Stand Against the Savage Spectacle: Help End the Running of the Bulls

 

This July 6-15, throngs will crowd into Pamplona, Spain, drawn by the San Fermín festival. This gruesome event, known worldwide for its "Running of the Bulls", touts itself as a celebration of culture and tradition. But behind the fanfare lies a disturbing reality: extreme animal cruelty masquerading as entertainment.

Human Casualties: The Grim Tally

Last year alone, the festival claimed 10 human lives, a haunting record that brings the terror and danger of this event into sharp relief. But the toll extends far beyond human fatalities. Each year, many more are injured, trampled and gored as they risk their lives in a futile game of dare with terrified animals.

Bulls: The Silent Victims

Yet the bulls themselves are the silent victims. During the festival, these majestic creatures are herded onto narrow streets teeming with adrenaline-fueled revelers. In their panic and fear, many bulls sustain horrific injuries, their bodies slamming against walls and railings. This run isn't an act of choice for them; it's a terrified flight, a doomed race against death.

A Brutal Finale: The Bullring

Surviving the gauntlet of the streets is no victory for these traumatised creatures. Each evening, the bulls are herded into the bullring, where matadors and crowds await, eager for the night's sadistic "entertainment". The bulls are tormented, wounded and eventually killed — a grotesque display of dominance that's far from the romantic, noble spectacle it's often portrayed as.

Cruelty Disguised as Culture? Time for Change

Culture is dynamic. It evolves, reshapes and discards practices that no longer align with societal values. The savage treatment of bulls in the name of tradition is an anachronism that has no place in a compassionate, ethical society. It's time we redefine what culture means, and expel brutality from its definition.

Join the Fight: #BullsAreNotEntertainment

United Earth Life urges you to raise your voice against this brutality. Use your social media platforms to tell the world that you stand against the cruelty of the San Fermín festival. Use the hashtag #BullsAreNotEntertainment and direct your message to those who have the power to end this barbaric tradition.

Let the Authorities Hear Your Voice

Reach out to the festival's official Twitter account @sanferminlive and Facebook page Sanfermin.encierros. Share your disapproval of the festival with the Mayor of Pamplona, Cristina Ibarrola, on her Twitter @CristinaIbarro5 and Instagram pamplona_ayto. Also, get the attention of the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, @sanchezcastejon to let him know your stance against this cruel event.

The time for change is now. Join us, and let's together show that cruelty is not entertainment, that compassion matters and that #BullsAreNotEntertainment.