Banning Bullfights in Spain? What do bulls think of it?

Today an important decision will be taken in the Catalan Parliament: should bullfights be banned or not in Catalonia.

My opinion is that punishing an animal (any animal) is something I really dislike and I do not enjoy watching a bull bleeding in the ring, same as I do not like boxing, cock fights or chasing a scared fox with dogs while riding a horse.

But let´s see some facts about bullfighting that many people outside Spain generally do not take into account.

The Spanish Fighting Bull (Toro de Lidia) is an Iberian cattle breed that does only exist in Spain and Portugal. They spend their life time in wide-ranging ranches that are usually a haven for wild life species, and feed on fresh grass and vegetation. They live with their mothers for one year and after that they live for another 2 or 3 more years out in the open spaces. The Fighting Bull is a unique breed of cattle and has a high cost for the ranchers that look after them.

They live at least 3 years (they are then consider "novillos") and some up to 4 or 5 years when they are considered "toro" and they are sent to the rings for a bullfight with a "matador".

What about a normal breed of bull life? 95% of the beef cattle, that is those that are not used for breeding are castrated when they reach the 6 to 8 months of live. Then they usually are fed with industrial food and kept in narrow places until they reach the market weight. Cows are kept for breeding for 4 or 5 years and then sent to a "better life" through hammering their brains or by electroshock.

Fighting bulls cows are two precios to be killed so soon so they are kept for breeding as long as ten years.

Now think about it just a little and put yourself in the bull´s hoofs ("shoes") and decide which kind of bull would you rather want to be.

In any case the total ban of bullfights would carry some consequences such as:

1.- Fighting bull would no longer exist except for the zoos. Raising them would be uneconomical and they would end up breeding with beef cattle.

2.- The ranches where these bulls are raised would have no economic fundament and these vast open spaces dotted with ancient holm oaks would turn into something else less respectful with environment.

3.- Thousands of job losses.

4.- The end of a cultural heritage.

And again, I do hate to see an animal suffer but I hate more to see a breed of proud animals vanish for the shake of ultra communist separatists that want to get rid of anything that, to them, sounds Spanish.

Problem for them is that this kind of behaviour based on envy and hatred defines them very well, unfortunately, as 100% full breed Spaniards!

I look forward for your comments and opinions on this.

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