Speciesism

Canada's biggest speciesist event kicks off

File Image: (c) Photabulous!

The Calgary Stampede, first held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada over 100 years ago in 1912, starts today.

It is an annual event that horses and other animals literally die to be in.

In 2005, dubbed the darkest year for animal deaths when at least 9 horses jumped into the Bow River after becoming spooked and panicked crossing a bridge over the River as ranch hands were guiding 200 horses on a 6 day 206 km journey from the Stampede ranch to the exhibition site near Calgary's downtown.

The major draw for those attending the stampede is the rodeo and chuckwagon races.

Other speciesist events, as their name reflects, include swine showcase, calf roping, steer wrestling and cutting horses (where a ride and their horse must separate a cow away from the herd.

But it is the chuckwagon races that have been the most heartbreaking for the needless deaths of dozens of horses.

In 2012, the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, three horses died during a chuckwagon race.

In 2014, a 12 year old horse named Denny died at the Stampede in 2014 during a training chuckwagon training excercise. "The death of the horse prompted the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies to call on the Calgary Stampede to immediately end the annual chuckwagon races.

A spokesperson for the federation told the Global and Mail that "since 1986 at least 60 animals have died or been injured at the event, half of which have been related to the chuckwagon races." They went on to say that â€œthe sole purpose of the chuckwagon races appears to be excitement, show and entertainment at the expense of the life of an animal.â€ The event prospers off of the stress and suffering of the horses.

In 2015, the Calgary Herald reported that the Calgary Stampede was "not proud" of its animal safety record after a fourth horse died from injuries sustained during the chuckwagon races.

Humans that attend and participate in the stampede, are participants and therefor responsible for the carnage, stress and suffering that all the animals involved are forced to endure. All for their entertainment or capital gain. At the heart of these ongoing chuckwagon, calf roping events and others is the undeniable speciesist belief that animals are beneath us in some way and therefore free to use as we please.

But there is only one way to stop the carnage, stress and suffering caused for all the animals that are forced to participate in the stampede and that is to cancel it once and for all. Tradition is no excuse for this to continue.

GruntVegan