Unnecessary Harm: Why Bullfighting Should Be Banned
Luke Lim
English 9 3B
Ms. Edmunds
November 20, 2012
WHY BULLFIGHTING SHOULD BE BANNED
Abstract
This paper agues against bullfighting. Although bullfighting is an important
cultural tradition in many countries such as Spain, France, and Mexico, it causes
unnecessary harm not only to bulls, but also to horses. Bulls are tortured before the event,
and during the event they are usually killed. Horses are also harmed, as the bulls often
attack them in the beginning of the match. Finally, the training of matadors often begins
during childhood, and can make children insensitive to violence. For these reasons, this
paper argues that bullfighting should be banned in all countries.
Keywords: bull, bullfighting, animal cruelty, Spain, matadors
WHY BULLFIGHTING SHOULD BE BANNED
Why Bullfighting Should Be Banned
Famed American actor, Albert Brooks once said, “Bullfights are hugely popular
because you can sit comfortably with a hot dog and possibly watch a man die. It won’t be
me, but I can sit comfortably and watch it” ("Albert brooks quotes," 2012). About six
bulls are killed in the bullring each game. Bullfighting is a very important part of many
countries’ culture such as Spain, France, and Mexico. However, bullfighting causes harm
towards the bulls and horses. Therefore, bullfighting should be banned. Bullfighting is
unnecessary violence toward both bulls and horses. Additionally, many children are
being trained as matadors, which may harm their adulthood.
It is no secret that harm to bulls is a necessary part of bullfighting. Bulls are
tortured for several days in dark, tiny rooms before getting sent to the ring. “Bulls are
sometimes weakened and disorientated prior to a fight for example through drugging, or
by having Vaseline smeared in their eyes to impair their vision” (League Against Cruel
Sports). This is very cruel because weakening the bull before getting sent to the bullring
by drugging is giving more pain to it before it dies. The steps of bullfighting are also very
torturous to the bull as well, who has already had Vaseline smeared in its eye. When the
bull is sent out of the ring, the bull runs out, thinking that it is free from the tiny, dark
room. However, the horseman then comes over and starts stabbing the bull, intimidating
it. “The horsemen target the bulls with spears and darts tipped with what looks like
brightly-colored tinsel” (BBC Newsround: Bullfighting). This step disables the bull from
using its full strength, allowing the matador to kill it without getting injured. Bulls are not
the only victims of bullfighting sports; horses are also victim of bullfighting.
While many people believe that bulls are the only animals killed in the bullring,
WHY BULLFIGHTING SHOULD BE BANNED
however, horses are also often injured or killed by the bulls. The first thing that happens
in bullring is called picadores, where horseman comes out with spear and starts poking
the bull trying to intimidate it. From this about 200 horses are brutally killed each year by
bulls in the bullring around the world. (“Bullfighting” 2012) Bulls attack the horse
thinking that the horse is attacking him. A horse used in bullfighting has its eyes covered,
to prevent the horses from fleeing the bull. This is immoral because it is forcing the horse
to do things that may result on its death. “It's not unusual for horses used in bullfights to
be so badly gored by the bulls that they have to be killed, but only after they have been
dragged from the ring and the view of the spectators” ("Debate: Bullfighting," 2011) This
quote proves that even though horses are alive and badly hurt, they still kill them instead
of trying to cure them because of the expensive fees.
In addition, bullfighting has negative affects on children. Many parents send their
children to bullfighting camps and train them to be matadors. Young children attend
bullfighting camp beginning at the ages of 9 – 12. There they learn the “art” of killing
and torturing the bull ("International movement against," 2012). The age 9 to 12 is when
the children adapt to the environment, and if the children learn bullfighting at age from 9
– 12 the bullfighting sport will become his or hers major career. “The minimum age to
perform in a spectacle in Spain is 16 years old so many children as young as 11 or 12 go
to Mexico to perform since there is no minimum age in that country,” ("International
movement against," 2012) This quote shows that lot of children start killing the bulls
from young age not knowing what is right or wrong.
While bullfighting is a cultural tradition in many countries, it causes harm to bulls,
horses and children and should be stopped. Bullfighting doesn’t only harm the bulls but
WHY BULLFIGHTING SHOULD BE BANNED
also the horses. Also bullfighting doesn’t only kill the bull but also tortures the bull in
several different ways. There are a lot of children being trained as matadors. During the
process of becoming matadors, the young child may be killed or influenced to think that
bulls are not worth living. There are lot more other harmful things that is caused by
bullfight. In conclusion bullfighting is harmful to many different living things and should
be stopped.
Word Count: 739
WHY BULLFIGHTING SHOULD BE BANNED
References
Bullfighting. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-inentertainment/bullfighting.aspx
Bullfighting. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/animals/bullfighting/newsid_36
58000/3658676.stm
Bullfighting campaign. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.league.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=312
International movement against bullfights. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.iwab.org/
Hemingway, E. (1932). Death in afternoon. United States: Charles Scribner's Songs.
Albert brooks quotes & sayings. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.searchquotes.com/quotes/author/Albert_Brooks/