Footage shows a distressed bull with burning horns being led down the street in Spain as PETA criticizes ‘horrible tradition that should be banned’
Gruesome images of a distressed bull with its horns on fire in Spain have led to calls for a ban on the ‘horrible’ tradition of bullfighting.
The clip, shared by the non-profit organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), shows a white bull appearing irritated as locals drag it through a street in Valencia. It appears that wood is tied to the horns, which is set on fire.
The great beast then pushes its horns against a tree, as if to avoid being manipulated by the bullfighters.
One man then shockingly grabs his tail and pulls hard, forcing the bull to release his horns.
Locals continue to drag and push the now defeated animal down the street as hundreds of people watch.
Gruesome images of a distressed bull with its horns on fire have led to calls for a ban on the Spanish tradition of bullfighting
You can see the bull anxiously pushing its horns against a tree while a bullfighter pulls its tail
The locals then watch as a man pulls the bull’s tail and others push him down the street
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, PETA said: “Look how scared this bull is. This horrific tradition is indefensible violence that must be banned.”
A second post from Spanish charity Animalist Party With the Environment (PACMA) also slams the tradition, which has sparked increasing controversy and protests in recent years, with demonstrators claiming it is a brutal and anachronistic event.
The message read: ‘National disgrace. This bull was in shock during the folk festival of Puzol, Valencia, on September 7.
‘He left the stalls upset, became entangled and tripped, but this did not stop the event from going ahead, which included minors. Moreover, they forced the bull to move by pulling its tail.
“We cannot allow this abuse to happen again and again in our cities.”
Bullfighting mainly takes place in large amphitheatre-style rings. Tens of thousands of bulls die in the ring every year as bold matadors tease and coax the animals, trying to avoid being trampled or injured by their horns.
In 2010, the Catalan government voted to ban the deadly sport in the northeastern region, but in 2016 Spain’s Supreme Court overturned that decision, ruling it was part of Spain’s cultural heritage.
Bullfighting also has a long and gruesome history of human casualties; It is estimated that more than 530 professional matadors have died due to injuries sustained in the ring over the past 300 years.