A Worcester city councilor wants the city to enact an ordinance to prohibit rodeos from using tools that hurt animals.
Council Vice Chair and Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King’s order calls for the creation of an ordinance that would ban tools of “torture, torment and any painful, injurious techniques or devices to induce animal performance at rodeos or rodeo related events within the city.”
King told MassLive on Monday he does not want to ban rodeos in Worcester and has been to rodeo events before. Instead, the councilor wants to find a balance where both humans and animals can enjoy the event.
“It’s really an animal safety measure and it’s a preventative measure,” King said. “To make sure that rodeos are safe for everybody.”
The council will take up King’s order on Nov. 18.
The order aims to ban electric prods or shocking devices, flank straps, bucking straps and “any tools designed to inflict pain or induce fear for the purpose of performance.”
The last time a rodeo was held in the city was in February, where Professional Bull Riding (PBR) was hosted at the DCU Center.
“PBR bulls are not provoked, shocked, distressed or harmed. These elite animal athletes are born to buck — it’s in their DNA as the American Bucking Bull breed,” a spokesperson for PBR wrote to MassLive. “Their bucking behavior in the arena is natural. The health, safety, and long-term welfare of these remarkable animals is the organization’s top priority. The bulls live a great long life, and everyone in our sport celebrates them.”
The Facebook group “Positive Change for Animals Social Volunteer Group” announced on Monday its members will attend the Worcester City Council meeting on Tuesday to testify in support of King’s order.
The group is a volunteer organization that focuses on helping animals through “social transformation and community engagement.”
