Tourists – also from The Netherlands, Belgium and other countries – still visit bullfights in Europe and Latin America. That is why 'Comité Anti Stierenvechten' (Since 2008: CAS International) was founded in 1993, also on request of the Spanish Society for the Protection of Animals (ADDA).

CAS International informs tourists about the cruelties involved in bullfighting and fiestas with animals. Colleague organizations do the same in other countries. If tourists stay away from bullfighting, this will touch the bullfighting industry in a sore spot. 

CAS International keeps in close contact with colleague organizations in all bullfighting countries and beyond. We conduct joint campaigns, lobby the European Union and national/local governments and give each other advice and information. CAS International is the biggest organization in the world that works exclusively on the abolition of bullfighting and is an important partner in the anti-bullfighting movement.

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Fighting bulls might have a relatively better life than animals in factory farms, but this does not mean that bullfighting is therefore not horribly cruel. The bullfighting industry wants to make people believe that fighting bulls have a wonderful life, but also in this industry, many excesses and illegal animal abuse occur.

Even if these 'preparations' would not take place, bulls are tortured and killed in such a horrible manner during bullfights, that this is reason enough to ban bullfighting. For that matter, animal protection organizations in general have an aversion to several forms of animal abuse, as in our case, not only to bullfighting.

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One does not exclude the other, because of course all forms of animal suffering (and human suffering) should end. In the Netherlands and other countries, several organizations work hard on ending all sorts of animal abuse. CAS International aims to abolish bullfighting and cruel fiestas with bulls and other animals. Other organizations work on ending factory farming, the fur industry and/or other atrocities.

Bullfighting is one of the most cruel forms of animal abuse for entertainment and our colleague organizations in the bullfighting countries really need our help. That is why we devote ourselves to the abolition of bullfighting.

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'Economic interest' is the main reason for this. A relatively small, but very influential group of people has got an interest in maintaining bullfighting. This group (still) has a lot of influence on the media and politicians. Others hold on to bullfighting, because they say it is tradition. But traditions that are designed to inflict severe suffering on living creatures should not be maintained.

Foreign tourists also play a part in the survival of bullfighting, because if they visit a bullfight, their money goes to the bullfighting industry. 

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The European Union grants all sorts of subsidies to the member states, for example to support cattle breeders, cultural institutions and education. Bullfighting countries Spain, Portugal and France use part of these subsidies to support the bullfighting industry. They use the money for example to support fighting bull breeders and bullfighting schools and to renovate bullrings. 

Because the European Union does not dictate rules for these subsidies, this money can end up in the hands of the bullfighting industry. They also receive millions of subsidies a year from the national, regional, local and autonomous governments in the bullfighting countries. Without these subsidies (and sponsor money from companies), the bullfighting industry would suffer even more financial losses.
 
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