To not understand why bullfighting still happens

[Holiday1578]

Saw an upsetting picture on Twitter of the bullfighter and some official looking people in the front row laughing as a bull collapses and dies
Is anyone from or live in a country where bullfighting still takes place ? I don’t understand why there aren’t enough people against it for it to stop

[Piewacket]

BejamNostalgia Hispanic means derived from Spain, it's the old roman word for Spain, Spanish people are Hispanic.

www.buzzfeed.com/alivelez/whats-the-difference-between-hispanic-latino-and-spanish

[SilverySurfer]

Bullfighting is an abomination, as is any activity which results in pain for animals in any so called 'sport'. Nor do I have sympathy for the matadors if/when they are gored by the bull.

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

Torturing animals for fun is wrong. agreed. Some would argue that killing an animal that wants to live when you don’t need to to survive is wrong. My points really are that everyone draws different lines when it comes to animal use. If you still intentionally use them in some way, you’re just imposing your cultural beliefs on others whilst using animals in a different way and for different reasons. You could argue your reasons are better, more humane, but someone else might pick apart your own culture and where and how they use animals... dog breeding etc etc it’s something worth giving time to really think about.

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

Pdreams, do you not what omnivore means? It’s not the same as obligate carnivores. Just because we can, doesn’t mean that we must or should.

[RedRosie]

I hate it ... and things like the massacre of songbirds in Malta, or hunting with hounds here in the UK which really still goes on, or underground dog fighting.

But then I usually think to myself "tell it to a battery chicken". Most cultures exploit animals one way or another. We just have different levels of tolerance I guess.

[LakieLady]

I have never been to Spain because I find bullfighting so abhorrent. When they ban it, I might consider going, but they'd have to stop doing some of the other cruel stuff to animals that happens at some of the fiestas.

I was really shocked to see a bullring in SW France (Gers), I had no idea the French were into it too.

[Islands81]

The Spanish think very differently to (the bulk) of us when it comes to the treatment of animals. I’m a massive animal lover and have not eaten meat for nearly 30 years, and I found it upsetting when I went to Cadiz last year.

I went horse riding while I was there (made sure that the horses were well treated before I booked it). My guide was telling me that it’s seen as a status thing to have a horse. But often the only time people’s horses will see the light of day is once a year for the fiesta in town - the rest of the year they kept in a stable or shed 24/7, and then they get them out to ride them into town for that one day. Of course the horses have gone completely crazy from being shut in like that, but apparently the crazier your horse is on fiesta day, the better, as it’s more fun. Some of the horses at the stables I went to had been rescued from that kind of life, and it had taken years to get them ‘normal’ again.

[Maneandfeathers]

I really don’t get anyone that gets enjoyment over killing or seeing an animal killed.

Disgusting regardless of culture.

[Holiday1578]

Well said Pdreams

[manicinsomniac]

This is probably a really stupid question but is it always the bull who dies? Do the fighters ever lose and get killed instead?

I can't imagine how horrible a bull fight would be to have to watch.

[Phuquocdreams]

I grew up on a farm, have seen how sheep are treated sometimes (though most of the time they’re just living a fairly natural life in a field), have been in a slaughter house etc. I’ve no problem eating meat at all, we are omnivores, we should just aim that the animals have the best life and death possible. I don’t think that’s anything like bull fighting. I, in my ignorance, went to a bull-fight in Seville, and it was one of the most shocking things I’ve seen, the gratuitous cruelty. It’s not even a fair fight, the bull is stabbed over and over before the matador even gets in the ring. Yes, we shouldn’t have gone, it was naive, but if we take the attitude that anything goes because humans are omnivores, why did we bother banning bear-baiting, dog-fighting, cock-fighting? Torturing animals for fun is wrong.

[Twerking9til5]

“Trail hunting happens, not fox.”

Except when hounds ‘accidentally’ pick up the scent of a fox and ‘accidentally ‘ kill it. Like ever so often....

[Hoppinggreen]

holiday I haven’t seen the photo but while they may have been laughing at the dying bull they will have also been cheering it at some point and possibly jeering the Matador or Torreador if he didn’t perform
It’s a very complex issue and not as simple as “ban it”. I wish they would but it won’t happen in my lifetime or my children’s I fear
Is all very symbolic, from where you sit to every item of clothing the matadors wear and firmly engrained in the Spanish culture (at least in some areas). Even the majority of Spaniards who don’t like it and would never go to a bullfight probably don’t want it banned

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

Dairy animals have an absolutely terrible existence FYI.

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

I know. I worked with Shearer’s who laughed when they cut the sheep and the sheep panicked. It is sad when people get a kick out of hurting animals.

[Holiday1578]

I’m veggie but even if I wasn’t I could still hate bullfighting The reason for my original post was I found the picture of people laughing at a dying animal upsetting

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

If you’re an animal lover that eats animals then I’m afraid I find your position hypocritical. I do think you’re genuine and as I said above your personal comments aren’t xenophobic, I was speaking about it more generally.

I do agree they should stop, I just wouldn’t personally single this out.

[Holiday1578]

It’s nothing to do with being in another country
My concern is only for the animal as I’m animal lover

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

I understand that’s your opinion. I just think most people are incredibly uninformed and often find discussions like this xenophobic- not yourself but the framing generally leans that way. But I appreciate your view and concern for the bulls. They’re amazing animals, very placid most of the time. But even my Dad wouldn’t walk in the same paddock as them!

Slight derail but did anyone see in the news that a herd of those beautiful highland cattle with shaggy hair were slaughtered and sold in the Peak District because a dog walker complained? They’re beautiful and very peaceful animals, really iconic part of the moors. So sad they’re no longer there after 50 years!

[Holiday1578]

Just to clarify, I mean that I disagree again regarding the farming industry being comparable to tormenting animals for entertainment

[Holiday1578]

I disagree Jessica

[JessicaWakefieldSVH]

I’ve grown up on a farm, my fathers family are all in farming. You’d all be quite surprised at what farming really involved, from the way dogs are used to docking tails, shearing is traumatic and scary for them too. Sorry but the ‘difference’ is just about pointing fingers at other cultures and saying western cultures treat their animals better, and that’s a lie.

[Hoppinggreen]

According to my Catalan friends banning it was more about sticking 2 fingers up to Madrid than animal welfare. It was never as popular there anyway, it’s more in the Seville/Valencia area that it’s so entrenched.
As I’ve said, I hate it personally but unless you really look into it you won’t understand why it hasn’t been banned nationwide yet. In the Southern cities it’s a political hot potato and anytime trying to ban it will probably face issues with re- election

[Livelovebehappy]

Unfortunately many countries carry out barbaric rituals on animals in the name of tradition which, btw, is always used as an excuse to treat animals appallingly. One example is dogs being boiled alive in South Korea before being eaten. My previous in-laws used to attend bullfights everytime they visited Spain, and I really disliked them because of it. Can’t see that anyone who enjoys watching it have any redeeming qualities at all and must be deeply unpleasant individuals.

[Holiday1578]

I disagree . I think there is a huge difference between meat for food and torturing an animal to death for human entertainment