Update No 5: Over 61,000 and climbing, Thank YOU! This petition has caught the eye of some decision makers. Let’s keep it climbing so ever more people are aware of the cruelty and opt not to attend. Please keep sharing and contacting your government officials. We are hoping for a story in the local press in the coming weeks. In addition, this Letter to the Editor appeared in the Chronicle Herald this week: Bull riding gives us bad name Halifax has made considerable strides in becoming a world-class travel destination. Most notably, TripAdvisor recently named it one of the Top 10 World Tourist Destinations, stating “Immerse yourself in Halifax’s rich history at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and be sure to survey the city from the 18th-century Citadel National Historic Site. Then walk into any of Halifax’s great bars and restaurants and catch some live music to round out your day.” This award recognizes the many efforts to position Halifax as a cultural and historical destination. It also brings increased awareness and priceless publicity to our historic city. It’s therefore ironic that just as Halifax is gaining well-deserved recognition, an online petition via change.org to ban bull riding is bringing attention to Halifax as a city that supports animal abuse. This petition has gone viral, attracted media attention and, in less than 14 days, had obtained almost 57,000 signatures. The PBR Bull Riding event will be held at the Scotiabank Centre on May 26, and will subject animals to stress and fear for the sake of entertainment. Billed as a family event, it also teaches children that animal abuse is socially acceptable. Increasingly, these types of events are viewed worldwide as unethical. Perhaps it’s time for city officials to rethink these types of events. Does Halifax want to be known as a city steeped in culture, history and fine dining, or a city that supports activities that are increasingly frowned upon and have the potential to deter the very tourists we are seeking to attract? Please Halifax, be bold and ban bull riding. Make our city humane. Marie LeLoup, Halifax