We, the undersigned, write with respect for Miranda Lambert’s long-standing commitment to animal welfare and her extraordinary work through the MuttNation Foundation.

Since co-founding MuttNation with her mother in 2009, Miranda has helped raise more than $9 million to support shelter pets, spay/neuter initiatives, and animal welfare programs nationwide. Through Mutts Across America — which has supported over 500 shelters — hands-on rescue transport efforts, her MuttNation pet product line, and her consistent “Adopt Don’t Shop” message, she has used her platform to save and improve countless animal lives.

Because of this powerful legacy of compassion, we are asking Miranda to reconsider her decision to headline the Salinas Rodeo.

While rodeos are often promoted as celebrations of Western heritage, many core rodeo events — including calf roping, steer wrestling, and bucking events involving flank straps — have been widely criticized by veterinarians and animal welfare advocates for causing fear, stress, and physical injury. Calves can suffer neck trauma and broken bones when roped at high speed. Animals are transported, confined, and handled in ways that prioritize performance over welfare. Even when injuries are not immediately visible to spectators, significant distress is inherent in forcing prey animals into chaotic, high-stress environments for entertainment.

Miranda Lambert’s name is synonymous with rescue, compassion, and advocacy for vulnerable animals. Her participation in this event sends a message — intended or not — that rodeo practices are compatible with modern animal welfare values. For many fans and supporters who admire her for her advocacy, this feels inconsistent with the principles she has championed for years.

We respectfully urge Miranda Lambert to withdraw from headlining the Salinas Rodeo and to stand firmly on the side of animal protection. Doing so would spark meaningful dialogue and demonstrate that tradition does not outweigh compassion.

We appreciate the tremendous good Miranda has done — and continues to do — for animals across the country. It is precisely because of that leadership that we ask her to reconsider.