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VIDEO: Bull drowns after ploughing through spectators at Alicante event
The terrified animal plunged into the water during the Bous a la Mar bull run in Denia
Another black mark has been levelled against the ancient Spanish tradition of bullfighting after a panicked animal drowned at the infamous Bous a la Mar event in Denia on Monday July 10.
An annual celebration of the patron saint of this Alicante municipality, the goal of the event is actually to taunt the bull into jumping into the water, so runners draw it to the edge of the arena before escaping into the sea themselves.
While several boats are always on hand to pull the animals to safety, on this occasion the organisers were too late, and the bull was dead by the time they dragged it back to dry land.
🐃🌊🇪🇸 #BousALaMar | Los toros a la mar son de especial crueldad, estos animales no estan acostumbrados al agua y aún así se les acosa e incita a saltar al mar.
— AnimaNaturalis (@AnimaNaturalis) July 10, 2023
⚠️ Hoy ha muerto uno ahogado.
📍Dénia • Sábado 8 julio 2023
🎬 @AnimaNaturalis y @CAS_Int pic.twitter.com/ffIhnQtICU
The bous a la mar festivities were suspended for the remainder of the day.
This cruel tragedy occurred just a day after several animal rights groups turned up to protest the event in Denia.
According to AnimaNaturalis, whose members posted the shocking video of the bull fighting against the tide, these celebrations "are especially cruel. These animals are not used to water and even so they are harassed and encouraged to jump into the sea."
Bull runs and bullfights in Spain can be traced back to the second decade of the 20th century but have always been steeped in controversy due to accusations of animal abuse.
Last year the organisations for the defence of animal rights AnimaNaturalis and CAS International denounced these festivities by premiering a documentary that reflected the frequent mistreatment suffered by bulls.
At a very similar event in the Valencian municipality of Ontinyent at the end of April, a bull had to be euthanised when it broke its legs after jumping from a bridge into a 50-foot ravine.
Animal charity PETA said at the time, “This is NOT entertainment, it’s animal ABUSE.”
See also: Dwarf bullfighting banned in Spain
Image: AnimaNaturalis
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