April 28, 2011
Bullfighting in Europe
Humane Society International/UK works internationally to bring an end to the brutal spectacle of bullfighting.
Every year, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights.
At bullfights, the audience cheers as sentient animals are taunted, injured, and often killed. Veterinarians, zoologists and ex-matadors themselves agree that bulls are submitted to unnecessary stress and suffering both in and out of the ring.
There are only a few countries throughout the world where this practice still takes place: Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador.
Bullfighting is already banned by law in many countries, including Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Although legal in both Spain and Mexico, some Spanish cities, such as Calonge, Tossa de Mar, Vilamacolum and La Vajol, as well as Mexican city Jalopa, have independently outlawed the practice of bullfighting and, in 2012, historic legislation came into force after politicians voted to ban the outdated tradition in the Spanish region of Catalonia.
Bullfighting and other public displays of animal cruelty as entertainment debase society as a whole.
Do you think it is right for the government to support bullfighting and other public displays of animal cruelty as entertainment?
In Spain, the city of A Coruña reportedly provides financial subsidies to the bullfighting industry. Humane Society International (HSI) opposes all government support and promotion of bullfighting.