03 February 2020

Anti-rodeo protesters plan to demonstrate outside the upcoming Waikato Rodeo for the fifth year in a row.

Protest organisers Direct Animal Action are feeling angry after a string of animal deaths last rodeo season.

A horse was killed at last year’s Methven Rodeo, along with a horse and a bull at the Gisborne rodeo, and a horse at the Grand Final rodeo in North Canterbury.

Spokesperson for Direct Animal Action Apollo Taito says the group has had a gutsful of protesting animal abuse disguised as entertainment and that rodeo is already illegal.

“Each year the controversy and public debate heightens around rodeo and its inherent animal welfare issues.”

“A 2018 report by the New Zealand Animal Law Association found rodeo to be illegal because it breaches the Animal Welfare Act’s requirement that animals must not be ill-treated.”

“You can’t ban what is already illegal. We simply want the Government to uphold the law and end rodeo now.”

“Labour made pre-election promises to ban the worst aspects of rodeo and they’ve failed to deliver on that. We’re now in an election year where their failings for animals are glaring,” says Mr Taito.

The protest will be held on Saturday 15 February 2020, 1pm at Kihikihi Domain, corner Oliver and Bryce Street, Kihikihi, Te Awamutu.

ENDS

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