Mexico City has officially banned bullfighting. This decision ends a 500-year-old tradition. It’s one of the great pieces of news to start this week with.

During a bullfight, the bull experiences significant physical and psychological pain. Here’s a breakdown of what the bull might endure:

Here’s a breakdown of what the bull endure:

Physical Pain: Punctures and lacerations: The bull is stabbed and pierced with banderillas (colored sticks with harpoon-like tips). These actions cause deep wounds and bleeding. Muscle damage: The bull’s muscles are strained and damaged due to repeated attacks, leading to fatigue, stress, and pain.

Blood loss: The bull loses significant amounts of blood due to the wounds inflicted. This blood loss can lead to weakness. It may also cause shock and organ failure.

Psychological Distress: Fear and anxiety: The bull is subjected to loud noises and unfamiliar surroundings. It experiences repeated attacks. These factors cause significant stress and fear.

Disorientation: The bull may become disoriented due to physical trauma, noise, and chaos. This disorientation makes it difficult for the animal to defend itself. It also makes it hard to escape.

Other Effects:

Exhaustion: The bull is forced to run and fight for an extended period, leading to exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stress. Injury and trauma: The bull suffer from injuries, like broken bones. It can also experience muscle tears or internal injuries. These injuries can be painful and debilitating. The cumulative effect of these physical and psychological stressors can be severe. Many bulls ultimately succumb to their injuries. Some are killed during the bullfight.

Hena’s Blog For Paws © 2019 by Hena Osman is licensed under CC BY 4.0