Despite regional and worldwide condemnation of the killing of bulls for “entertainment,” the centuries-old Toro de la Vega festival takes place every September in Tordesillas, Spain. A lone bull is harassed and chased through the streets and into a field, where men on foot and horseback wielding lances torture and repeatedly stab the terrified and confused animal until he is crippled and lies dying. His testicles are often cut off while he is still alive. The person who ultimately kills the bull is awarded a ceremonial spear and a medal by the city council. One bull used at a former festival, Afligido (Spanish for “sorrowful”), eventually died after being stabbed in the head with a screwdriver.
Tradition is no excuse for cruelty. They should put a permanent end to this cruel and sadistic “celebration.”
