The Legality of Calf Roping in Australia

Public concern for the welfare of animals used in rodeo events is growing. Much of this concern is directed at the event of calf roping, an event that involves chasing, lassoing and throwing a calf to the ground. In all Australian jurisdictions, pain inflicted on animals is subject to a requirement that the pain not be unjustifiable or unnecessary. Typically, pain caused to animals can be justified if it provides human benefit. Legislatures in Australian states and territories have excluded calf roping from this assessment, which to some extent implies that the practice meets the standard. Accordingly, this article utilises the Ford v Wiley proportionality test to determine whether the harm inflicted on calves is justified in the light of the purported benefits of the practice. It argues that the harm caused is not proportionate to the benefits and, as a result, that all Australian jurisdictions should explicitly prohibit the practice.