Government response on rodeo a good start

SAFE supports a government move announced today, that they will look at welfare issues in rodeo, but believe more needs to done. The Associate Minister of Agriculture Meka Whaitiri announced that officials have been asked to see how animal welfare can be improved in the use of calves, electric prodders, flank straps, tail twisting and rope burning.

“We are pleased to see the government is taking action given the strong public outcry and listening to the many New Zealanders who oppose rodeos due to the cruelty to animals involved. They need to take this very seriously and uphold their election promise, which was to ban the use of animals under 12 months, flank straps, rope burning and the use of electronic prods,” says Mandy Carter campaigns director. “The latest development is a good first step towards a New Zealand where animals are no longer forced to perform for the entertainment of a minority. Rodeo is inherently cruel.”

In 2016, over 62,000 people signed a petition calling for a ban on rodeo. A Horizon poll also showed that 59% of Kiwis supported a ban on rodeo and more than two-thirds of survey respondents (68%) related strongest to the statement that “Rodeo causes pain and suffering to animals and it is not worth causing this just for the sake of entertainment”.

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