If I recycle aluminum cans, paper and plastics, but for whatever reason don't recycle glass jars, I'm doing far more than the neighbour who recycles nothing and calls me a hypocrite for not recycling the jars.
I certainly think someone can be against the abuse of animals for entertainment, but also eat meat. Similarly someone else can be a vegetarian, but like going to the rodeo. We are all hypocrites against our own hard and fast rules.... but at the end of the day I can live with myself if I do more good than harm.
I'm with Bob on this one. But being a vegetarian who attempts to purchases no products made from animals (i.e. leather), that should't be a surprise.
I think the a problem is that those who are against the Stampede (at least the rodeo portion) see the issue as very black and white- either you are for or against animal cruelty.
And the rest of the people (I'd put myself in this camp) see it as a grey issue. For example, these animals are bred to be athletes, but life threatening injuries can happen. For these animals, it's their job- horses that are bred to work, probably would feel lost not working. To make a point about doing something, even though it's possible they could be hurt/die: I work on an oil rig, and it is possible I could be hurt/die here, or others on the rig could die. Does that mean that everyone who works on a rig should stop immediately because accidents can happen? If you view the issue as black and white, then yes. But if you understand there are protocols, and training, etc, then it can be deemed reasonably safe.
As long as there is proper and sufficient care for injured animals, and strict controls on breeding and certifications before they begin competing, I don't see why the Stampede should stop using animal athletes in the rodeo.
As for Bob Barker, his main message of getting your pets fixed is a good message.
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If I recycle aluminum cans, paper and plastics, but for whatever reason don't recycle glass jars, I'm doing far more than the neighbour who recycles nothing and calls me a hypocrite for not recycling the jars.
I certainly think someone can be against the abuse of animals for entertainment, but also eat meat. Similarly someone else can be a vegetarian, but like going to the rodeo. We are all hypocrites against our own hard and fast rules.... but at the end of the day I can live with myself if I do more good than harm.
I'm with Bob on this one. But being a vegetarian who attempts to purchases no products made from animals (i.e. leather), that should't be a surprise.
Are you aware that in the Calgary Area, probably over 10,000 cattle are slaughtered every day?
I get that the Stampede is not an ideal situation, since horses do die there, but saying the death of a dozen(?) horses in a year is bad, but the death of well over 200,000 cattle a year is ok is a bit ridiculous.
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I was a little put off when they gave away trip to China based on their human rights record (I'd also put our treatment of animals up against theirs any day).
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Last edited by FlamesAddiction; 02-02-2012 at 06:55 AM.
Meh this argument comes up every stampede and it seems like every year the Stampede gets bigger and better. I can't see many people caring what an old senile man like Bob Barker has to say or some posters on an internet forum say.
I can almost predict the news during stampede this year....animal groups outraged, horse dies, Stampede says we'll make things better as they dance on a pile of cash.
While it could be argued that the Stampede Rodeo has a few events that are questionable and that they can always do better... to say the Stampede is cruel because of how the horses are treated and that some die is utterly ridiculous. I don't think even Doug Fraser would disagree with me on that.
However, having been to the barns, those horses get excited when its close to race time. They love it. They're treated like gold, both because they are a large investment and the cowboys have very close bonds with them. Horses are born to run. Its sad when accidents happen and these horses die, but they're dying doing what they love, no different than when a human participant loses their life.
Bob needs to spay and neuter his comments a little because he's clearly a little clueless.
Are you in the habit of putting an elastic on your cats balls and riding him around the living room.
And then shoving him in the back of a cramped trailer with dozens of other cats and driving around the country to perform this act?
Stampede animals are more comparable to circus animals than they are domestic pets or slaughterhouse animals.
People put pets in cramped car carriers all the time and haul them around. People may not put an elastic around a cats balls, but do we do sometimes painful things to them for our enjoyment? Of course people do!
All dogs and cats get reward for performance, just like rodeo animals do.
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My favorite part of the Stampede is all the barns with all the various breeds etc that you can look at. I always thought that was pretty neat and educational. The animal events however? I've always been a little uncomfortable with the whole idea and therefore don't go.
But forget the animals, the best reason to skip the Stampede are are the absolutely terrible rides. It's embarrassing how bottom-of-the-barrel those rickety things are....talk about amateur hour. They really need to install a few permanent 6-flags level rides and work the rest around them.
