Bull drowns during bull festival in Dénia, Spain

During the Bous a la Mar-festival in Dénia, Valencia, a bull drowned. At this bull festival, bulls are forced to jump into the sea – animals that are not used to swim. CAS International and AnimaNaturalis documented the Bous a la Mar bull festival in Dénia last July 8.

Bull drowns during bull festival in Dénia, Spain | Picture: CAS & AnimaNaturalis

Unfortunately, this event involving bulls is still legal in the state of Valencia. It takes place in several municipalities, but it is most popular in Dénia. This year we visited Dénia again to follow the goings-on during the bull festival. We also filmed there in 2022 and checked for violations of the law.

Jumping into the sea

Bous a la Mar is an extremely cruel bull festival. The participating public forces the bulls to jump into the sea, where they are then returned by boats to a platform near the quay. Bulls are not used to being in water or to swim. A situation that is very stressful for these animals. And before they enter the water, they are chased by a screaming crowd of people, which also causes a lot of fear and stress for the animals.

⚠️ URGENTE | Pedimos al @ayto_denia que ponga fin a este cruel espectáculo, en el que ayer murió un toro ahogado.

❌ En los 'bous a la mar' se pone en peligro la integridad física de los animales, permitiendo que los participantes inciten a los toros para que caigan al agua. pic.twitter.com/v4vUNp66qM

— AnimaNaturalis (@AnimaNaturalis) July 11, 2023

And sometimes the bulls drown. Like last July 10, two days after we were filming in Dénia. According to the Spanish press, attempts were made to resuscitate the animal and the reasons for its death are unknown. In 2014, another bull drowned after it collided with the edge of the quay as it fell into the water.

From CAS and AnimaNaturalis, we have requested that the municipality of Dénia no longer allow the bull festival Bous a la Mar.

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