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Billed as the states longest-running rodeo, the Snowmass Rodeo takes place weekly from mid-June to mid-August in Snowmass Village, Colorado, USA. The event includes saddle bronc riding, bull riding, team roping, barrel racing, and activities like the calf scramble, where youth chase calves en masse, attempting to halter and lead them or grab ribbons tied to their tails, and mutton busting, where children attempt to ride a sheep for eight seconds. Animals used in the rodeo are transported from neighbouring cities and towns.

Few laws protect animals forced to perform in US rodeos. The federal Animal Welfare Act, the countrys primary legislation regulating the treatment of animals in research and exhibition, exempts rodeos from its animal protection provisions.

While some jurisdictions have narrowed prohibitions on specific rodeo events, others, such as several in California, have banned rodeos entirely, with Los Angeles proposing a similar ban in 2023. However, events such as horse tripping are prohibited in only 13 states across the country as of 2018. Rhode Island is the only state to ban the traditional calf and steer tie-down roping event, which animal advocates criticize as especially cruel.

Despite hundreds of rodeos occurring annually across North America, rodeo supporters argue that changing laws and ordinances affecting rodeos threatens their cultures survival.

Mutton Bustin’ Returns to the Nevada County Fair: Here’s Why We’re Asking the Board to Get Rid of It

By Bri | July 27, 2026

The Nevada County Fair returns August 12–16, and Mutton Bustin’ is back on the schedule. This is just one of several ways animals are used at fairs. We want to talk about what this event asks of the sheep that are forced to participate. What Mutton Busting Actually Is Here’s how it works. A sheep […]

The New York State Fair, held annually in Syracuse, New York, USA, began as an agricultural fair in 1841 and now runs for 13 days at the end of summer. It features commercial attractions, a midway, and entertainment stages and showcases domesticated and captive animals. Thousands of animals are brought to the fair, including geese, chickens, hatching chicks, ducks, pheasants, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits, dairy cows and more, to be exhibited for days or used in competitions. Birds are kept in small, stacked cages in the poultry building, and many animals are available for sale. Animal-related events include horse shows, mounted games, a pig obstacle course, and many 4-H agricultural programs.

The fair features a dairy cow birthing center where heavily pregnant cows are induced into labour to give birth without privacy in front of spectators. The births are shown on large screens, and posted signage promotes dairy products. After birth, the newborn calf stays with their mother for up to 30 minutes before the pair is separated, and the newborn is taken to another part of the barn. The newborns are then weighed and dressed with a pink or blue bow, depending on their gender and put on display. The mother is then ushered into a stall and milked.

The New York State Fair, the first of its kind in the nation, is one of the countrys largest and as of 2024, draws over one million visitors annually.

What the State Fair Doesn’t Tell You About Animals

By Bri | July 22, 2026

Behind the funnel cakes and Ferris wheels, animals are paying the price for a “family tradition.” The 2026 California State Fair opened July 17 at Cal Expo in Sacramento, and for 17 days, more than half a million visitors will stream through the gates for concerts, carnival rides, and deep-fried everything. They’ll also find livestock […]

Help Chia & August Thrive

By Bri | July 10, 2026

On a warm day in June, two people witnessed a dog being abused. As you would have, they both called 911, and officers arrived shortly thereafter. After arresting the individual and rescuing the dog, the officers discovered a cat, a chick, and a mouse inside the person’s vehicle. 🥰You will be happy to know that […]

Danielle Hanosh with Animal Place resident, Dahlia

LEAPing into the Future: Preparing NextGen Animal Advocates

By Rachel Beede | June 26, 2026

This year, Animal Place is proud to be working with LEAP (Leaders for Ethics, Animals and The Planet) to host our first-ever middle-school summer camp at the end of July. We recently sat down with Danielle Hanosh, co-founder and executive director of LEAP, to learn more about their important programs and initiatives. What is LEAP? […]

Benny is Hospitalized

By Animal Place | June 17, 2026

One of our caregivers found Benny straining outside the barn during heat checks. His labored breathing and straining to pee indicated he was suffering from a urinary blockage – a medical emergency. This is an unexpected and expensive emergency. Your donation right now is critical in ensuring Benny receives the care he deserves. If you […]

Donate to Skunk Fencing

By Bri | June 12, 2026

Recently, a mama skunk decided to make a den near the chicken pasture. On camera, we saw her with one baby. Then we realized she had four more! And while this family is absolutely adorable, the mama skunk has been seen stalking some of our smallest bantam chickens. It is uncommon for skunks to attack birds, ‘but […]

Middle School Summer Camp

By Rachel Beede | June 8, 2026

Animal Place is participating in LEAP! Animal Place’s Kids’ Summer Camp for incoming 6th-8th graders will run from July 27-31. Curriculum and interactive workshops are hosted every day from 10:00 am-3:00 pm, starting Monday, July 27th. Students will have the opportunity to work hands-on with farmed animals and learn how to provide them with […]

Rodeos: Entertainment Built on Fear and Pain

By Bri | June 1, 2026

Rodeo promoters describe their events as celebrations of Western heritage, athletic competition, and family fun. What they rarely mention is the flank strap tightened around a bull’s abdomen to make him buck, the electric prod used to force a terrified animal out of a chute, or the calf as young as four months old being […]

Where Peace Meets Purpose: Jayna’s Special Bond with Animal Place Residents

By Rachel Beede | May 27, 2026

Meet Jayna Dickens! She began volunteering with Animal Place a year ago with her friend, Rachel Sutton. Jayna is one of our animal socializers and regularly comes to spend time with our sheep, who clearly reciprocate her love. “My favorite memories are the times when the sheep have heard me coming and started running towards […]