Stampede takes action on animal welfare

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The Calgary Stampede has set up an animal care advisory panel in attempts to improve animal safety.The panel started meeting earlier this spring to ensure adherence to codes of practice, the animal protection act and specific Stampede rules.Stampede president David Chalack said the goal is to protect the 7,500 animals that participate in the rodeo and farm show, including rodeo stock, dogs, heavy and light horses and display animals. “We have always been proactive and concerned about our brand,” said Chalack, who is a Calgary area veterinarian. “We are sincerely and genuinely concerned about animal welfare.”The panel has four members:* Veterinarian Greg Andrews, who helped develop animal codes of practice provincially and nationally.* Susan Church, former manager of the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association.* Tim Olafson, president of Thinq Research Consulting, a public opinion research firm.* Ed Pajor, professor of animal welfare at the University of Calgary.Large rodeos receive public scrutiny and work closely with other major rodeo events to standardize rules and reduce concerns about animal welfare.Rules have been refined to make the events safer for animals and people. An independent chuck wagon safety committee was formed three years ago to review penalties and behaviour on the track to protect drivers, outriders and horses. The Stampede significantly increased fines for violators. “We made it so the running rules and the opportunity or desire for drivers to take risks is significantly reduced,” Chalack said.As well, 24 hour veterinary care is offered on site and the SPCA and the Calgary Humane Society provide officers to ensure the animal protection act is enforced. Desiree Arsenault, the humane society’s communications manager, said the organization opposes rodeo events such as chuck wagon racing, calf roping and steer wrestling but has decided to work with the Stampede to reduce stress and injuries to animals. “Any extra steps they can take to protect the welfare of the animals is a good move,” she said. The humane society and SPCA investigate all animal related deaths and incidents that occur during the Stampede. The society prepares a report at the end of each Stampede that includes a list of recommendations for improvement. Recommendations have included demands for significant changes to the chuck wagon races to reduce broken legs, making it illegal to yank calves backward in calf roping and eliminating certain high risk events such as wild cow milking. The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association has developed an animal welfare guide and works to educate cowboys on the new guidelines, said spokesperson Mike Whittle.”The CPRA is constantly updating the rule book each year,” Whittle said. “Some of these relate to animal welfare and if we feel there is an improvement that would assist with ensuring that animal welfare is being furthered, then we would implement those rules…. The contestants and cowboys are on side with any changes that are implemented as the years go by.”The 2010 Calgary Stampede runs July 9-18.