According to a press release, the Calgary Animal Rights Coalition is organizing a protest on Saturday, July 14, “to mark the occasion of the Calgary Stampede’s 100th Anniversary of cruel and callous acts perpetrated upon animals,” and calling for a ban on chuckwagon races.
Danger to horses in chuckwagon races
Animal rights advocates are calling for ban on chuckwagon races after three horses die during Calgary Stampede.
This latest tragedy comes after weeks of announcements about improvements to safety that were made after six horses died during the Stampede in 2010. A total of 50 have died since 1986
The protest on Saturday comes after the deaths of three more horses during the GMC Rangeland Derby on Thursday when the lead horse faltered and collapsed taking down three other horses and the wagon and causing a collision with one of the outriders.
The lead horse died at the scene and two others had to be euthanized on the track because of their injuries. A fourth horse required surgery.
A necropsy on the lead horse revealed the cause of death was a ruptured aortic aneurysm near the kidney. A hind limb weakness had been noted in the horse prior to the collapse at the Derby. The condition is caused by a weakening in the wall of the aorta–the major vessel leading from the heart. This area of weakened wall can rupture and the horse then bleeds out internally. According to Dr. Evans, an attending veterinarian,the rupture occurred in the abdomen making it undetectable before it ruptured during the race.
This year, the Stampede began a Fitness to Compete program, which increased veterinary inspections before and after races, breaks between events and reduced the number of outriders for each wagon from four to two to make more room on the track, but it hasn’t helped protect horses.
“Clearly, the Stampede’s much publicized safety improvements have failed to make the race any safer,” said Peter Fricker, a spokesman for the Vancouver Humane Society, which supports a ban. “Horses continue to die needlessly. This has to stop.”
According to a statement, the Stampede will be using the results of the necropsy to make further improvements.