Entertainment with bulls and cows during fiestas
In the bullfighting countries, but also in other countries such as Brazil, Panama, and Nicaragua, thousands of ‘fiestas populares’ (popular feasts, mostly patronal festivals) take place, in which bulls and other animals are abused and/or slain in the name of a patron saint under the blessing of a local priest. In some countries, the government regulates these types of events. In practice, however, there is often little supervision.
Each year more than 30,000 bulls, cows and calves are abused and slain during patronal festivals. The vast majority of this type of festivals take place in Spain.
Campaign on cruel festivals
CAS International and AnimaNaturalis have conducted an in-depth investigation into the 18,000 bull festivals held in Spain. Among other things, we examined the amount of public subsidies that local and regional authorities allocate to these cruel events. The main finding is that 22% of Spanish municipalities invest 42 million euros in bull festivals. But we discovered more—for example, the intense suffering endured by the bulls, cows, and calves used in these events. You can view all the research findings here.
Following these results, we are calling on the regional authorities to stop spending public money on bull festivals and instead invest it in areas that truly benefit society. We also urge tourists not to participate in these events.
Examples of patronal festivals:
Pamplona (Navarra , Spain)
During various bull runs in Pamplona every day of eight consecutive days six bulls are chased through the streets to the arena. These bulls are slain in the evening during a bullfight. The running of the bulls of Pamplona is the most visited feast of its type in the country.
Toro de la Vega (Tordesillas , Spain)
A bull was chased by hundreds of men on foot and on horseback, stabbing the animal with long lances and other weapons, until the bull bends his legs. When he was on the ground, the person who gave the ‘fatal’ stab got a trophy: the tail and/or testicles of the bull. After this the animal was finally killed. For many years CAS International protested in Spain against Toro de la Vega. In 2016 Toro de la Vega was prohibited and changed in a feast without blood: a bull run named Toro de la Peña.
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