Written by PETA
Update: Six horses died during this year's Calgary Stampede. Please take action and ask the Stampede sponsors to disassociate themselves from the event.
As if Canada's annual seal massacre isn't enough, the Calgary Stampede adds to the country's annual death toll. This year it's rodeo business as usual—five horses have already died and the event doesn't end until Sunday.
A fifth horse died yesterday 40 minutes after being forced to participate in the chuckwagon races. These are the Stampede's deadliest events, in which teams of four horses pull old-fashioned "pioneer" wagons around a track at breakneck speed—and often break their bodies as a result. In previous years, we've written to all the sponsors of these endurance races asking them to pull the plug, and we've called upon the chief crown prosecutor to file cruelty-to-animals charges. The Humane Society of Canada has also called for a boycott of the event. So far, except for the death rattle of the horses and the yahooing of the crowd, silence!
Please get everyone you know to tell those who are still sponsoring the Calgary Stampede that the chuckwagon races must be canceled permanently.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
Re: A. PETA targets the entire country because the government spends more than C$7 million in taxpayer money every year subsidizing the massacre through Coast Guard support, pro-sealing campaigns, and travel. The country also spends incalculable millions on additional research and market development in behalf of the industry. The profit of the slaughter barely exceeded C$1 million in 2009, so the spending is not economically justified. Canada hemorrhages untold millions of dollars year after year to keep the dying seal fur industry afloat instead of helping sealers find other ways to supplement their income. For this, PETA calls the tragic massacre “Canada’s Shame”, which sadly, every Canadian taxpayer unknowingly supports.
I oftentimes regard PETA as valiant in their many efforts to stop animal cruelty. However if they have any business sense at all they will not call this campaign "Canada's Shame". Canada is a very, very big country. I hope some of the Americans who directed their attacks at "Canada" realize this. Living in Montreal, Quebec, I am so far removed from the far north, where the seals are killed, or western Canada, where the Calgary Stampede occurs. I pass PETA as well as other animal activists signing petitions on my way to school almost every other week. Oftentimes I will give my support in money as well as signatures. If PETA continues to attack my entire country as if it is one single living, breathing entity then I will definitely hesitate to give my support.
hey typo in my first comment- should read (seals from 1-14 days old.)
NO ME GUSTARIA VISITAR A CANADA, POR LAS MASACRES CON LAS FOCAS, ES HORRIPILANTE, NUNCA PENSE QUE EN UN PAIS DE ESOS EXISTIERA TAL CRUELDAD. NO VISITARIA NUNCA ESE PAIS, ASI ME REGALARAN EL PAISAJE. UNA NACION SE MUESTRA Y ES VISITADA SEGUN COMO TRATEN A SUS ANIMALES.
I support the seal hunt and stampede. you always say that seals are being killed by hakapiks, but this is not true. The only people allowed to hunt them with hakapiks are first nations. you make it sound like the hunt is wasteful, but it is not. most of the meat and oil gos to southern asia. also, on your childrens website, you say that baby seals are being hunted this is not true at all. the hunting of whitecoats (seals from 1-14 years old) has been illegal for decades. It seems quite unethical that you would feed children lies. if you look at the number of horses being killed at the stampede, you will see that it is going up. this is because more and more untrained drivers are entering the arena, solely for the almighty dollar. you should not want the stampede cancelled, or boycott it. you should instead petition for only trained people to drive the chuckwagons.
Melinda Chedid: the seal hunt is very important to my culture (I am First Nations). By never going to Canada because of traditions of cultures other than yours, you are being quite closed-minded.
Archie: i find it apalling that you are telling PETA to attack people of your own nationality.
Rev. Meg Schramm: Look at the amount of murders by firearms in your country, and then ours. We only want Canada to be safe for tourists, and ourselves. The reason they held you up at the border so long, is because your husband had a criminal record and a firearm, which could be deemed suspicious. I find it strange that because of this one incident, you refuse to visit canada. arent holy leaders supposed to be open-minded?
Andrea: banning the seal hunt and closing the stampede would be much more of a financial loss.
Patricia allen: rodeos and the seal hunt are very canadian. they developed as part of our culture, by combining the past with the present. the seal hunt has been going on for thousand of years. banning it would be detrimental to my culture, as well as yours. Our Culture.
Margarita: i agree with you. each culture has its own way of mistreating animals, but we all have diferent opinions and definitions of animal abuse.
Kirsten: yes, the deaths were partly due to human error, but they were also partly due to the horses.
Jessica: where did you hear that most canadians find this cruel and horrifying? your family? your community? they both shape us and mold us into who we are today. by saying most canadians oppose it is not true and is a generalization.
E: Thank you for saying attack the act, not the country. As above, each culture has their own definitions of animal abuse. however, i do not think we should attack the act. We should fix it.
Lauren: the seal hunt and rodeos being terrible are your own opinion, which you are entitled to. As above, almost the whole country are not against the acts, a generalization. I agree, Canadas Carnage is a little harsh, but it draws the reader in. you are right. we are all equals and should work together. I think that hunting is OK as long as you use all the parts. However, i fail to see your connection between us all being almost the same genetically and animals being abused by a very small number of the world population being all of our fault. please clarify.
Thank you for your time.
My husband has family in the states. we refuse to visit until they stop electing moronic presidents, starting useless wars, and treating prisoners in guantanamo like crap. What I am saying, is that you can not judge a country by only its bad aspects. I am a Calgarian, go to the stampede almost every year, and I am proud to be Canadian.
Why do you oppose the seal hunt? It has been going on for thousands of years by my people. Taking it away would be detrimental to our culture. Without it, we would have few ways to support ourselves.
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