'Kind of jaw-dropping': SPCA asking Montreal to drop rodeo plans

The director of animal advocacy at the MontrealSPCA,AlannaDevine,says she was "flabbergasted" to learn that a rodeo will be part of Montreal's375thanniversary plans.

TheNomadFestUrban Rodeo is billed asa "country festival in the city that lets people connect with their inner cowboy." It's slated to take place in August,according to the officialwebsitefor Montreal's birthday celebrations.

The plan is tohold four rodeos in a show ring at the Old Port, featuringprofessional rodeo athletes competingin riding, speed and agility contests.

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On itsFacebookpage, theSPCAcalled the decision appalling,saying rodeo events "subject animals to unnecessary stress and suffering solely for the purpose of so-called 'entertainment.'"

Devinesaidshe believesMontrealerswill be upset when they learn about the event.

"It's kind of jaw-dropping. It has nothing to do with the375thanniversary of the City of Montreal. We have no understanding whatsoever of why this would be taking place in conjunction with a celebration of our city," shesaid.

TheSPCAis asking citizens to contactthe mayor directly through the city'swebsiteif they want to voice their displeasure with the rodeo.

"Hopefully it's not too late to convince them to not move forward with something that clearly is completely unnecessary and involves the suffering, both physical and psychological, of animals."

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Animals cherished, organizer says

Event companyTKNLProductions isproducingthe country festival in partnership withthe organizers of the Festival WesternSaint-Tite, an annual event held for the past 50 years in the townnorth ofTrois-Rivires.

Along with the rodeo, the event will feature a western-style village with activities and shows.

ProducerMaximeLefebvresaidhe and his team love the animals and are also against animal cruelty.

He said the bulls don't work more than 80 seconds in a summer participating in 10rodeos, for about eight seconds each time.

"For the rest of the summer, they will be fed and we will take care of them, even cherish, I would say, those animals," he said.

He said there will be veterinarians on site following the animals, and all involvedmust followan emergency protocol used at theSaint-Titefestival.

He said rodeo is a part of Quebec and Canadian culture. According to him, there are 80 country festivals every year in Quebec.

In a news release issued in November, both Mayor DenisCoderreand Public Security Minister MartinCoiteux, who is also minister responsible for the Montreal region,lenttheir support to the event.

"Country is part of the fabric of our history and of popular culture,"Coderresaid.

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