Bull running is when a crowd of people run ahead of dozens of full grown bulls through the streets of Spain which leads to the areas bullring where bullfights are organized. Most famous for its running of the bulls is the festival of San Fermín in the city of Pamplona.
The weeklong festival held annually from the 6th of July to the 14th of July is steeped in tradition and folklore and attracts over a million people who attend to watch the festival.
But this event is not without risk to both people and the animal. 2nd July 2010 Fuentesauco in the province of Zamora, Sothern Spain, huge half ton bulls were released at 3 am and a 19-year-old teenager died after being gored in the chest by a bull. Several more bull runs part of a local festival were all cancelled due to the tragedy.
Every year between 200 and 300 people are injured during the run although most injuries are contusions due to falls and are not serious, though the number of deaths since 1910 is over 15.
Animal rights activists say the gory spectacles are one of the planet’s most blatant forms of animal cruelty seeking a ban. Also the number of bullfights across the country in decline, blamed on difficult economic times.
Bullfights are being questioned in Spain’s Catalonia region with local politicians set to vote on a proposed ban this month. That would see Catalonia’s last bullring in Barcelona shut down but bull runs would still be allowed.