Are Animal Rights Violated in U.S. Rodeos?
Rodeos in the United States provide many issues which are controversial in nature. Some examples are rules and conduct of the various contests, methods and credentials of judges, methods of qualification of contestants, and in recent years, handling of the animals in the performances. Are animal rights violated in U.S. rodeos? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Animal Emancipation contend that all animals used in rodeo performances are treated in inhumane ways and they are vigorously opposed to any use of animals by humans, especially rodeo performances. They say, "Yes, animal rights are violated in rodeos." On the other side of the fence, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Friends of Rodeo disagree and say, "No, animal rights are not violated in rodeos." Also, that they are behind rules that protect animal welfare, and that they provide expert veterinarians and judges in rodeo competition who rigorously enforce the rules and provide a safe and humane environment for all the animals who are a main component of their livelihood. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, rights are defined as "1. What is right, or just, lawful, morally good, proper, correct, etc. 2. That which a
An example of this might be a bull, who in a herd of cattle will dominate all other animals even to the point of possibly fighting to the death younger or smaller males who are in his territory, should this bull be treated any more fairly than he treats his own kind because we as humans know better?Activists find patently immoral practices involving animals that many people find acceptable. They witness both the events and the preparations for each event, proding of cattle, tying flank straps on horses and bulls, spurring of horses they ride, and so on. Since they are not moral, nothing they do can be considered immoral, they are directed purely by the instinct to survive by whatever mean is necessary. On the other hand, PRCA and rodeo groups are more closely aligned with the thought that animals do not have the same rights as humans do because they have no morality and they do not have the same level of conscious thought that humans do. But it certainly does not follow from this that animals have rights because it is certainly not true that every obligation of ours arises from the rights of another. "Basically, we want people to understand the cruelty of rodeos. Competition between cowhands as to who could ride the wildest bronco for the longest time or rope the liveliest calf or wrestle the biggest steer led to riding and roping matches. " (Singer 6) These theories lead PETA and other groups to the idea that we should be vegetarians and not use animals in any form at all for our benefit. (Herzog 90) PETA and other animal rights groups feel that all animals have the same rights toexistence and that there is no reason for humans to be at a higher level than any other animal. While individuals in rodeo do not generally view their sport as cruel or painful, many people who are outsiders to the ranch and rodeo operations point out that some events of rodeo may involve cruelty to horses and cattle. In the rough-stock events, cowboys compete for the best score in riding bucking broncos or bulls for eight seconds. The Olympics are supposed to be about peaceful fair play, but rodeo is violent and cruel. Laws exist that make it illegal to mistreat animals, all we need to do is to educate the public and make them aware of the laws that protect animals so that they can help law enforcers locate those who would abuse and mistreat any animal. A more important question with respect to animal rights is, "whether animals have rights or not, are all the rodeo animals treated fairly and humanely?" Thousands of spectators watch each year as bulls and broncos are spurred and bucked, calves are roped and tied, steers are thrown to the ground, and horses are forced to run at break neck speeds in the competitions. Some would prohibit by law not just rodeo (calls for the abolition of which do not appear to upset some Easterners or animal welfare advocates who have an immediate revulsion to this sport 76) but also meat-eating, horse racing, and animal research aimed at helping people and other animals.
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