One of Vancouver Island most famous exports is voicing her displeasure for B.C.’s Luxton Pro Rodeo.
The rodeo takes over the Luxton Fairgrounds in Langford on the May long weekend with events including calf roping and steer wrestling.
Melissa de Meulles, the Citizens Against Rodeo Events is fighting to stop these activities from happening.
“Across North America every year animals are injured and die in these events,” de Meulles said.
“I personally find it quite disgusting that this is considered entertainment in this day and age.”
Last year the SPCA urged the rodeo to follow in the footsteps of the Cloverdale Rodeo which banned the events after animals died, but they refused.
This year de Meulles reached out to a Canadian celebrity. She said the hopes the support will help spread her organization’s message.
“Pamela Anderson is a well-known animals rights activist, and being from Vancouver Island we felt that she might be interested in helping support our cause to get the Luxton Rodeo in the limelight,” she said.
Anderson, who has over 1 million Twitter followers, tweeted “Vancouver Islanders please don’t support the Luxton Rodeo! Help end rodeo cruelty on the island.”
Bill Dyke has lived near the rodeo’s location since 1971 and disagrees with the anti-rodeo message.
“The animals in rodeo, just like [at the] SPCA, are well cared for [while] people out in the community … abandon animals and treat them with cruelty.”
While the celebrity attention may not be enough to change the event, financial consequences may sway the organizers.
“In the last month we have had 10 previous sponsors of the rodeo agree to pull their sponsorships,” de Meulles said.
Activists hope it won’t take an animal death to stop the roping and wrestling.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson
