Living Beings, Not Inanimate Things

by Stephanie Ernst · 2008-11-13 06:08:00 UTC
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Rodeo horse being shocked; photo by SHARKTwice in the last few days, I've read remarks in which people have used analogies to compare animals to inanimate objects, and it's driving me mad. Most recently, it was in the comments thread to "Most Disturbing Sight of the Day" (which I didn't expect to generate as much conversation--and snarky spam comments, most of which are now gone--as it did; it was intended to be a letting-off-steam post, with a more in-depth discussion of hunting to come at a later time). In this instance, the commenter compared hunters posing with dead and dying animals to athletes posing with their medals and trophies, as if those pieces of metal and the dead and dying animals are the same thing. Wow.

And then a couple days ago, there was this article, which was infuriating on so very many levels: "Prodding OK'd for rodeo after 20-year ban." For the purposes of this brief discussion, I won't get into all the enormous problems with the cruel rodeo industry or even all the problems with this article itself, and I'll limit myself to just this one absurd remark:

"We need it to protect the rider and animal," said Russ Fields, chairman of the Rowell Ranch Rodeo. "It's just a tool in the livestock industry. It's like a hammer to a carpenter."

My first response to Mr. Fields:

The notion that electrically shocking the animal is done to "protect" him is absurd. If you want to protect the animal, try not exploiting, terrifying, and injuring him in the rodeo.

Second, is it really "just a tool," Mr. Fields? Just "like a hammer to a carpenter"? Really? I wasn't aware that the nail and wood used in carpentry feel the blows of the hammer. I wasn't aware that they bolt off running in pain and fear.

OK, I lied--a tiny bit more commentary on this unbelievable story:

Making your rules "consistent with Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association standards"--lowering your standards to meet theirs--isn't something I'd brag about too much, Hayward. Their standards and practices aren't too impressive. And neither is what you did here:

The district's ban on prods was enforced earlier this year when a handler was caught on videotape using the device on horses during the Rowell Ranch Rodeo in May.

Board directors settled on handing a $2,500 fine to the rodeo association, but ordered the district to look into revising the policy after cowboys and rodeo officials raised concerns that the ban contradicts national and state standards.

"There is a level of hypocrisy here that is strange," veterinarian Elliot Katz told the board Monday. "Don't change the law because someone broke it."

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Photo courtesy of SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness)

Stephanie Ernst wrote the original Animal Rights blog at Change.org until December 2009. She can now be found at Animal Rights & AntiOppression.
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