MEDIA RELEASE

19 April 2012

Animal Advocacy Group Angered at Rodeo Inaction

Animal advocacy group SAFE says it is disappointed and angered by Hamilton Council’s inaction over the controversial International Rodeo.

Mandy Carter, SAFE Campaign Manager, says: “Despite hearing of all the animal welfare issues associated with rodeos the council has decided to blatantly ignore the wish of both local residents and animal welfare supporters to ban the rodeo from taking place at Claudeland’s Arena. “They’ve put financial concerns ahead of ethics. The decision is especially baffling as Hamilton Mayor Hardaker is chairperson of the local SPCA, an organisation strongly opposed to rodeos.”

SAFE asked the council not to allow rodeo events at Claudelands as rodeos abuse animals, but in correspondence the council has told SAFE that they will allow the rodeo back, despite the fact that Auckland council banned rodeos in 2008 and the Hamilton council has already set a precedent for taking the moral ‘high ground’ by banning a proposed Erotica expo.

“The International Rodeo is the largest rodeo in the country and includes loud music, fireworks and pyrotechnics, so along with the usual torment, goading and brutal treatment animals endure, they must also contend with fear, stress and anxiety caused by loud noise and bright lights,” says Ms Carter.

“Rodeos are merely a cruel display of man’s dominance and abuse of animals. These animals are forced to endure needless suffering and gross mistreatment, all for the sake of so-called entertainment. There is simply no excuse”.

“Rodeos blatantly disregard our moral obligation towards other living creatures and have a negative impact on our society, particularly on impressionable children. Children attending the rodeo will witness animals being terrorised and ill-treated, seemingly with adult approval. Conditioning children into accepting such violence will have dire consequences for our society in the future, given the strong links between animal and human abuse. Hamilton Council have missed a real opportunity to make a difference,” says Ms Carter.

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