Animal Welfare at the Rodeo

Dear Editor,

Back in 1993 my one-man organization, ACTION FOR ANIMALS, sponsored a  successful Alameda County ordinance to outlaw the Mexican charreada’s  brutal “horse tripping” and “steer tailing” events, along with a  requirement for on-site veterinarians at every rodeo, the first such in  the state. Contra Costa County soon followed suit.

County Supervisors Richard Valle and Dave Brown are now co-sponsoring  amendments which would ban the rodeo’s cruel “tie-down” calf roping  event, allowing “breakaway” calf roping only.  Proposed amendments would  also ban the rodeo’s non-sanctioned, cruel and blatantly sexist “wild  cow milking contest,” as well as the use of spurs and flank straps– commendable goals all.

Three “AYE” votes are needed for passage.  Supervisor Keith Carson,  President of the Board, will likely be the deciding vote. His District 5  includes Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Montclair and Piedmont. Constituents, take note!

All Board members may be written c/o Alameda County Board of  Supervisors, 1221 Oak Street, Oakland, CA  94612.  Tentative hearing  date is September 20.

Consider this excerpt from a treasured 1990 letter from Cesar Chavez:   “Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cock fighting, bullfighting  and rodeos are cut from the same fabric:  violence.  Only when we have  become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves.”  Words to live by.

–Eric Mills, Oakland