Report: The tragic fate of the bulls in Pamplona

CAS International and AnimaNaturalis have released a new report, this time focusing on the bullfights in Pamplona during the San Fermín festival. Many people are unaware that the bulls running through the streets of Pamplona in the morning are killed later that same day in the bullring.

Report: The tragic fate of the bulls in Pamplona | Picture: Aitor Garmendia, CAS International & AnimaNaturalis

Every year, thousands of tourists from Spain and abroad—including many from the Netherlands, the UK, the US, and Australia—take part in the bull runs in Pamplona. This is why we decided to create a report on the bullfights in Pamplona: to shed light on what many people do not know—the bulls that run through the streets are later killed in a cruel manner in the arena that same day.

One of the bulls that ran through the streets of Pamplona in the morning during the bull run. In the evening, it was killed in a bullfight |  Picture: Aitor Garmendia, CAS International & AnimaNaturalis

These famous encierros (bull runs) are a remnant of a medieval tradition where bulls were driven to the bullring. There, a matador kills them during a bullfight later in the day. In total, 48 bulls run through the streets of Pamplona during the San Fermín festival. Additionally, two bullfights are held in the two days before the first bull run. This brings the total number of bulls killed during the festival to 60.

Our team in Spain filmed two bullfights in Pamplona.
Watch the report here (warning: graphic content):

Not only bulls suffer

Animal suffering in Pamplona is not limited to the bulls that run and are killed in the arena. Every morning, oxen are also forced to run alongside the bulls to keep them calmer during the bull run. Once the bulls reach the arena, festival-goers are allowed to “play” with young cows. These animals, too, experience high levels of stress—day after day.

👉🐃RIP for the first 12 bulls killed in
Pamplona (Spain). Today another 6 will be killed.

And this is not the only animal suffering in Pamplona.
Every morning after the bull runs, young cows are
released into the arena for the public to “have fun”
with. pic.twitter.com/WczZYNw8Vb

— CAS International (@CAS_Int) July 8, 2024

Footage by CAS International taken in Pamplona: The crowd entertaining itself with young cows (2019).

CAS International urges tourists to stay away from the bull runs and avoid contributing to the continuation of this violent tradition.

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