Sir, – The goring to death of several people this summer in Spanish bullrings, and in the course of bull-running events in that country, has again highlighted a most horrific form of organised animal cruelty that endangers man and beast.
By contrast, a woman courageously leaped into the fighting pit at Malaga last week in a desperate bid to comfort a dying bull. The resulting barrage of verbal abuse from spectators almost drowned out the crying of the tortured animal.
The romantic image of the corrida no longer fools as many people as it once did. We know that the sight of the swashbuckling matador, swishing his cape to taunt a mighty opponent is an illusion. The animal is weakened before entering the ring by being restrained and beaten over the kidneys and by having Vaseline rubbed into its eyes to impair its already poor sight. And then, prior to the matador's supposedly brave final showdown with the bull, the animal is subjected to repeated stabbing. The exhausted creature is bleeding from numerous wounds with razor-sharp lances dangling from its flesh as the "heroic" costumed performer prepares to plunge his sword into its quivering pain-wracked body.
The argument that this is a cultural event in Spain and therefore none of our business is flawed, as one could make a similar bogus case for any depraved spectacle citing culture or tradition: bear baiting or cock fighting for example.
That such a practice is still legal within the EU is mind-boggling, but an even greater scandal is that EU subsidies (tax-payers’ money) to breeders of fighting bulls are helping to keep the blood sport alive.
Last year, a European Parliament motion on ending this indirect financial backing for animal cruelty was narrowly defeated. When the issue comes up for debate again I hope compassion will prevail and that MEPs, including Irish ones, will give the thumbs down to bullfighting. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FITZGERALD
Campaign for the Abolition of Cruel Sports
Callan,
Co Kilkenny.