city audience, however these events are still founded on abusing animals. The Auckland City Council's decision sends a strong message to the rodeo industry that Auckland does not tolerate animal cruelty," says Mr Kriek. 
Auckland city council victory! Congratulate the Auckland City Council for sticking up for rodeo animals! In a New Zealand first, the Auckland City Council banned rodeos from using council land on animal welfare grounds. Drop them a quick email applauding them for their compassionate decision. Email Cr Cathy Casey, Councillor, Eden Albert Ward as well as His Worship the Mayor John Banks
Have your say!
SAFE members and the general public are passionately writing into their local newspaper. Here is one recent example: Dear Editor
Congratulations to the Auckland City council for taking a stance against Rodeos. I was taken to a rodeo as a teenager and saw a horse fall and break it's neck. The horse was put down, had a rope tied around its neck and dragged out of the arena by a 4x4 quad bike and the entertainment carried on. I was horrified. Do we want to teach our children that it is okay to use and abuse animals? It's about time this cruelty against animals for entertainment's sake was outlawed. Claims have been made that rodeos are not violent against animals however anyone who has watched this horrible spectacle will know that flank straps and electric prods are used to get a desired reaction from the animal. The fact that the animal is only in the ring for a few seconds does not justify the violence, stress, risk of injury and death that the animals are subjected to.
Hannah Spierer
What's wrong with rodeos?DOMINATION:
Rodeos are promoted as rough and tough exercises of human skill and courage in conquering the fierce, untamed beasts of the Wild West. In reality, rodeos are nothing more than manipulative displays of human domination over animals, thinly disguised as entertainment. What began in the 1800s, as a skill contest among cowboys has become a show motivated by greed and big profits.  PROVOKED & ABUSED:
Standard rodeo events include calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback horse and bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer roping, and barrel racing. The animals used in rodeos are captive performers. Most are relatively tame but understandably distrustful of human beings because of the harsh treatment that they have received. Many of these animals are not aggressive by nature; they are physically provoked into displaying "wild" behaviour to make the cowboys look brave.
DELIBERATELY TORMENTED:
Traditionally electric prods, spurs, and bucking straps are used to irritate and enrage animals used in rodeos. The flank or "bucking" strap or rope used to make horses and bulls buck is usually tightly cinched around their abdomens. This causes the animals to "buck vigorously to try to rid themselves of the torment," which is what the rodeo promoters want the animals to do in order to put on a good show for the crowds.  Cattle and horses can be prodded with an electrical "hotshot" to clear them from the chute which can cause intense pain to the animals.
Calves roped while running routinely have their necks tugged back by the lasso which can result in neck injuries. INJURED:
Although rodeo cowboys voluntarily risk injury by participating in events, the animals they use have no such choice. Because speed is a factor in many rodeo events, the risk of accidents and injuries is likely. Animals can sustain painful injuries and in some cases, are so severe the animals die or are killed on site. FLANK STRAP:
Flank straps are fitted tightly around the animal's abdomen where there is no rib cage protection, to encourage horses to buck. One US study indicates that even horses with a gentle temperament can be induced to buck when fitted with a flank strap. The same study demonstrated that rodeo circuit horses did not buck when released from a pen without flank straps. SPURS:
Traditionally, spurs are also used to encourage animals to buck. Defenders of rodeos claim that provided that the spurs are blunt and if the rowels are fixed the animal is not harmed by their use. However an American vet and ex-rodeo performer claims that repeated blunt injury from spur use causes tissue damage which gets worse each time the animal is used and it is her belief that spurs should be banned. CALF ROPING:
Traditionally, calf roping is the most cruel rodeo practice. Calf roping is a timed event and is carried out as quickly as possible for maximum points. Calves are `encouraged' to run from the chute when it is opened by tail twisting and electric cattle prods to reach top speeds of up to 35kms per hour. When stopped in mid-flight by the rope they may sustain severe injuries or be killed when they hit the end of the rope at top speed, are jerked off their feet, slammed to the ground and their legs tied together. POOR EDUCATION:
Rodeos are disrespectful to animals and desensitise viewers to violence to animals. The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights says ‘children watching these events cannot help but become brutalised and conditioned to regard nonhuman animals simply as objects to be used at the whim of humans'.
| | SAFE in the mediaTV ONE news NZ Herald HorseTalk
MINISTER DEFENDS RODEO ABUSE!  The Minister of Sport, Clayton Cosgrove has taken it upon himself to defend rodeos in the media and says the recent ban is nothing more than "PC'ism gone mad!"
Please write to the minister politely explaining that rodeo animals suffer and he should learn about the issue before condoning animal cruelty. Email Hon Clayton Cosgrove, Minister of Sport, or phone 04: 470 6593 or fax: 04 472 6791.
Tongue & cheek! Dr Clive Dalton, former agricultural scientist and now author and technical editor of the Lifestyleblock online magazine, challenges Minister Cosgrove for supporting rodeos. Click to read
What's wrong with the International Rodeo?
Christchurch will host the upcoming International Rodeo in November. This event will include four traditional rodeo disciplines. These are Barrel racing, Bull riding, Saddle Bronc riding and Bareback Bronc riding. You can help rodeo animals by writing a letter to one or more of the companies sponsoring or supporting the upcoming International Rodeo in Christchurch. Tell them that you disapprove of their involvement with this cruel entertainment and that you want their assurance that they will not support rodeos in future. Write your own letter or use the sample letter as a guide. Send to the following: WRANGLER
Icon Clothing (NZ distributor)
Marketing manager
icon@iconclothing.co.nz
BEALEY'S HOTEL
Nick Kearney
Marketing manager
nick@bealeyshotel.co.nz
Phone: 03 379 8660
Fax: 03 366 9973
MORE FM Canterbury
Jason Royal
Operations manager
jasonroyal@morefm.co.nz
Ph: (03) 377 1999
Fax: (03) 377 1993
LONESTAR Christchurch
Cameron Treedy
Marketing manager
camt@lonestar.co.nz
Ph: (03) 374 3208
RANCHWARE
info@ranchware.co.nz
Ph: +64 07 883 1933
Fax: +64 9 07 883 1932
JACK DANIELS
Jason Nailer
Brand manager
jason@hancocks.co.nz
Ph: (09) 361 8400
SAMPLE LETTER Dear [name] I am writing to you to express my disappointment that [name of company] is supporting the 2008 International Rodeo in Christchurch. Rodeo events torment, harass and stress participating animals causing suffering, and result in injury and even death. Rodeos are not an accurate or harmless portrayal of ranching skills; rather, they display and encourage insensitivity to the brutal treatment of animals in the name of sport. Such disregard of our moral obligation towards other living creatures has negative impacts on society as a whole and on impressionable children in particular. By being affiliated with the rodeo, you must take responsibility for the role you play in the perpetuation of this type of animal cruelty in New Zealand. I further believe that your association with rodeos will be negatively viewed by your customers once they are made aware of the cruelty involved in this so-called entertainment. I am asking you to act by giving your assurance that you will not support any rodeos in the future and will adopt a policy of not supporting or endorsing any event that causes animals to suffer. Yours sincerely
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