Animal welfare legal aspects of rodeo events

Rodeo events have been criticised by animal welfare organisations as being adverse to animal protection, for years. This was the motive for TVT to put several of these criticised disciplines to evaluation in terms of animal protection aspects. For that purpose, various rodeo events were visited, and videotaped material of almost all events, which had taken place in Germany in 2003 and 2004, was evaluated. Rodeo events are subject to Β11, sec.1, No. 3d, German Animal Protection Act, which implies compulsory accreditation. In the scope of such events, causing any sort of pain and suffering (Β3 No. 6 German Animal Protection Act) is prohibited. A proof of the severity of the pain caused, is therefore no necessity. For the critical disciplines,,Bare Back Riding" and Saddle Bronc Riding" a so called flank is used. A flank is a leather strap, fastened to the sensitive parts of the horse skin, (around the flanks,) which is tightened to a maximum as soon as the horse is released from the starting box. Analysis show, that the strap has to be seen as the trigger for the wanted kow-tow. The different coping strategies shown by the animals prove that the leather strap is an apt instrument to cause pain and/or suffering (anxiety/fear/stress) in horses. Bull riding, instead, showed that the rider has to be seen primarily as the trigger for defence behaviour, here. In consideration of the current legal position and taking ethic principles into account, it seems appropriate to only authorise rodeo events under the condition of a flank strap ban. Bull riding should be banned in general.