Animal ‘scramble’ cruel and abusive

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/03/2022 (1320 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AS the Winnipeg Humane Society continues to extend its concern and compassion beyond puppies and kitties, to abused and exploited farmed animals, the group is currently taking issue with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, which takes place in Brandon from March 28 to April 2.

In particular, the WHS is rallying against the fair’s animal scramble events that, it says in a statement, “see young calves and pigs placed in brightly lit, enclosed arenas where they are rushed upon by children and youth,” intentionally subjecting them “to unnecessary fear, distress and potential injury, all for the sole purpose of entertainment.”

The WHS says attempts to discuss these animal welfare concerns with fair organizers over the years have largely gone unanswered. It’s time for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair to finally listen — because it’s not only WHS voicing concern for animal safety at the fair.

Winnipeg veterinarian Dr. Jonas Watson also says the risk of physical harm to animals in scramble events — also known as wrestling or chasing events — is very high. “In addition to the stress of the experience, the animals face a very real risk of breaking bones, dislocating limbs, and sustaining soft tissue trauma, organ damage and a variety of other body injuries resulting from rough handling,” he says.

Camille Labchuk, executive director of Canadian animal law organization Animal Justice, also calls animal scrambles “animal abuse masquerading as entertainment.” She states Manitoba’s provincial animal protection laws “don’t have exceptions for unreasonable cruelty, and these abusive events should not be allowed to go ahead.”

Animal Justice is currently calling for fair organizers and law enforcement authorities to cancel the scramble events, saying they “likely violate federal and provincial animal cruelty laws and must not be allowed to proceed.” Along with WHS and the Brandon Humane Society, the group is also asking for members of the public to reach out to the organizers of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair to encourage them to cancel the scramble events. They have also launched an online petition.

In other regions, animal scramble events have already fallen out of favour. Fairs in P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario have cancelled scrambles in recent years. Even the famous Sonoma County Fair in California cancelled its pig scramble in 2019, replacing it instead with a slippery watermelon obstacle course.

But animal scrambles have long been a staple at agricultural fairs, along with the classic prize-winning dairy cows, chained up for all to ogle, the saddled ponies forced to walk in circles for hours on end, and the small animals trapped in petting zoos with nowhere to hide.

WHS animal welfare consultant Brittany Semeniuk describes how animals kept at the RMWF’s Royal Farm Yard petting zoo “have often never left their environment before, and are then brought to this noisy, brightly lit facility where they have zero opportunity to avoid human interaction for an entire week.” She calls the attraction “sad,” saying its purpose is to simply allow “children to harass juvenile animals.”

Watching videos posted online from RMWF animal scrambles and petting zoo attractions from years past, it’s hard to imagine how anyone ever thought this was a good idea, for animals or children. Is teaching kids that living beings are objects to be forcibly handled or aggressively wrestled and subdued, a lesson of value? Or, is the true purpose of these events to actually teach children the position of animals within our agricultural systems is that of objects, property and commodities?

At agricultural fairs, animal scrambles and other animal-centred displays are meant to celebrate farming life and tradition. But what they really do is expose it as often exploitative and cruel. As Watson states, “These activities celebrate a pure disrespect for the welfare of animals. A modern and humane society should simply cease to condone them.”

He’s right.

Jessica Scott-Reid is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and animal advocate.