A court in the south of France just decided the gruesome “sport” of bullfighting can continue on. Despite the fact that the judges acknowledged bullfighting is cruel and subjects the animals to “significant suffering,” they concluded that local traditions in Nimes were too important to be “disrupted.” In fact, they went even further, claiming: “we should retain the local tradition.” Not only did the local court uphold and protect bullfighting — it also billed a French animal welfare organization €3,000 for bringing the case to trial at all!
Laws already exist banning animal cruelty, and they state that perpetrators can be punished by as much as €30,000 in fines and even two years in prison. Judges stated these anti-cruelty laws don’t apply to the case of bullfighting because of its popularity. But according to polls, the tide is turning against this practice in both France and the rest of the world. Luckily, multiple members of the French government are trying to make this matter right. Let’s stand with them. Sign the petition to tell the federal government of France to step up and ban bullfighting nationwide!