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July 24

Spain has a lot to be pleased with, by way of its safety of wildlife and their setting, which is at all times very effectively reported within the Costa Blanca Information.

The nation is commonly lambasted for its document on animal welfare, particularly involving home animals (farmed animals, searching canine and companion animals, to call however a couple of) and in lots of circumstances that is totally justified.

Nonetheless, some enhancements are being made, albeit fairly slowly, both by way of new items of laws, or by folks progressively altering their minds, by way of being higher knowledgeable. There may be hope!

Nonetheless, studying the report of the current 3-day ‘bull-running’ in Denia (CBN Jul 22-28) I can not assist however marvel what goes by way of the minds of those that imagine that is one thing acceptable within the twenty first century. I’ve completely no sympathy for many who are injured, in the event that they intentionally put themselves in hurt’s means, at these grotesque occasions.

The time period ‘bull-run’, though extensively used to explain these occasions, definitely doesn’t adequately describe the stress and torment that these bulls (and cows) endure by way of being harassed, hit and in any other case abused, till they find yourself having to leap into the port by way of chasing their aggressors, which then solely will increase their concern and stress, while having to swim within the sea. All this, purely to fulfill the machismo of cowardly ‘males’ beneath the guise of ‘tradition’.

These animals (as reported) are sometimes used many times at a majority of these occasions, typically together with the much more horrific ‘bous embolats’ (held in different components of Spain), the place burning materials (typically held in place by a steel body) are fastened to the bulls’ horns, earlier than the terrified animals are let free earlier than a baying crowd. Denia’s authorities ought to be certain that the ‘bull-running’ occasion doesn’t return once more, in 2023.

In the identical copy of the CBN, we learn of the magnificent fin whales gracing the shores of Denia, being allegedly chased and molested by teams in as much as 7 rented speedboats, with the poor whales desperately making an attempt to out-swim them. Who on earth believes that that is a suitable factor to do. I do hope that the video footage apparently taken by researchers from the ‘Mission Rorqual’, is being totally investigated.

Because the CBN reported, a patrol service set as much as stop vessels anchoring in seagrass meadows, has been known as upon to doc these circumstances and ‘anybody caught within the act… [to get] a stern warning’. A ‘stern warning’ is most definitely not ‘stern’ sufficient they usually have to be prosecuted.

I’m sure that the CBN couldn’t print what I wish to be seen completed with these people. Suffice to say, it’s greater than a wagging finger!

Gary Sheen