A Canadian animal welfare group has asked royal newlyweds Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to avoid the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada, during their July visit to that country.

The Calgary Stampede is an annual event that features livestock exhibitions and rodeo-style competitions including the Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race. The race pits four teams of horse-drawn wagons against each other in a series of elimination races over several days.

In recent years several animals have died or were euthanized due to injuries or cardiac episodes sustained during chuckwagon races. The Vancouver Humane Society has criticized the race and other rodeo-style Stampede events on grounds that they put animals at risk for injury and death.

In a June 13 letter Vancouver Humane Society Debra Probert asked William and Catherine to avoid taking part in any Stampede activity on grounds that the royal couple’s presence at the Stampede will be portrayed as an endorsement of rodeo-style events that subject "animals to unnecessary pain, stress ,and fear