Animal rights activists from all throughout Alberta came together to voice their opposition to the Calgary Stampede’s yearly rodeo competitions.
On Saturday afternoon, more than a dozen individuals were saw standing near Stampede Park on Macleod Trail, brandishing flags and banners.
The group contends that the rodeo is a significant source of stress for the animals engaged in competitions such as chuckwagon racing, steer wrestling, and calf roping, in addition to the potential of harm and death to the animals involved.
Animal rights activist Heather Anderson founded the Daisy Foundation. “We don’t want to see the Calgary Stampede stopped, we want to see the entertainment and all the rest of the fair and everything, but we want to see the animal cruelty stopped,”
Anderson stated. The group announced that they will return to the same location on Sunday and on July 13 and 14, which is Stampede’s last weekend.
An injured horse from the Chuckwagon Races was put to death in 2023 (opens in a new tab). Since the Stampede switched to a three-team heat structure to make the chucks safer, this was the second horse death there.
The Calgary Stampede(opens in a new tab) stated on its website that it strives to continuously develop and enhance its animal safety measures.
The Stampede stated, “To better understand animal behavior, response, and performance related to western events, we look to the advice of experts and the latest in science.”
“We consult with world-class researchers, professional veterinary advisors, industry experts, and many other experts in livestock care, health, and handling throughout the year.”
