TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 18, 2025) — In Defense of Animals and the local Tucson animal rights group Supporting and Promoting Ethics for the Animal Kingdom (SPEAK) protested the 100th year of animal abuse at the Tucson Rodeo on opening day, February 15. About 25 activists gathered at the Tucson Rodeo grounds with signs, banners, leaflets, and megaphones to oppose this cruel “tradition” and raise awareness about the harm and suffering caused to animals who are forced to perform in rodeos. Another demonstration is planned for finals day, Sunday, February 23, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. 

“Tucson Rodeo is celebrating 100 years since its inception,” said Brittany Michelson, Campaign Specialist for Captive Animals at In Defense of Animals. “However, animal abuse is nothing to celebrate and this cruel event should be shunned instead of celebrated. Animals do not exist for human entertainment and rodeos have no place in a modern, progressive society.” 

Rodeos are inherently cruel, traumatizing and injuring animals for entertainment. Docile animals are provoked into action through pain, often using spurs, straps, and electroshock devices. Animals used in the events are exempted from Animal Welfare Act protections.

For more than a decade, SPEAK and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) have obtained undercover videos revealing routine shocking of animals at Tucson Rodeo. Electric shock devices are used on horses and bulls with 5,000-6,000-volts of electricity. Horses and bulls are given painful electric shocks as the chute opens to make them run and buck in fear. Investigators have documented animals abused with Hot-Shots at the Tucson Rodeo every time they went to the arena.

Animal handlers at Tucson Rodeo attempt to hide devices and abuse behind fences and clothing. When workers are caught shocking animals, Tucson Rodeo claims only to shock “problem animals,” or in “special circumstances,” despite evidence of routine abuse. Attempts to conceal and downplay the abuse reveal the rodeo is aware its animal mistreatment is unacceptable to the public.

Many rodeos have outlawed the use of electric shock devices on animals, including the world’s largest rodeo, Cheyenne Frontier Days. This abusive practice has nothing to do with tradition, as rodeos existed long before shock prods were invented. 

Over 16,450 people have signed In Defense of Animals’ alert urging the Tucson City Council to ban electric shock devices.

"Contrary to claims by the Tucson Rodeo that electric prods are only used sparingly on ‘problem animals,’ ongoing video monitoring of the events clearly documents the consistent and arbitrary use of shock devices on the horses and bulls as they're released from the chutes,” said Gary Vella, President of SPEAK. “This is in addition to the abuse and injury these animals are subjected to in the arena."

Members of the public are encouraged to boycott the Tucson Rodeo and take action: https://www.idausa.org/campaign/farmed-animal/latest-news/end-the-use-of-torment-devices-at-the-tucson-rodeo

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Photos:

• 2025 https://bit.ly/TucsonRodeo25
• 2024 https://bit.ly/TucsonRodeo24
• 2023 https://bit.ly/TucsonRodeo23
• 2022 https://bit.ly/TucsonCruelty

Videos:

• 2025 opening day demonstration video available on request
• Tucson Rodeo 2019 - roped, injured bull who can't stand up; footage by SHARKonline.org
• Tucson Rodeo 2019 - downed bull carted out of the arena; footage by SHARKonline.org
• Tucson Rodeo 2019 - manager falsely claims no animal injuries

Contacts: 

In Defense of Animals, Brittany Michelson, brittany@idausa.org, 928-420-0727
SPEAK, Gary Vella, 520-981-7416 (no text)

In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization based in Marin, California, with over 250,000 supporters and a 40-year history of fighting for animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi. www.idausa.org/endcowboycruelty

Tucson-based SPEAK (Supporting and Promoting Ethics for the Animal Kingdom) is proud to be Arizona's first animal rights organization. The organization addresses animal protection issues on every level: local, statewide, regional, national, and international. Speak’s mission to create a more cruelty-free world for animals involves a twofold approach: educational efforts coupled with active resistance to any form of animal abuse. www.facebook.com/speaktucson

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