Winnipeg Humane Society wants Manitoba Stampede rodeo events cancelled

The Winnipeg Humane Society is expressing concerns over the upcoming Manitoba Stampede, saying it wants events where animals could be harmed to be cancelled.

The animal welfare organization is calling on stampede organizers to put an end to rodeo events, including calf roping and chuck-wagon races. The Humane Society said these events pose a risk to the animals’ well-being, and are likely in violation of federal and provincial animal cruelty laws.

“The Winnipeg Humane Society opposes events that use animals for entertainment where there is significant risk of injury being done to those animals,” said Brittany Semeniuk, animal welfare specialist with the Winnipeg Humane Society, in an interview on Wednesday.

“A lot of the events that we associate with rodeos, such as the chuckwagon races and calf roping and steer wrestling, have significant risk involved to the animals.”

Semeniuk noted there have been cases of animals dying during these types of events.

She said the Humane Society is trying to bring awareness to the risks involved and educate people that partake in these types of events.

“It’s something that does not need to happen in a humane, modern society,” she said.

Semeniuk added that the Manitoba Stampede can still take place and be a fun and educational event without the rodeo aspect.

“We as an animal welfare organization simply want to see an end to events that post significant risk of injury to the animals involved, especially young, juvenile ones like the calves and the steers that are participating involuntarily,” she said.

Mike Bell, the rodeo’s co-chair told CTV News Winnipeg the Manitoba Stampede follows the standards set by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association for both training and competition.

"Animal husbandry and welfare are top of mind in all that we do,” he said.

“There are changes that have been made, through various events to eliminate any abuse or areas for abuse in the area in some of the events."

Bell said some of the changes implemented in recent years include using smaller horses and wagons in the races, and lowering the number of teams competing at a time. 

He added the rodeo contestants do not want to see the animals get hurt, and they don’t go out of their way to hurt animals.

“Everything from the bulls and the bucking horses to the timed event cattle, they're all trained, they've been run through numerous times long before they get to a rodeo,” Bell said.

 Semeniuk said the Humane Society is aware of the protocols and regulations in place to prevent animals from being injured.

“But as we’ve seen across Canada, and here in Manitoba, that doesn’t always happen,” she said.

“We have seen animals succumb to fatal injury in steer wrestling events, calf roping events, chuckwagon races, here within our own province. The risk is just far too great to the animals involved.”

The Manitoba Stampede is taking place this weekend in Morris.

- With files from CTV’s Devon McKendrick.