The announcement came, and the “Rabbit Scramble” was on. Following a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a brief oral history of the 67-year tradition of the Tippah County Fair proudly holding its “Farm Animal Scramble,” parents of children two-and-under were instructed to accompany their toddlers into the arena to "catch" a group of terrified rabbits taken from crates and left exposed in the open arena. These horrified rabbits ran at hare speed to evade capture, but the odds were against most of them.

Next, the 3 and 4-year-olds were told to line up for their turn at grabbing after the rabbits, and parents were instructed not to enter the arena, in order to, “Let the kids have some fun.” During this event, a child was captured on video grabbing a distressed and kicking rabbit by the ears, while attempting to carry the rabbit into the ring.

The “Chicken Scramble” was next for the 5 and 6-year-olds, and was a repeat of screaming children running down frightened animals, falling on them, grabbing them by their tail-feathers, and carrying them upside down by their feet and all for an award of $5.

The age groups progressed as the piglets, goats, and calves were released to be mowed down by adolescents, and then grabbed, and dragged to the arena center. The instruction given for the piglet scramble was to grab the poor frightened piglets by their back legs, and that’s exactly what the children did. One piglet was lifted, dropped on splayed legs, and then fallen on with multiple hands reaching to grab him. Two goat kids who were chased in the arena with their mom were so stressed when they were released and returned to her, that they plunged beneath her for the comfort of nursing.

In Defense of Animals will soon be launching a poster/video contest for Mississippi youth who hope to influence changes at the fair. The posters will promote sack races, relay races, and tug-of-war games - all activities that can engage the whole family at once, lending to lasting memories of good, kind, family time at the fair.

If you haven't yet signed our alert, calling for an end to the animal scrambles at the Tippah County Fair, please do so here.