Rodeo photograph depicts abuse

How could you? The front-page picture of the Conejo Valley Days rodeo bull in your recent paper was an affront to animals and kindness in general.

Anyone who knows rodeos knows that the bull only bucks because his genitals are strapped in tightly to make him kick. In order to make him angry, the "bucking strap," a leather belt that covers the bull’s testicles so visibly seen in your photo is tightened.

This puts the animal in severe pain, causing it to buck wildly before it even leaves the pen.

Although many people regard the rodeo as family entertainment, the rodeo’s most popular events would not be possible if humans did not inflict pain on the animals involved.

These events are thought of as a contest of will between contestants and animals, yet the wild and combative behavior of bulls, broncos and calves is all artificially induced by painful measures of provocation.

Your front-page picture of the rodeo wasn’t really an advertisement of fun, but a graphic display of painful animal abuse and your blatant ignorance of this awareness.

I hope your readers at least got that out of it.

Adrienne Kligman

Thousand Oaks