Group to protest ostrich, camel and zebra races at Canterbury Park

Shakopee Valley News

A Minneapolis animal advocacy group plans to protest Extreme Race Day at Canterbury Park on July 15. 

Camels, ostriches and zebras are slated to race in the 11th annual extreme races, which park officials expect to attract over 18,000 people, as past races have proven popular. But they're not popular with the Animal Rights Coalition.

"Let's use our voices to peacefully show the park and its patrons that we don't believe animals should be bred for and used as entertainment, exotic or otherwise," according to the Facebook event page for the protest.

The group plans to protest from noon to 2 p.m. The event at Canterbury Park runs from 12:45 to 5 p.m.

The group works against any form of animal "exploitation," including horse racing, but racing exotic animals is especially unnatural, Animal Rights Coalition Program Director Chelsea Youngquist said.

"It's along the same lines as why we protest circuses," Youngquist said. "If you think about zebras and camels and what their lives are like in nature and we are taking them to these events, we just think it's bad treatment in general. I mean, these ostriches have people riding them."

Canterbury Park's spokesman said safety is a priority at the races.

"Our main concern is safety and the event is very safe and popular," Canterbury Park spokesman Jeff Maday said. "We just ask they be respectful of our guests."

The goal is to raise awareness of the event and the Animal Rights Coalition, Youngquist said. 

"We are trying to get some support and to see if people are interested in working against animal exploitation," Youngquist said.

In 2014, the event drew more than 15,000 attendees, according to previous reports.