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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Originally Posted: June 26, 2013
[Ed. Note: Another similar event is scheduled fro mid July 2013. Take action: Whether you are in Oregon or not, Please Speak Out Against Animal Scramble]
FROM Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK)
ACTION
Watch the video of this event here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1DRpdq-1SE
Please contact the Central California SPCA and ask them to watch the video again and then file cruelty charges against the Riverdale Rodeo.
SHARK contacted the Central California SPCA, and they did
nothing. Even worse, the SPCA spokeswoman said "we haven't been provided
with any evidence of anything inhumane or illegal with that situation."
Any reasonable person who watches the video will see cruelty. You'd actually
have to work hard to ignore it, yet that is what that SPCA chose to do. That
the scramble was shut down without their assistance says a lot about their
worth. Let's hope that supporters of the Central California SPCA send a
message that their job is to enforce animal cruelty laws, not shield a local
rodeo from the law.
Central California SPCA
103 South Hughes Avenue
Fresno CA 93706
(559) 233-7722
Online contact form:
http://ccspca.com/contact/
INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS
SHARK’s campaign to shut down the cruel "barnyard scramble," which happened at the Riverdale Rodeo in Riverdale, California, is an unqualified success! This event, where dozens of young animals are thrown into a horde or rampaging children, can be seen in the following SHARK video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1DRpdq-1SE
The following are excerpts from an article published June 23, 2013 in The
Fresno Bee:
"Video of 'scramble' at Riverdale Rodeo ignites animal-rights concern."
"A video posted online by an animal rights group is sparking a modest
barrage of concern and complaints over a "barnyard scramble" for children at
last month's Riverdale Rodeo.
In response to the complaints, and the possibility that a state law
prohibiting such events might have been broken, rodeo officials will stop
conducting scramble events, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said.
The scramble is an event in which chickens, ducklings, rabbits, piglets and
kid goats are set loose in an arena to be chased and captured by children,
from toddlers to pre-teens. If a child catches a critter, it's his or hers
to keep."
"Steve Hindi, president of Illinois-based SHARKonline.org — the acronym
stands for SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness — and another member visited
Riverdale with video cameras on May 5.
"We've seen these kinds of things before," he said. "We certainly think they
are bad for the animals, and it sends a really bad message to children about
how to treat animals."
The five-minute video shows rodeo organizers tossing animals out of trailers
and containers onto the arena floor before children are turned loose to
chase them. Segments show a young boy grabbing a baby duck by one wing
before an adult takes the bird by the neck to return it to a box; a boy
lugging a baby goat in a bear hug across the dirt; a rabbit frantically
squirming in the arms of a little girl; and chickens and ducklings nearly
being stepped on by eager children."
SHARK goes beyond just documenting the cruelty. Once we had the evidence in
hand, SHARK Investigator Mike Kobliska researched California law and found
out that the scramble itself was illegal.
"In addition to concerns over whether the scramble is cruel to animals,
there may be legal questions over the practice as well. The California Penal
Code makes it a misdemeanor to sell or give away "any live chicks, rabbits,
ducklings, or other fowl as a prize for, or as an inducement to enter, any
contest, game or other competition or as an inducement to enter a place of
amusement or place of business." Misdemeanors are typically punishable by
fines and jail time.
Hindi said SHARK provided the video to the Fresno County District Attorney's
Office and believed it had been forwarded to the Fresno County Sheriff's
Office. He added that he has not been notified whether an investigation is
being conducted.
Sheriff's spokesman Chris Curtice said the scramble was investigated. "When
our detectives contacted Riverdale Rodeo officials about it, they had no
idea they were doing anything wrong and agreed to discontinue the event,"
Curtice said in an email Friday. "Also, charges are misdemeanors and we
cannot cite an entity, (Riverdale Rodeo Association). Right now it appears
that educating them worked.""
The final paragraph of the story dealt with the fact that SHARK contacted
the Central California SPCA, and they did nothing. Even worse, the SPCA
spokeswoman said "we haven't been provided with any evidence of anything
inhumane or illegal with that situation."
Any reasonable person who watches the video will see cruelty. You'd actually
have to work hard to ignore it, yet that is what that SPCA chose to do. That
the scramble was shut down without their assistance says a lot about their
worth. Let's hope that supporters of the Central California SPCA send a
message that their job is to enforce animal cruelty laws, not shield a local
rodeo from the law.
SHARK recognizes and thanks two animal sanctuaries who helped enormously in
shutting down the scramble. After watching the SHARK video, both the Gentle
Blessings Animal Sanctuary and the Red Barn Rabbit Rescue not only provided
us with expert opinion on the handling of the animals at the rodeo scrambles
but asked their members to call and email those responsible. The Red Barn
Rabbit Rescue initiated a petition to the local paper, the Fresno Bee and
over 300 emails were generated to complain which culminated in the paper
covering a story on the issue. Gentle Blessings Animal Sanctuary members
were instrumental in helping to shut down the scramble. They were so
outraged they emailed and called those responsible also helping enormously
to bring attention to this and forcing authorities to investigate. By
working together we can make great changes for the animals!
Thank you for everything you do for animals!
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