Animal activists held a peaceful protest at the Santa Maria Elks Club Rodeo on Sunday

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Activists from Animal Emancipation (AE) held a peaceful protest at the driveway entrance for the Santa Maria Elks Club Rodeo on Sunday afternoon.

AE's San Luis Obispo Director, Peggy Koteen, said "Cruelty is the very essence of rodeo. Ropes and straps are tied around bulls and horses abdomens and electric prods are used to literally shock the animals into giving more exciting performances."

Koteen is the director for the SLO chapter of AE, which was formed in 1992 to "focus on informing the public about animal cruelty and promoting compassionate living," according to the organization's Facebook page.

"It is time to bring compassion to the community and do away with the brutal 'rodeo sport' of demonstrating human power over horse, bulls, steers, and calves," said Koteen.