Brisbane Billboard Protesting Rodeo Cruelty Declared Too Violent

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release – 24 October 2016
 
A joint RSPCA Qld and Animal Liberation Qld billboard designed to create awareness of the cruel rodeo event of calf roping has been rejected by the Outdoor Media Association because of concerns that the images were too violent.
 
The billboard design featured images of the three main stages in calf roping: (1) roping the calf around his neck while he is running away at top speed; (2) picking the calf up and slamming him back down on his side, and (3) tying his legs together so he is immobile.  Only the image of a tied calf was deemed acceptable to a general audience.
 
Animal Liberation Qld Vice President, Gayle D’Arcy said: “The fact that the calf roping images were thought to be too violent for public consumption totally confirms our view that calf roping is a particularly cruel rodeo event which deserves to be banned in Queensland, just like it is in Victoria and South Australia. The images in the original billboard were not unusual or extraordinary – they accurately depicted what routinely occurs in the ‘rope and tie’ event at around 100 regulated rodeos throughout Queensland each year.”
 
“If these images are too violent to be shown on our billboard, then these practices should be too violent to allow at rodeos.  No animal deserves to be subjected to violence, especially babies.”
 
“We believe that it is a community expectation that vulnerable young animals will be treated kindly, whereas the opposite occurs in calf roping.  The calves are routinely stressed and frightened, all in the name of entertainment. This should no longer be seen as acceptable and we are calling on the state government to ban this event.” Ms D’Arcy added.
 
A modified ‘censored’ billboard has been created and will be seen at Valley Iconic in Fortitude Valley for one week only.  
 
View the original, uncensored images, as well as the final censored billboard images here:  http://alq.org.au/rodeo-billboard 
 
For further comment: [email protected]
 
Footage of calf roping at Qld rodeos available for download here: https://vimeo.com/178887692
 
Tags: