During calf roping, calves, running at speeds of up to 27 miles per hour, are jerked off their feet by a rope slung around their necks and then slammed to the ground. The calves may suffer paralysis, throat and neck injuries, and broken bones. Many die. Calves have become paralyzed from severe spinal cord injury, and their tracheas have been totally or partially severed.
It is not hard for anyone with a heart to understand what is wrong with clotheslining a baby animal, body slamming it to the ground and tying its legs so it cannot move. If this were done to a puppy or kitten, the offender would be charged with crimes and likely jailed.
Incredibly, rodeo people have no problem with committing an act of cruelty against a baby cow during calf roping. A roping calf is only three to four months old. After that, they become too heavy for the cowboys to handle.
Calf-roping on the range bears no resemblance to calf roping at the rodeo. In the rodeo, it is a timed event, and indefensible abuse to the calf is the price paid for a competitive time. On the range, calves are roped carefully, and slowly brought to a halt.
On the range, calves are roped for care, or to protect them from danger. In rodeos, calves are endangered for amusement. This "sport" violently and specifically preys upon baby animals, and then calls itself "family entertainment!"
Please sign this petition & let the Calgary Stampede know that you want a BAN on Calf Roping.
Hopefully this cruel "sport" will be banned by Stampede 2009.
Last year the Second Largest Rodeo in Canada, The Cloverdale rodeo in BC Banned Calf Roping after a calf was put down after its leg was broken.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=59248c32-7191-4453-8f74-2d58b8234126
For more information on Calf Roping please visit....
http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000680
http://www.bucktherodeo.com/prcalet.html
In the U.S., calf roping is prohibited in Rhode Island and Baltimore
County, Maryland, while internationally, Germany and the Australian
state of Victoria do not allow the event.
Rodeos are banned in San Francisco and Napa County, Calif., St.
Petersburg, Fla., Fort Wayne, Ind., the U.K. and Australia's Capital
Territories.
http://www.sharkonline.org/?P=0000000679