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The practice of steer tailing is a brutal and unnecessary spectacle, but it could soon become a thing of the past in Illinois with your help.

Lawmakers are considering legislation (SB 45), which would ban steer tailing events in the state. Urge your state senator to pass this bill to protect animals from this severe abuse!

Steer tailing, sometimes known as "coleadero," is one of the most violent events in rodeo. A rider on horseback chases a terrified young male, grabs him by his tail, wraps the tail around their leg or the saddle horn, and abruptly veers off. This violently slams the steer to the ground at high speeds.

Because a steer's tail is a physical extension of his spine, the force of this act is catastrophic. Animals subjected to this cruel entertainment frequently suffer agonizing and life-threatening injuries. Skin and tissue are stripped from the tail (degloving), vertebrae are broken, paralysis can result from severe spinal cord injuries, ligaments are torn, limbs are broken, there is often internal bleeding, and sometimes even death occurs.

Beyond the physical trauma, these young animals are subjected to immense psychological distress and fear, purely for the sake of crude amusement. This archaic and dangerous spectacle has no place in a compassionate society.

Illinois is not alone in seeking to abolish this cruelty. California, Nebraska, and Rhode Island have already enacted bans on steer tailing, recognizing that no "cultural tradition" justifies the intentional breaking of an animal's bones for entertainment.

The bill under consideration, SB 45, would make it illegal to organize, conduct, or participate in steer tailing in Illinois, finally putting an end to this horrific abuse.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Subject: Support SB 45 to Ban Cruel Steer Tailing Events

As a constituent concerned with animal welfare and public safety, I am writing to urge you to support and co-sponsor SB 45, which would ban the cruel practice of steer tailing in Illinois.

While many are familiar with "steer wrestling" in mainstream American rodeos — where a rider jumps onto an animal’s horns — steer tailing is a fundamentally different and far more violent event. It involves a rider chasing a steer at high speed, grabbing his tail, and using the momentum of the horse to violently slam the animal to the ground.

The physiological impact on the animal is catastrophic. Because a steer’s tail is a physical extension of his spine, this maneuver often results in:

* Spinal Cord Injuries: Permanent paralysis or severe trauma to the back and neck.

* Internal Bleeding: Massive blunt-force injuries and torn ligaments from the impact with the arena floor.

* Degloving: The horrific stripping of skin and muscle from the tailbone.

* Vertebral Fractures: The snapping of the tail or spinal column under the weight and momentum of the horse.

This is not a matter of "tradition" vs. "modernity" — it is a matter of basic humanity. Recognizing the extreme risk of injury and death, states including California, Nebraska, and Rhode Island have already enacted bans on steer tailing. By passing SB 45, Illinois would join these states in declaring that the intentional breaking of an animal’s bones for entertainment has no place in our state.

Subjecting domesticated animals to this level of violence for a "spectacle" is unacceptable. I respectfully ask that you take a stand against this specific form of animal cruelty by supporting SB 45.

Thank you for your time and for your dedication to the well-being of all living beings in Illinois.

Sincerely,

Signed

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.