San Diego city officials will discuss this week possibly banning or cracking down on rodeo events like calf roping and rodeo equipment including electric prods, sharpened spurs and bucking straps.

Those potential restrictions and several others, such as limiting how far rodeo animals can travel and requiring on-site veterinarians, will be considered Thursday by the City Councils Land Use and Housing Committee.

The long-awaited discussion comes after nearly a year of vocal debate in San Diego over whether rodeos put animals in enough danger to warrant new restrictions.

The issue emerged shortly after the Padres hosted a rodeo last January at Petco Park that sparked protests from animal rights groups, litigation and calls to ban rodeos within the city.

Opposition at City Hall is being led by Councilmember Kent Lee, who unveiled a list of what he calls policy options for discussion during Thursdays meeting.

While the options dont go as far as an ordinance or proposed city legislation, they could be a starting point for San Diego to crack down on rodeos in some way. The San Diego Humane Society helped Lee craft them.

Lee has backed away from a complete ban in the face of backlash from local tribes and others who say rodeos are a cultural practice long intertwined with Black, Indigenous and Mexican American communities.

Rhen Richardson ropes a steer during the San Diego Rodeo at Petco Park on Jan. 12. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Its unlikely the city could adopt restrictions quickly enough to force changes before the Padres host a repeat version of last years Petco Park rodeo Jan. 10-12. The City Council is scheduled to be on recess Dec. 23 through Jan. 5.

Its unclear whether Lee would be able to get the five votes necessary on the nine-member council to support a crackdown.

A city staff report describing the policy options Lee wants to discuss says the new rules could be citywide or might only apply to city property, which would include Petco.

The well-being and treatment of animals for live public entertainment should be paramount, especially in city-owned facilities or on city property, the staff report says.

The San Diego Rodeo Alliance, a coalition of local tribes and small businesses, says the company that handles livestock at the Petco event is a leader in animal welfare and has high standards for animal care, transportation and gear.

A leader of the alliance said Monday that the group plans to argue its case Thursday.

We will testify at and closely follow the City Council hearing this week, and reserve our right to oppose efforts to peel away at our traditions,” said Josh Muse, vice chair of the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.

Sidney Jesperon and Samantha Prado, both of San Diego, protest the rodeo being held at Petco Park on Jan. 12. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Rodeo critics also plan to attend the hearing. In a Monday news release, animal rights groups praised Lee for moving forward on the issue.

Strategic Action For Animals, Direct Action Everywhere San Diego, and Kind Heart Coalition strongly support the ongoing conversation around a new rodeo ordinance and urge the City Council to take bold action in crafting a comprehensive, animal-centric policy, they said.

While they oppose animals being used for entertainment at all, the groups said a strong compromise for San Diego might be modeled on legislation proposed last summer in Los Angeles but not yet approved.

The Los Angeles proposal would ban “bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, team roping, or any other activity that involves physically wrestling an animal to the ground, roping an animal, or attempting to ride and remain mounted on a bucking animal.”

But it would make an exception for cultural traditions. It says “this section shall not be construed to prohibit an equestrian, cultural, or other event, including an event described as a rodeo, that does not include any of the activities prohibited.”

The groups say the proposed Los Angeles ordinance provides a focused approach, addressing the specific practices that cause the most harm to animals.

The Los Angeles ordinance is a thoughtful, carefully crafted piece of legislation that provides a clear framework for moving away from practices that are blatantly cruel and traumatic to animals,” said Rachel Hosler, co-founder of Kind Heart Coalition.

The Padres, which were awarded $150,000 in city tourism marketing money earlier this month, say they have confidence in the people handling the animals at the Petco rodeo.

“From our understanding, the animals are very well taken care of and will continue to be,” Jaclyn Lash, the team’s senior vice president for special events, told the San Diego Tourism Marketing District board on Nov. 1.

Last years Petco rodeo also sparked a lawsuit alleging animal cruelty at the event. An ongoing trial in the case began early this month.

Clayton Biglow competes in bareback riding during the San Diego Rodeo at Petco Park on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 in San Diego. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)