Animal advocacy organisation Direct Animal Action are set to present a petition signed by over 5000 people to the Rodney Local Board at the local board’s business meeting today at 3pm, Warkworth Town Hall, 21 Neville Street, Warkworth.

The petition calls for the local board to stop leasing the Warkworth Showgrounds to the Warkworth Rodeo and to no longer host rodeo on any council land, parks and reserves under their management.

Since 2016, Direct Animal Action has held large protests on New Year’s Day outside the Warkworth Rodeo at the Warkworth Showgrounds.

Spokesperson for Direct Animal Action Stephanie Koks says the tide of public opinion has turned against rodeo.

"Each year the controversy and public debate heightens around rodeo and its inherent animal welfare issues.

“A 2018 report by the New Zealand Animal Law Association found rodeo to be illegal (1) and former Green Party MP Gareth Hughes tabled a private members bill that would outlaw the worst aspects of rodeo (2).

“Rodeo season starts this weekend, so our presentation to the Rodney Local Board is timely.

"We know they have already approved the showgrounds lease for the Warkworth Rodeo to be held there on 1st January 2021. We'll be there to protest and we're just hoping no animals will be injured or killed at this year's event.

"The Rodney Local Board is now the only local board in Auckland which continues to host rodeo on land under their management.

“At the business meeting today, we’ll be asking the local board to show some progressive leadership and to catch up with the rest of Auckland on the issue of rodeo."

“There’s scope for so many fantastic events to happen at the showgrounds, that don’t involve terrifying animals for entertainment,” said Ms Koks.

Stephanie Koks and Romina Marinkovich of Direct Animal Action will hand over the petition to the Rodney Local Board today, followed by a 10 minute presentation (3).

Footnotes:

(1) NZALA Press Release; “Rodeo is Illegal”

(2) Green Party of New Zealand Aotearoa: Let's outlaw the worst rodeo practices

(3) Rodney Local Board Agenda, 21 October 2020

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