O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
Bull riding is not rooted in ranch work. Real cowboys have far more important tasks, and no one on a working ranch would waste time forcing an animal into a frantic display that would make life harder for them both. Bull riding is nothing more than a contrived and inhumane spectacle.
Bulls are sensitive prey animals, and their instinct is to flee when frightened. The roar of the crowd terrifies them, and at some shows they try to escape, even jumping fences. Instead, most often they are trapped and forced to buck, enduring a terror no bull would ever choose.
Bucking violently is not normal. It is a desperate reaction to uncomfortable and painful equipment, including tightly cinched flank straps. Sometimes electric prods are used. The intention is to provoke panic. If a bull did not experience distress, he would not buck.
The physical toll is devastating. Bulls can suffer torn muscles and ligaments, broken bones, or paralysis from falls. Repeated hauling, confinement, and forced performance lead to chronic pain and joint damage. When injuries or age diminish a bull’s ability to perform, they are killed or sent to slaughter instead of being given the peaceful lives they deserve.
The NH Animal Rights League has a “Bull Riding is Animal Abuse” billboard on Elm Street near the arena, protesting this cruelty that is coming to Manchester, NH. Help the activists by showing up for their peaceful demonstrations.
We should demand better of our city. Entertainment should not involve animal abuse.
Susan Thompson is a native of New Hampshire. She is retired and has loved animals, both wild and domestic, as long as she can remember. As a kid, she was allergic to cats, so she’s always had dogs and right now has two. She has joined demonstrations against horse racing, the circus, bull riding and trapping.
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