Today (sat, Feb 5) the organisers of the Ross Rodeo will be “celebrating” its 50th anniversary. Members and friends of Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania will be staging a dignified, bold and direct protest at the rodeo in full view of the organisers, participants and spectators. Appearing battered and bruised and holding signs that read “50 years of suffering” and “Golden Anniversary of abuse”, protesters will highlight the abuse that rodeo animals endure and have endured in the past, for this outdated, cruel and unnecessary “sport”.
“In order to make animals perform the “cowboys” rely on fear, pain and abuse. By its very nature the rodeo is an exercise in animal cruelty that the majority of Tasmanians do not support let alone attend” states spokesperson Neon Lang.
By taking a stand at Ross, Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania continues the national campaign against rodeos that is supported by animal rights organisations, the RSPCA and millions of concerned Australians in every state. “Our message is unequivocal” continues Mr Lang “there is no place for rodeos in Tasmania or in any part of Australia. No amount of increase in welfare standard or inspection of animals by authorities will ever be sufficient to eliminate the one major aspect of rodeos that they are so clearly built upon- blatant animal cruelty. Rodeos need to be banned forever”.
AACT’s second rodeo protest this year, will be a well debated opportunity for photographic and television coverage as we present the clear message that animals are not ours to be used for entertainment.
Time – 12 noon
Place – outside the main gates of the rodeo ground, Ross.
Pictures of a protest:
