San Diego city officials will discuss this week whether to ban or crack down on rodeo events such as calf roping and rodeo equipment, including electric prods, sharpened spurs and bucking straps.

Those potential restrictions and several others, such as limiting the distance rodeo animals travel and requiring veterinarians on site, will be considered Thursday by the City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee.

The long-awaited discussion comes after nearly a year of vocal debate in San Diego to find out if rodeos endanger animals enough to warrant new restrictions.

The problem emerged shortly after the Padres held a rodeo last January at Petco Park, which sparked protests from animal rights groups, litigation and calls to ban rodeos in the city.

Opposition at City Hall is led by Councilor Kent Lee, who unveiled a list of what he calls “policy options” to be discussed at Thursday’s meeting.

While the options don’t go as far as a city ordinance or bill, they could provide a starting point for San Diego to crack down on rodeos in some way. The San Diego Humane Society helped Lee make them.

Lee backed away from a total ban in the face of backlash from local tribes and others who say rodeos are a cultural practice closely tied to Black, Native and Mexican American communities.

It’s unlikely the city can pass restrictions quickly enough to force changes before the Padres hold a repeat of last year’s Petco Park rodeo, Jan. 10-12. The municipal council should be on vacation from December 23 to January 5.

It’s unclear whether Lee would be able to secure the five votes needed on the nine-member council to support a crackdown.

A city staff report outlining policy options Lee wants to discuss says the new rules could apply citywide or apply only to city properties, which would include Petco.

“The welfare and treatment of animals during public performances should be paramount, especially in city-owned facilities or on city property,” the staff report states.

The San Diego Rodeo Alliance, a coalition of local tribes and small businesses, says the company that handles livestock at the Petco event is a leader in animal welfare and has high standards for animal care, transport and equipment.

An alliance leader said Monday that the group planned to make its case Thursday.

“We will be testifying and closely monitoring the City Council hearing this week, and we reserve the right to oppose efforts to destroy our traditions,” said Josh Muse, vice chairman of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation .

Critics of the rodeo also plan to attend the hearing. In a press release issued Monday, animal rights groups praised Lee for moving forward on the issue.

“Strategic Action For Animals, Direct Action Everywhere San Diego and Kind Heart Coalition strongly support the ongoing conversation around a new rodeo ordinance and urge the City Council to take bold steps to develop a comprehensive animal-centered policy” , they said.

Although they oppose the use of animals for entertainment, the groups said a strong compromise for San Diego could be modeled after legislation proposed last summer in Los Angeles but not yet approved.

The Los Angeles proposal would ban “bareback riding, saddle riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, team riding, or any other activity that involves physically wrestling with a animal on the ground, tie an animal to the rope or attempt to mount and remain mounted on an opposing animal.

But that would make an exception for cultural traditions. It states that “this section shall not be construed to prohibit any equestrian, cultural or other event, including an event described as a rodeo, which does not include any of the prohibited activities.”

The groups say Los Angeles’ proposed ordinance offers a targeted approach, addressing specific practices that cause the most harm to animals.

“The Los Angeles ordinance is a thoughtful and carefully crafted piece of legislation that provides a clear framework for moving away from practices that are blatantly cruel and traumatizing to animals,” said Rachel Hosler, co-founder of Kind Heart Coalition.

The Padres, who were reward $150,000 in urban tourism marketing money earlier this month, say they have confidence in the people who care for the animals at the Petco Rodeo.

“Our understanding is that the animals are very well taken care of and will continue to be,” Jaclyn Lash, the team’s senior vice president for special events, told the marketing district’s board of directors. San Diego tourist destination on November 1st.

Last year’s Petco Rodeo also sparked a lawsuit over animal cruelty at the event. An ongoing trial in the case began earlier this month.

Originally published: November 19, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. PST