Editing Rodeo (section)

===Industry position===
Modern rodeos in the United States are closely regulated and have responded to accusations of [[animal cruelty]] by instituting a number of rules to guide how rodeo animals are to be managed.<ref name="PRCApdf"/> In 1994, a survey of 28 sanctioned rodeos was conducted by on-site independent veterinarians. Reviewing 33,991 animal runs, the injury rate was documented at 16 animals or 0.047 percent, less than five-hundredths of one percent or one in 2000 animals.<ref name=autogenerated2>"Is Rodeo Bronc Riding Cruel?" Web article accessed February 5, 2008 at http://www.cowboyway.com/BroncRiding.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624004252/http://www.cowboyway.com/BroncRiding.htm |date=2007-06-24 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.greeleystampede.org/animal-welfare Animal Welfare] Retrieved on 25 March 2009 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726131518/http://www.greeleystampede.org/animal-welfare |date=July 26, 2011 }}</ref> A study of rodeo animals in Australia found a similar injury rate.  Basic injuries occurred at a rate of 0.072 percent, or one in 1405, with injuries requiring veterinary attention at 0.036 percent, or one injury in every 2810 times the animal was used, and transport, yarding and competition were all included in the study.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prorodeo.asn.au/animals.htm |title=Animal Welfare: Animals in Rodeo |publisher=Prorodeo.asn.au |access-date=2014-01-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320084011/http://www.prorodeo.asn.au/animals.htm |archive-date=2012-03-20 }}</ref> A later PRCA survey of 60,971 animal performances at 198 rodeo performances and 73 sections of "slack" indicated 27 animals were injured, again approximately five-hundredths of 1
percent—0.0004.<ref name=PRCApdf>{{cite web |url=http://www.prorodeo.com/pdfs/AnimalWelfare.pdf |title=''Animal Welfare: The Care and Treatment of Professional Rodeo Livestock.'' PRCA |access-date=2014-01-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411122325/http://www.prorodeo.com/pdfs/AnimalWelfare.pdf |archive-date=2008-04-11 }}</ref>

Nonetheless, accusation of cruelty in the USA persist. The PRCA acknowledges that they only sanction about 30 percent of all rodeos, while another 50 percent are sanctioned by other organizations and 20 percent are completely unsanctioned.<ref name=PRCApdf/> The PRCA opposes the general concept of [[animal rights]], but supports [[animal welfare]]. The PRCA takes the position that the organization does this and even goes beyond expectation.<ref name="Regan: 150">[[#Regan|Regan]]: 150</ref> Not all rodeos are governed by the PRCA however, though organizations governing collegiate and high school rodeos base their rules on those of the PRCA.  Nonetheless, certain amateur and "backyard" rodeos are unregulated,<ref>[[#CITEREFHarris2007|Harris]]: 199</ref> and do not follow PRCA rules.<ref name="Regan: 150"/>

Advocates for rodeo say that sick, injured, hungry, or severely abused animals cannot perform well in a given event. Rough stock must be healthy and well fed to give the cowboy a powerful and challenging ride sufficient to obtain a high score. The bucking strap has to be an incentive to an animal that already wants to buck off a rider, not a prod, or the animal will either flee the pain, not buck, quickly sour and refuse to work, regardless of any pain that might be inflicted.<ref name="Bronc Riding"/> Steers and roping calves will not break from the chute fast enough for ropers to achieve a fast time if they are lame or weak, and because of size and weight restrictions for each event, they are not generally used for more than a single season.

Health regulations mandate vaccinations and blood testing of animals crossing state lines, so rodeo stock receives routine care. An injured animal will not buck well and hence a cowboy cannot obtain a high score for his ride, so sick or injured animals are not run through the chutes, but instead are given appropriate veterinary care so they can be returned to their usual level of strength and power.<ref>{{cite web |title=The bovine athlete |url=https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2012-08-01/bovine-athlete |website=American Veterinary Medical Association |date=18 July 2012 |access-date=19 September 2020 |language=en |archive-date=2020-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025922/https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2012-08-01/bovine-athlete |url-status=live }}</ref> PRCA regulations require veterinarians to be available at all rodeos to treat both bucking stock and other animals as needed.<ref name="Rules">[http://www.prorodeo.com/animal_welfare.aspx?xu=3 PRCA Animal Welfare rules and discussion, web site accessed February 5, 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608030150/http://www.prorodeo.com/animal_welfare.aspx?xu=3 |date=June 8, 2008 }}</ref>

The PRCA emphasizes that they first promulgated rules for proper and humane treatment of livestock in 1947, a full seven years before the founding of the Humane Society of the United States.<ref name="Bronc Riding"/> Participants are fined for animal abuse, and a study of 21 PRCA rodeos found only 15 animals injured in 26,584 performances, a 0.06 percent rate.<ref name="AVMA2001">[http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan01/s011501tt.asp "Welfare of animals integral part of professional rodeos" ''Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association'',  January 15, 2001.  Web page accessed April 6, 2009] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524205321/http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan01/s011501tt.asp |date=May 24, 2012 }}</ref>

There are occasions of rule violations and animal mistreatment at sanctioned rodeos. The major national rodeos are also under the most intense scrutiny and are the most likely to rigorously follow the rules. Rodeos not subject to the rules of the PRCA or other organizations, and rodeos outside of the United States and Canada, where animal cruelty laws are weaker, are more likely to be the sites of abusive practices.