In many towns in eastern Spain, a terrible tradition still persists: the “toros embolados” or “correbous,” in which flaming torches are strapped to the top of bulls’ heads, before they’re released to run through the streets. The flames attached to their horns often burn for hours, leaving the animals in a state of extreme distress and terror. In a desperate attempt to put out the blaze and escape their agony, many bulls have run directly into walls and wooden posts, killing themselves in the process.
In addition to causing unwarranted cruelty against bulls, these festivals are also very dangerous for the public. It’s not hard to see how tying burning torches to a terrified animal’s head might cause destruction and chaos. Just recently, a man in the town of Castellón died after being crushed by an enraged bull. Luckily, some cities have already banned the embolados bulls, like Valencia, which banned the practice in 2016. Now it’s time for the governments of the Autonomous Communities of Valencia and Catalonia to act. Sign the petition and ask the governments of Valencia and Catalonia to ban the toros embolados and correbous during festivals.