Steer tailing events, by their very nature, inflict unnecessary pain and suffering upon animals and they happen from Spring to Fall all across Illinois. We, the undersigned, assert that these events are a direct violation of Illinois' Humane Care for Animals Act, which explicitly prohibits the beating, cruel treatment, tormenting, and overworking of animals. There is simply no way to conduct a steer tailing competition without contravening this crucial legislation.

Here is the link to this Act:  https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1717 

The law also prohibits denying veterinary care, but for more than three years, SHowing Animals Respect & Kindness (SHARK) has witnessed and video documented horrific criminal animal abuse where animals suffer immensely without any pain relief or professional care.

This includes animals having their legs, spines, backs, necks, and horns broken. Steers are degloved, which means their tails are literally ripped off their bodies. Animals are shocked with 5000 volts of electricity, poked with sharp objects such as needles, screwdrivers, and sticks. They are kicked in the face and even bitten by participants. 

SHARK has also filmed horses being beaten, punched, whipped, reined harshly, and kicked in their sides with sharp spurs until bloody.

Just recently, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in Ogle County reported that a steer with a broken leg (inaccurately reported as a bull) was "parted out and cooked for food."  This is illegal!

That same FOIA failed to mention that another steer and a horse also had their legs shattered on 4/19/25 and were denied veterinary care as well.  Ogle County's records also omitted that multiple animals were degloved, lamed, suffered head injuries, and displayed open and bloody wounds that same day. 

Officials have publicly stated that steer tailing permits are discretionary, yet county employees continue to hand them out despite organizers lying on their applications, constructing buildings without proper permits, listing on-call veterinarians who have no intention of attending, and even securing a veterinarian who was not licensed in the state of Illinois.  

Please also consider contacting any or all of the people listed here and tell them in your own words why you support this humane petition.

Thank you very much for helping SHARK end this vile excuse for so-called entertainment or sport in the Land of Lincoln.

Please Ask These Local Officials to Ban Steer Tailing in Illinois

IL Governor JB Pritzker - 217-782-6830, 217-782-6831, 217-782-0244, 312-814-2121, 312-814-2122  governor@illinois.gov,

IL Attorney General Kwame Raoul - 312-814-3000, 217-782-1090, 773-265-8808, 618-529-6400, 1-800-964-3013, info@kwameraoul.com,
attorney_general@ilag.gov

Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly-  217-782-7263, brendan.kelly@illinois.gov 

Boone County State's Attorney Tricia Smith -  815-544-0868, stateatty@boonecountyil.gov

Ogle County State's Attorney Mike Rock - 815-732-1170, oglesa@oglecounty.org