Let's raise our voices and SAY NO to Bullfighting in Portugal!

Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Portugal, Spain, southern France and some Hispanic American countries. In a bullfight, the bull is first forced into the arena and taunted by a matador. Subsequently, the bull is approached by men mounted on horses who mercilessly drives long and sharp lances into the bull’s back and neck muscles. Confused, psychologically tormented and maimed, the bull gets physically debilitated, unable to lift his head and starts loosing a lot of blood.

Please sign the petition to ask Portugal’s Government to ban bullfighting!

The way bulls are treated during bullfights is contrary to the values of animal welfare usual in any modern society. The animals are tortured for about 3 to 4 hours, under excruciating pain, until they almost die of exhaustion. Bulls are not the only victims in this bloody and violent spectacle; the horses are painfully trained by severe methods, such as electric shocks and strong and persistent whipping. Sometimes the horses even get brutally gored by the bull, several of them already died in the arena before.

All statistics show a clear trend that the opposition to bullfighting is growing in all countries in Europe where bullfighting takes place. Moreover, studies have shown that this kind of events is harmful to children and society. We want Portugal, Europe and the World free of animal torture!

You can help! Please tell Portuguese officials to create legislation to forbid Bullfighting.

If you want to help more, please write to Portuguese government asking to ban Bullfighting.

You may write in your own words or simply use the letter below, and send to the following contacts. In case you write your own letter, please be polite, insults or improper words will not help the animals.

To: pm@pm.gov.pt (Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho); belem@presidencia.pt (President Aníbal Cavaco Silva); governoregional@azores.gov.pt (Açores regional government).

CC: amsvg_89@hotmail.com (petition’s author).

Suggested Letter:

Dear

President Aníbal Cavaco Silva,

Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho,

Açores regional government,

I am aware that Portugal is one of the few countries in the world where bullfighting is still allowed. Such a cruel and violent tradition should not exist anymore, since it strongly offends animal welfare and modern society values.

It is well known that bullfighting is a barbarian spectacle, where animal rights are extremely violated, promoting insensibility, miseducation and tarnishing of Portugal’s image.

I come to ask Portuguese government to follow other countries example and make Portugal a country free of Bullfighting.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

[Country]

Thank you for taking action,

Ana Varela

Picture: From WSPA (http://www.wspa.org.au/wspaswork/bullfighting/bullishresponse.aspx)