Animal Welfare at the Stampede (Day 2)

The Calgary Stampede is well-known for a near century of cowboy tradition and culture. Livestock are an integral part of these traditions, from the farm animal exhibits to the rodeo to the chuckwagons.

These events would not exist without a team of Calgary Stampede directors and volunteers dedicated to the humane management of the animals at the center of it all.

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This morning I experienced yet another perk of working in Stampede Agriculture Media. Along with our committee chairperson, I attended an animal welfare presentation by Dr. Ed Pajor of the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and leader of the Pain and Animal Welfare Research Group, and Dr. Temple Grandin, a world-renowned animal ethologist responsible for designing humane livestock facilities which house over half of the cattle in the United States and Canada.

The presentation focused on animal welfare in rodeo and other Stampede events, and was delivered to an audience of Stampede directors and Animal Care Advisory Panel members.

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I was incredibly impressed by how clearly and practically Dr. Pajor and Grandin were able to delve into the fundamentals of animal behavior, genetics, and standards of welfare.

The Calgary Stampede works closely with various animal welfare groups, including the SPCA, Calgary Humane Society, and Dr. Grandin herself. The highest standards of animal care are maintained at the Stampede with the interest of keeping the animals safe and the tradition alive.

The rodeo and chuckwagons are institutions in the world of cowboying. They exhibit the best of the best in terms of livestock, athletes, and horsemanship. Rodeo goers can be confident that the Stampede executive works incredibly hard to stay current on animal welfare standards and go above and beyond what is required.

Check out the Calgary Stampede's Animal Care page

Yeehaw,

Rosie the Intern