NH Animal Rights League projected an anti-bull riding message on the SNHU Arena on Dec. 20. Photo/NHARL
MANCHESTER, NH – On December 20, 2024, the New Hampshire Animal Rights League (NHARL) staged a bold demonstration against the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event at the SNHU Arena. Unable to gain traction with Manchester city officials, the group projected the message: “No More Bull Riding in Manchester. It’s Animal Abuse!” onto the arena’s façade during the event.
“Bull riding is not a sport — it’s a cruel business that prioritizes profit over the well-being of helpless animals,” said Linda Dionne, a NHARL board member.
According to veterinarian and former rodeo performer Peggy Larson, “Bucking straps and spurs can cause the bull to buck beyond his normal capacity, and his legs or back may thus be broken.”
Efforts to Engage City Officials Ignored
Since 2019, the PBR Tour has held annual events at the SNHU Arena, despite protests from local animal rights advocates. Throughout 2024, NHARL made repeated attempts to engage Manchester city officials, highlighting the dangers bull riding poses to both animals and spectators.
After numerous unanswered letters, emails, and phone calls, NHARL president Joan O’Brien addressed the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen on October 1, urging them to follow the example of other cities that have passed ordinances to prohibit bull riding and/or rodeo events.
The response from officials was minimal. Alderman Ross Terrio dismissed the concerns, stating, “From what I can tell, it is far more likely for bulls to be injured naturally (during mating season) than from rodeos.”
Documented Incidents of Animal Harm
Contrary to Terrio’s remarks, there is a well-documented history of injuries at PBR events, including some captured on film:
On September 24, 2022, during a PBR event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, a bull collapsed immediately after leaving the chute, suffering a devastating injury to his back right leg.
A month later, in October 2022 a bull crushed his leg and collapsed during a PBR event in Fairfax, Virginia. Handlers dragged the bull from the arena with a rope tied around his neck and legs.
Earlier that year, another bull with an injured leg was dragged across the arena at a PBR event held in Knoxville, TN on February 19, 2022.
The national advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) maintains a 14-page list of rodeo incidents — including some at PBR events — dating back to 1995.
These incidents underscore the inherent risks and cruelty of these spectacles, where animals are forced into unnatural behaviors, often at great cost to their well-being.
NHARL also emphasized the risks to spectators, pointing to incidents where distressed bulls have escaped arenas, causing injuries and endangering public safety.
Protest Draws Attention Despite Police Involvement
During the demonstration, Manchester Police were called in an attempt to stop the projection. Protesters, however, noted that no city ordinance prohibits such activity and continued.
About the New Hampshire Animal Rights League
Founded in 1977, the New Hampshire Animal Rights League is one of the nation’s oldest animal rights organizations and among the first to adopt “animal rights” in its name. Based in Concord, NHARL operates entirely through the efforts of unpaid volunteers and is funded by donations, bequests, grants, and membership dues. For more information, visit www.nhanimalrights.org.
This content was paid for by NH Animal Rights League.