Animal welfare group calling for action following Stampede horse deaths

Jul 15, 2019 | 2:23 PM

CALGARY – An animal welfare group has renewed its call for cruelty charges following three more horse deaths at the Calgary Stampede.

A total of six horses died in chuckwagon races at the 10-day celebration of western life this year.

Three horses on driver Evan Salmond’s wagon were injured last night and had to be put down.

Animal Justice, a legal advocacy group, says rodeo events and chuckwagon races should not be exempt from Alberta’s animal cruelty laws.

It wants law enforcement agencies to investigate and to bring concerns before the courts.

Under Alberta’s Animal Protection Act, it’s illegal to cause or allow distress to an animal, but there are exemptions.

Brad Nichols manages investigations for the Calgary Humane Society.

He says there were discussions with the Crown after a crash on Thursday that led to a horse’s death.

Stampede officials fined and indefinitely banned driver Chad Harden.

Nichols says it was decided no charges would be laid because the Stampede falls under the law’s exemptions.

by The Canadian Press