Rodeo is popular throughout the western United States and is the official state sport of Wyoming, South Dakota, and Texas. While “entertaining” the audience, animals are physically provoked in order to make the cowboys appear more impressive. However, spectators may be unaware of the suffering that the animals endure as the price of entertainment. “Tools of Torment” In order to elicit certain behaviors from the animals, rodeos use various tools to make animals appear more aggressive than they really are. Such tools include the “hotshot,” an electric prod used on the animal while captive in the chute. The intense pain scares the animal into displaying abnormally dramatic reactions. Other tools include metal spurs and “bucking straps” that burn the animal’s abdomen and groin area and cause him to “buck” and can lead to back and leg injuries. The Events Calf Roping: a mounted rider yanks a calf into the air by her neck, slams her into the ground, and ties her legs together. During this performance, calves may cry out (if they can breathe), defecate from fear and stress, and suffer neck injuries and death. Steer Busting: a rider ropes a steer with such force the steer flips in the air. The injury and death rates are so high that the Nevada State Veterinarian has condemned the practice. Steer Wrestling: in this event the steer endures a high level of stress and can suffer ripped tendons, sprains and bruising, and even a broken neck. Bull Riding and Saddle Bronc Riding: bucking straps, electric prods, and spurs are used to hurt the animal and aggravate him into reacting more roughly than he would naturally. Injury, Pain, and Death Rodeos mean constant trauma for the animals forced to participate. They suffer broken ribs, backs, and legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, ripped tendons, torn ligaments, snapped necks, and agonizing deaths. Animals are often transported over long distances in hot and overcrowded trucks and trailers. The official rules of the PRCA permit them to be confined during transport for as long as 24 hours without being fed or watered. The injuries are not confined to the rodeos themselves. For instance, during practice sessions, a calf may be roped repeatedly, until the calf suffers injuries that require her replacement. Despite increased publicity about animal cruelty, the PRCA has not improved animal safety. The penalties for violating regulations are not severe enough to deter abuse and are miniscule in comparison with the large rodeo cash prizes at stake. Does the Law Protect Animals Used in Rodeos? The federal Animal Welfare Act exempts rodeos from the protections it provides to animals. Some states exempt rodeos from their anti-cruelty statutes, while other states defer to clearly inadequate PRCA regulations to judge whether animal cruelty has occurred in rodeos. On the other hand, some states have taken measures to protect animals used in rodeos: California bans the use of electric prods while animals are in the holding chutes, unless necessary to protect participants or spectators. A licensed veterinarian must either be present at all times or on-call and able to arrive at the rodeo within one hour after a determination has been made that there is an injury requiring veterinary treatment. The veterinarian must submit a brief report of any injury requiring veterinary treatment to the Veterinary Medical Board within 48 hours of the conclusion of the rodeo. Rhode Island has banned tie-down roping and other practices but allows breakaway calf roping, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, team riding, barrel racing, team roping, wild horse racing, chuckwagon racing, quarter horse races, mounted flag races, trail riding events, and obstacle course and pole bending events. Anyone conducting a rodeo must notify the local animal control officer in advance of the event. A licensed veterinarian with complete authority over the treatment and use of injured rodeo a