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Home / Many bullfights canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Many bullfights canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

19-03-2020
Many bullfights canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

© AnimaNaturalis

Many events are being canceled due to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. This includes also bullfights and festivities with bulls. This is a positive outcome but at the same time it does not mean we can sit back and wait. There is still a lot of work to be done. The bullfighting sector wants compensation for the enormous financial losses as a result of the cancellation of events.

Send a letter against compensation

We do not think the bullfighting sector should receive compensation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Spain, financial support has already been requested to the government. The bullfighting sector receives millions of euros annually in subsidies at national, regional and municipal level. Every year, 130 million euros in agricultural subsidies from the European Union go to livestock farms that breed fighting bulls. These are millions of euros that are used to torture and kill animals for entertainment. This money can better be used in vital sectors such as health care and education. In Spain these sectors can use all financial support. And now health care is hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. Why should the Spanish government compensate for a bloody sector that can’t count with the support of the majority of Spaniards? It is already known that more than 85% of Spaniards are against subsidizing bullfighting. We believe that the money should be spent on health care to combat the coronavirus. Please send this letter of our sister organization AnimaNaturalis to the Spanish government asking to no give financial support to the bullfighting sector (when you open the link, please scroll down and you will see the word ¡ACTÚA! in capital letters. Here is where you can send the letter. On the right side there is an example letter in Spanish but if you wish you can change the text and write a message in english).

Relevant translations

Nombre: First name
Apellidos: Surname
Ciudad: City
Correo electrónico: e-mail
Envía mensaje: Send e-mail

Click here to send the letter. 

 

Spain

It is currently known that all bullfights scheduled for March have been canceled. It is not yet clear whether these bullfights will take place later in 2020. It is also known that no bullfights will be held in the city of Seville until September. There were 14 bullfights planned in the Andalusian city for this period. 17 bullfights have also been canceled in Valencia and Castellón. And chances are very high that all bullfights will be canceled in April as well.

France and Portugal

In the French city of Arles, the bullfights planned for Easter have been canceled. Also in the French cities of Gamarde, Garlin and Aignan the events with bulls from April and May will not take place. In Portugal, the events of Santarém, Almeirim and Moita do Ribatejo of April and May were annuled.

Mexico

Bullfights are also canceled in Mexico. Latin America is now at the end of the bullfighting season. For example, bullfights would soon take place in the largest bullring in the world, in Mexico City, but these are also canceled. Nor will bullfights take place in the cities of Aguascalientes, Puebla, Ciudad Juarez and Guanajuato for now.

And the bulls?

It is not yet known what will happen to the bulls. Some animals will probably go back to the breeding farms where they come from. Other bulls may still end up in the slaughterhouse. According to the regulations, a bull may not be older than 6 years of age to participate in a bullfight. For a novillada they may not be older than 4 years and for the becerradas the age of the bull must be a maximum of 2 years old. Whether these regulations will be changed temporarily is still unclear, but unlikely. Bulls that live longer also cost more money and will also become more expensive. The question is, are they still being bought for future bullfights?

Keep an eye on our website and social media for more news about the coronavirus outbreak and the consequences for bullfighting.

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