Bull Torture Festivals

Toro de Jubilo, Bull of Fire

Toro de Fuego translates as “Bull of Fire”

This particular savagery consists of putting balls of pitch on both the horns of multiple bulls and then setting fire to the balls. The bulls are then released on the streets. These balls burn for hours causing terrible suffering.

The bulls can do nothing but run around in pain, often smashing into walls in an futile attempt to douse the fires. These fiery balls can burn for hours. During this time the dripping hot pitch burns the bull's horns, body, face, nostrils, and eyes and causes tremendous pain – all while spectators cheer and run around the victims jabbing at them stupidly with sticks.

Eventually the flaming pitch burns the bull's eyes to the point he is totally blinded, much to the delight of the villagers and the mayor of Medinaceli.

El Toro de Coria

One of Spain's worst "festivals" of animal cruelty takes place in the village of Coria. A bull is forced to run for hours through the streets while villagers taunt the animal and throw darts at him. When the bull is too tired and weak from loss of blood to keep going, the villagers shoot him and cut off his testicles while he is still alive. Please join the international campaign against this appalling abuse.

This horrific cruelty occurs every year between June 23rd and June 29th.

The International Movement Against Bullfights and the Irish Council Against Blood Sports asks that anyone who cares about animals to urgently lodge a complaint with the authorities in Coria.

A bull with its body covered in darts stands facing the heartless villagers during Coria's shameful El Toro festival.

Farra do Boi - "Festival of the Ox"

Demand an End to Brazil's Bizarre Festival of Torture!

Begining in February, and throughout March up until Easter day, a twisted and sadistic "festival" known as "Farra do Boi" (translated as "Festival of the Ox") takes place in Brazil.

During this festival, countless oxen throughout the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina are horrifically and methodically tortured—just for fun. In the days before Farra do Boi begins, the oxen are starved; food and water are placed just out of the animals' reach. The days-long festival begins when drunken villagers release the oxen and chase, punch, kick, and attack the animals with sticks, knives, whips, stones, bamboo lances, ropes, and anything else they can get their hands on.

The torture escalates as the festival drags on. Eyes are rubbed with hot pepper and then gouged out; limbs are broken and tails are snapped and hacked off; some are doused with gasoline and set aflame. The "lucky" animals escape into the sea and drown. Any oxen who survive the torment are eventually killed, their flesh divided among the participants. For more information regarding this festival, click here to read the Brazilian Wikipedia entry translated into English.

Toro de la Vega - A Bloody Tradition (Video)

The Shame of Spain

The annual “Fiestas Mayores” in Tordesillas take place in the second week of September. The “fiestas” or “feast days” are in honour of the patron Saint of the town and surrounding area, Our Lady, the Virgin of the Cliff. The bloodiest day is the Tuesday when the famous “El Toro de la Vega” run takes place.

Bous a la Mar, "Bull Forced Into the Sea"

The Valencian town of Dénia works itself up into a frenzy for the much-anticipated Toros/Bous a la Mar. This atavistic idiotcy is staged annually to commemorate the Day of the Sacred Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (el Día de la Santísima a Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo).

There can't be many Christian communities who choose to venerate Jesus Christ by holding a bull run in the local harbour.

This outrage happens every year between the 3rd and 11th July. It's not the first time that bulls die either drowned or by other causes, also they are chased with sticks and kicked.

The International Movement Against Bullfights asks that anyone who cares about animals to lodge a complaint with the authorities.