Bull riding cruelty
Thank you to sports reporter Alexander Rapp for his recent article (Dec. 16) about last week’s bull riding performances at the SNHU arena, and for the accompanying photographs, which leave no doubt about the obscene cruelty of this “sport.” Even a casual observer can clearly see that the bulls are forced into unnatural contortions by excessive bucking, which will strain delicate joints and eventually lead to catastrophic injuries.
In New Hampshire, wildlife, both captive and non-captive, is under the exclusive control of the state, in most cases, the NH Fish & Game Department. There is, however, one very important exception to this rule – cities and towns can regulate wildlife activities on their own properties. The SNHU arena is contained in a building that is owned by the City of Manchester and sits on property that is owned by the City of Manchester. The city may claim that its contract with the company that manages SNHU arena events prohibits city intervention , but that would be a load of bull manure.
I strongly encourage Manchester residents who care about animals to contact their aldermen and ask them to initiate an ordinance that would prohibit wild and exotic animal performances on city property. Ask your aldermen this question: There is so much cruelty in our world already, why would anyone choose to add to that when they have the option not to?