Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo starts on March 3rd and goes on until the 22nd. I can never understand why anyone would pay to see animals being abused. It makes me sick just to think about it. Every year at least one person asks me if I'm going to the rodeo and I reply "only as a protester." I have never actually protested at the rodeo but that's the only way you could get me there. When I was little the rodeo was a big deal. It was in the Coliseum downtown and Roy Rodgers was always there. We got to dress as cowboys or cowgirls and shake his hand when he rode on his horse around the ring at the end of the show. I loved going but that was before I realized what was happening to the animals who were "entertaining" us. It seems like every year one of the kids who is raising animals for the livestock show has an animal stolen. The kid goes on TV crying about how much they love their cow or whatever, pleading for it's return. This is an animal they are going to sell to the highest bidder for slaughter. Please spare me the tears. Someone said to me this year how good it is because the kids who participate get scholarship money for college. How about making good grades or borrowing the money or working to go to college. Why do animals have to be tortured so you can attend college. Someday I hope to move to a more progressive place. One of the requirements is that there isn't a rodeo.

Eight Belles

I hope that the death of the 2nd place winner in the Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles, will bring attention to the cruelty in the racing industry. Many of these horses are raced when they are so young that their bones haven't had time to form and are raced on hard surfaces. They are whipped by the trainers and jockeys and when they are no longer of any use slaughtered. I'm really sick of hearing people say that these horses love to run or how much they love horses.

PETA has launched a campaign calling for the suspension of the jockey and trainer of Eight Belles and that the owner be banned from racing at the track. They are also asking that the tracks be switched to a softer surface and for a ban on the use of whips.

If you would like to send a letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority you can click on this link: http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/eight_belles/wk7ssd8r27xnitbe?