Prior to the virus hitting, we sent an investigator to the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colorado for its entirety - more than two weeks. It was a grueling and expensive run, with multiple rodeo performances daily, but the video documentation obtained resulted in two different stock contractors being investigated for animal abuse.

We filmed one of those stock contractors, Kirsten Vold, stabbing horses with a piece of metal to torture them to perform. This is the very definition of “brutalized to buck.”



We contacted one of the vice-presidents of the rodeo who said he would investigate. True to his word, he did, and Vold is banned for two-years.

Dealing with rodeo animal abuse, like all the other issues we deal with, is difficult work. But if you want rodeo animal abuse to stop, this is how you do it. Due to the large number of unethical corporate sponsorships (Coke, Dodge - see more at: CorporateThugs.com), rodeos are firmly established throughout the country, and especially in the western US. Any successful effort to stop the abuse must be unyielding and persistent and with your support we will continue.

In addition to the pigeon shoots we stopped during OPERATION SHUTDOWN, there were two other notable wins.

• SHARK sued the South Carolina based Broxton Bridge Plantation for shooting down three of our drones during a pigeon shoot in 2018. We are pleased to announce that the plantation settled, and has not only agreed to never interfere with our drones again, but has paid us nearly $4,000 for the damage they caused!
 

SHARK filmed terrible cruelty at Broxton Bridge, including children abusing wounded birds

This was a very important victory because it held a pigeon shooting club accountable for what they did, and ensures we will be able to film their illegal activities without such interference in the future.

We also continue to be very active in Pennsylvania, using a drone to film horrific live pigeon shoots at the Philadelphia Gun Club.

SHARK’s drone filmed vile members of the Philadelphia Gun Club killing innocent pigeons for fun