According to The League Against Cruel Sport website (and others) - some or all the following pre-fight treatments are used
1. Initially the animal must be transported to the ring. This can involve a long journey and there are reports this is often done without the provision of food and water
2. Once the bull arrives at the bullring it is then locked in a dark stable for two days
3. Horns are shaved down to confuse spatial awareness
4. Vaseline rubbed into eyes to blur vision
5. Severing the tendons on the back of his neck to prevent the animal from lifting up his head.
6. Stuffing wet newspapers into his ears to limit awareness of surroundings
7. Pushing cotton wool into his nostrils to limit respiration and to weaken the animal
8. Sticking needles into his genitals to cause pain and to anger and weaken the animal
9. Rubbing strong caustic sodas into his legs which causes chemical burns, which reduced the animals ability to move and remain agile.
The purpose of all this abuse is to transform an otherwise placid animal into a stressed, agitated and frightened animal which is substantially weakened and which appears angry and intimidating to the crowds but in reality is a weakened and less effective opponent to the matador.
What happens in the ring?
1. The animal is repeatedly stabbed in the neck with barbed lances by men on horseback.
2. The animal is then repeatedly harpooned with spears and tormented with coloured capes. Up to six small spears can be used by the matador.
3. Finally the matador drives a sword in between the bull’s shoulder blades. This is rarely fatal and often takes several attempts - during which time the bull’s lungs and heart will be punctured before he eventually dies. Typically six bulls are killed per “show”.
It is self-evident that bull fighting is contrary to a fundamental principle of the EU - namely that animals are sentient and that full regard must be paid to their welfare.
So how does Spain get away with this monstrous debacle?
In a sickening and cowardly compromise; the EU agreed to caveat article 13 with an exemption! The exemption provides that member states can ignore the sentience of animals for "cultural and religious" reasons!
So in a perverse few words - the EU sold-out on its principles! In our view - this represented a betrayal of the will of the people of Europe not to mention a complete lack of moral leadership.
Even a majority of the people of Spain are not in favour of bull-fighting! So why is it permitted to carry on?
To add insult to injury - tax-payers money paid to the EU is subvented through complex subsidies and agricultural policies and indirectly provides financial assistance to bullfighting. This happens because by providing financial assistance to the rearing of livestock and the maintenance of pasture which is dual used to rear bulls for fighting - EU money is indirectly used to pay for bull-fighting!
The report entitled "Toros & Taxes" by the coalition ERC/Catalunya Sí led by Dr. Alfred Bosch, MP in January 2013 asked the following question:
"How much European (EU) money is allotted to bullfighting?
Their answer?
"...(we calculate)... the final sum of € 129·6 million" (per year).
Which EU countries are still involved in this barbaric Medieval cruelty?
- Spain
- Portugal
- France
Reference was made to the following online material
http://www.league.org.uk/our-campaigns/bullfighting/whats-wrong-with-bullfighting
http://www.greens-efa.eu/fileadmin/dam/Documents/Studies/2013-5%20Bullfighting%20subsidies%20report.pdf
http://www.hsi.org/issues/bullfighting/facts/bullfighting_europe.html