If you live in Pittsburgh, you may be surprised to learn that a rodeo bull riding event will be coming to town this weekend. This is an alarming development, as Pittsburgh has had protections since 1992 to shield animals from some of the most egregious practices used in rodeos. These protections were enacted after a tragic incident at a Pittsburgh rodeo in the early ’90s where a bull broke its leg and was subsequently euthanized. The law doesn’t ban rodeos outright but prohibits using painful techniques and devices that cause animals suffering, torment or injury. Specifically, it bans electric prods, flank or bucking straps, wire tie-downs, and sharpened or fixed spurs or rowels.
This law is about ensuring that the events operate without cruelty. If professional rodeo organizations like the Professional Bull Riders hosting the Jan. 24-25 event at PPG Paints didn’t use these inhumane tools, they would have had no reason to seek the state-level preemption of Pittsburgh’s ordinance (in which they paid a lobbying firm $22,000 to advocate for).
Yet last summer, a last-minute amendment was slipped into the Pennsylvania fiscal code that nullified our city’s humane law. This change, made without public input or legislative debate, was a significant setback for local autonomy and animal welfare.
Since its enactment, Pittsburgh’s rodeo law has been a model for other compassionate and commonsense animal welfare legislation. These protections helped lead to a broader trend by Pittsburgh City Council to legislate for a more humane and equitable city. Council has also passed ordinances banning the sale of dogs from puppy mills in pet stores, outlawing cruel instruments like bullhooks used in circuses, and prohibiting the sale of food products made by force-feeding ducks and geese. These laws reflect the values of Pittsburgh residents who believe in protecting animals from needless suffering.
The preemption of Pittsburgh’s rodeo law is not just about animals; it’s about undermining local governance. Those who supported this amendment prioritized special interests over the voices of Pittsburgh residents and their elected officials. This sets a troubling precedent: if the state government can nullify local ordinances to suit the desires of lobbyists, no local law is safe — whether it’s about public health, safety or environmental protections.
The rodeo’s return to Pittsburgh is a stark reminder of what’s at stake. Practices banned by Pittsburgh’s ordinance, such as bucking straps that inflict pain on animals’ abdomens and electric prods that deliver intense pain, are not harmless traditions. They are designed to provoke fear and distress in animals to force dramatic performances. This is not entertainment — it’s cruelty.
Let’s be clear: If rodeos can operate without these devices, as some proponents claim, they can do so without violating Pittsburgh’s original law. However, the fact that preemption was necessary suggests that the use of these devices is integral to their events. This raises serious ethical questions about the true nature of these performances and the message they send about our treatment of animals.
As the rodeo prepares to roll into town, we must look to the future and work toward solutions. In 2025, we have an opportunity to support legislation that would restore Pittsburgh’s humane rodeo protections and safeguard the ability of local communities to set their own standards. This is a chance to ensure that Pittsburgh’s values of compassion and justice are upheld.
We urge all Pittsburghers to speak out. Contact your state representative and senator and let them know you support efforts to reverse the preemption and restore local decision-making. By standing together, we can ensure that Pittsburgh remains a city that prioritizes compassion and justice — for animals and for all its residents.
Sam Ahwesh is treasurer and a founding member of Humane Action Pittsburgh.