|
|
Please Protect Children And The Beasts
posted on April 1, 2009
OPEN LETTER
March 29, 2009
To: Chilliwack Mayor and Council; Langley Mayor and Council
Cc: Surrey Mayor and Council
From: Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce Foundation
Re: Please Protect Children and the Beasts
Young Children Injured at Lil’ Britches Rodeos
It was very disturbing to see little kids injured and crying at Lil’ Britches Rodeos that are held in your cities. Kids that looked as young as 6 or 7 years old were encouraged by parents and rodeo promoters to get the job done. Obvious injuries – pain and suffering – were nervously laughed at by the parents and crowds. Many of the kids were not having a good time.
Parents must signed releases and waivers from liability for injuries and death. Why would someone subject a young child to potential serious and fatal harm? It’s kind of like the hockey parent mind set where violence erupts between parents and kids because the parents want their kid to be the next multi-million dollar star.
Please go to the following link to see a video, “Bless the Beasts and the Children” in which children are seen being injured.
I urge you to stop this abuse of children and restrict the participant age limit to teens. There is certainly no reason for kids any younger to be trained to be in rodeos. At an older age, when they are more physically and mentally prepared, they will be more likely to decide for themselves. In many cases, taking such young children is tantamount to brainwashing and coercion.
These rodeos will be held in Chilliwack on April 25th to 26th and in Langley on July 11th to 12th
Young Calves and Others Injured
The brutal treatment of animals as I have witness at the Chilliwack Rodeo must be stopped.
The public is unaware of the behind the scenes abuses. The bucking straps are cinched tight to make the animals buck (they stop bucking when the straps are released), they are shocked with electric prods, their hair is twisted and sometimes pulled out, they are jabbed with spurs and more. The frighten animals leap out of the chutes to try to avoid the torment. During steer wrestling they can suffer from painful strains, pulled muscles, broken bones, dislocated joints etc.. This also applies to team steer roping in which the animal stretched out by the ropes around the head and hind legs. Calf roping has been renamed “Tie-Down” roping to take the focus of the young calf victims who are lassoed while running fast, flipped high in the air and legs tied. This also causes serious painful injuries. Numerous animals have died from these rodeo practices.
I urge the City of Chilliwack to join other progressive cities, such as Vancouver and Surrey, which have stopped rodeos and/or banned obvious cruel events. I hope you will replace violent rodeos with humane family events.
I look forward to your response.
For further information I can be contacted at:
Email: lifeforcesociety@hotmail.com
Phone: 604-649-5258
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founding Director |
| |
| |
|
|
