THE PBR ON ANIMAL WELFARE

By John Smith

The PBR has, through its 15 year history, taken the position that there are two great athletes in every 8 second ride. The bulls are treated with as much respect as the human athletes who ride them. A portion of PBR's Animal Welfare Policy summarizes the great respect that everyone associated with the organization shares for our animal athletes:

Welfare and Treatment of PBR's Animal Athletes Policy:

Professional Bull Riding is fully committed to ensuring the much deserved health, safety, and respect of each bull that enters a PBR Arena. To mistreat a bull would be a detriment to the sport upon which a bull rider's own livelihood depends. Therefore, the care and treatment of PBR Bulls is a top priority to those who govern and/or participate in PBR events.

Since PBR's inception in 1996, there have been approximately 94,400 "outs" (bull ride
attempts) at approximately 960 events across all of the series operated by or sanctioned by Professional Bull Riders, Inc. for an average of 98.33 outs per event. Of those outs, approximately 35,000 occurred at roughly 265 elite level (Built Ford Toughs Series level) events which PBR operates directly. The balance of the outs occurred at PBR's sanctioned events which are operated by independent third-party promoters in accordance with PBR's rules and guidelines, including animal welfare practices and policies.

Bull Injuries: There are approximately 60 bulls at a one-day event, 90 bulls at a two-day event and 110 bulls at a three-day event. A bull bucks only one time per day and no more than two times at a typical event. Approximately 30-40 of the bulls at a typical two-day event will buck only once at that event.

One bull will suffer a minor injury (muscle pull, scratch) every 8 events or 786 outs. 

Bulls that are determined to have an injury are not allowed to compete again until fully recovered, which is generally one to four weeks.

One bull will suffer a career-ending injury every 100 events or 9,833 outs. 

Bulls that suffer a career-ending injury are retired to stud and live the balance of their lives as healthy, fully capable breeding bulls. Their injuries do not impede the quality of life or ability to function, but do prevent them from competing at the PBR level as a bucking athlete.

Four bulls have been euthanized as a result of injuries sustained over the 960 PBR events held since 1992, which translates to 1 out of every 23,735 outs.

The bulls that have sustained life-threatening injuries at PBR events have been taken to large animal hospitals for treatment and care. Three of the animal athletes that have sustained life- threatening injuries received hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical treatment and lived for extended periods of time (up to two years) before the injuries required euthanization.

A bucking bull has a .004% chance of sustaining a life-threatening injury at a PBR event.