Calves are sweet, sensitive animals who do not deserve to be tormented by members of the public for the sake of 'entertainment'. In calf scruffing events, they are chased, have their tails pulled and are wrestled to the ground - it would be naive in the extreme to think this doesn't cause them distress.
In ALQ’s footage of the Boonah Show calf scruffing event, a participant publicly discusses his ‘plan of attack’ which involves putting his fingers into the calf’s nostrils to which the announcer responds, ‘Just choke him out you reckon?’ The announcer is later heard joking about seeing another contestant putting a ‘squirrel grip’ on a calf.
In 2016, when the vast majority of Australians expects decent and respectful treatment of animals, calf scruffing no longer meets society’s expectations. Any show society in Queensland that still holds this event should immediately reconsider its inclusion in their programs. We are also urging the state government to ban this practice.
(If you don't live in Queensland, you can contact the Minister for Agriculture, Leanne Donaldson, and tell her why you would like to see this event banned. Send your email to [email protected])
Hate the treatment of animals that you saw? Please take action to help stop calf scruffing in Queensland. PLEASE PERSONALISE YOUR EMAIL FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT.