Bull-Taming Is a Form of Animal Cruelty. India Must Ban This Dangerous Blood Sport Now!
Animal lovers in India are outraged that the nation’s highest court is allowing the cruel bull-taming sport of jallikattu to continue. The court had originally banned this sport back in 2014. But this month, it reversed its previous decision, claiming that the preservation of “cultural heritage” was more important than animals’ welfare.
Jallikattu is a blood sport that involves holding a bull captive until it is overwhelmed by anxiety, anger, and confusion, and then releasing it into a bullfighting area where many humans all attempt to jump on the panicked animal and hold on.
Cornering an animal in this way has, predictably, led to many deaths, injuries, and maimings. In the past six years, upwards of 33 bulls and 104 children and adults have died. Even hundreds of spectators have been injured in the process.
Many countries have traditions that include bullfighting, bull riding, and other forms of bull-tormenting. But luckily people around the world are recognizing the inherent cruelty in these “sports” and demanding that governments take action to ban these practices now!