Animals aren’t actually having fun at rodeo – here’s how you can tell
Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Animals die in rodeo We know that animals used in rodeo events can suffer from acute and long-term injuries, which can result in the animals being euthanized. For example, at the 2024 Calgary Stampede, four animals were euthanized during the 10-day event, making it the deadliest Stampede since 2019 when six horses lost their lives during the chuckwagon racing event. Deaths are covered, but suffering is more widespread While fatal injuries at high profile rodeos like the Stampede are commonly reported on by the media, the stress, fear, pain, and discomfort experienced by animals in rodeo events is often overlooked. The fact that animals experience stress, fear, pain, and discomfort for the sake of human entertainment brings up ethical concerns about animal events at rodeos. For example, a study out of Australia found that calves experience stress during all stages of the roping event…