One of the highlights of the contest is the repetition of 'chokings' that the birds had to endure again and again. Who in the world would want to have a cord or a rope around their neck and then be hoisted into the air? What can that be other than torture?
UNPARALLELED SUFFERING: Anyone who watches can see the unquestionable bullying and maximized disregard inflicted onto the unwilling participants of rodeo “sports,” forced to suffer unimaginable pain, terror, and sometimes death. It’s alarming how using animals (who clearly communicate resistance) for entertainment, pride, and money is still justified and accepted in this day and age. I’m aware that there are many rodeo events I haven’t yet seen firsthand, such as the lethal Wild Cow Milking, but it’s been quite a while since I’ve found out about a rodeo event that I wasn’t already familiar with. But earlier this month after opening an email from Karen Davis of United Poultry Concerns I found out about “chicken roping.”
UPC offered to sponsor my investigation. I was pleased to find out that this isn’t a particularly popular activity; the people who put this event on at Dewey’s Place might be the last in the state to host such a disturbing public display of trampling over the interests and dignity of feathered individuals…
Humans of all ages can watch or participate in the chicken roping craziness. To enter one must pay a $5 entrance fee, but participants can stack up their entrance fees and their chances of winning first, second, or third place by trying numerous rounds and numerous partners. Killing a chicken is one of the risks all participants take, which would be a $100 fine if it were to happen…
It was very common for the chickens to try to escape their tormentors, which caused a lot of screaming amongst the crowd, as if the birds were flying outside of the little arena to terrorize those who had sadistically been smiling and laughing at the frightening and threatening ordeal that was repeatedly being imposed onto them. Some chickens were roped while flying away and sent right back onto the ground, which was marked by a loud bang as they hit floor. Sometimes the roosters got eerily quiet, a choice not of their own as they were being choked by their abusers…
One of the highlights of the evening was the repetition of chokings that the birds had to endure again and again. Who in the world would want to have a cord or a rope around their neck and then be hoisted into the air? What can that be other than torture?…
I showed my video footage to Melanie Moonstone, a woman who founded an animal sanctuary called Rooster Redemption. Melanie has rescued roosters from diverse backgrounds such as cockfighting busts, religious animal sacrifice, slaughterhouses, and abandonment in freezing cold weather. The hens and roosters in her care are treated with kindness, respect, and love like family; they are given the best quality life Melanie can afford to give them. Her roosters are never exploited for any human gain and they live as long of a life as possible with all of the veterinary care and treatment that humans typically only provide to cats and dogs. If her roosters ever require euthanasia it’s done peacefully and mercifully because they’ve run out of options and to prevent them from experiencing a miserable ending to life.
This is what Melanie Moonstone of Rooster Redemption had to say about Dewey’s Place 2023 chicken roping: “What I witnessed in the footage is nauseating entitlement over non-human animals. Loads of ego, superiority, and zero empathy. The chickens are visibly terrified, evidenced by their attempts to escape, vocalizations, and eventual submission by putting their heads on the floor. It makes me very angry to see this, and what typically drives anger is fear. In this case, fear of small towns in the United States who have an overt yearning to practice violence and dominance over animals. It is very difficult for me to comprehend why this would be entertaining and it is extremely unfortunate to see such a blatant lack of empathy. I truly think they should try this ‘entertainment’ on consenting humans first and then decide if they would still do it to a non-consenting animal who is 10 times smaller than them. Absolutely disgusting, to the max”…
We humans should remember that we’ve done nothing to be born human just as much as chickens have done nothing to be born as birds. As sentient individuals with a will to live and a will to be safe and free, we all deserve basic respect and autonomy for our lives and our bodies. A life is a life, discrimination is discrimination, and abuse is abuse. SOURCE…
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