This week, The Colbert Report aired the shocking video of a tortured bull who gored a matador (or, in Colbert's words, "tight-assed fancy-pants in a sparkly coat") moments before the animal was killed. Even if you've already seen the gory footage before, you won't want to miss what Colbert had to say about the gruesome blood sport:

Written by Karin Bennett

I would have liked to have titled this blog "Bull: 1, Matador: 0," but unfortunately, in the world of bullfighting torturing, even when the bull wins, he loses. Even though he clearly won this "fight," the bull in the below video was reportedly killed by other matadors after running a horn through one bullfighter's throat.

Warning: Graphic video below.

You can see still photos on The Huffington Post.

The matador, Julio Aparicio, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but is expected to recover. Wish we could say the same for the bull.

Let this serve as a reminder: Never book a trip to Spain that includes tickets to a bullfight. Better yet, don't book a trip to Spain at all until it abolishes this abomination (unless you plan to participate in an anti-bullfighting protest, of course).

Written by Alisa Mullins

© Star Max Inc.

I can't get enough of sizzling-hot Pamela Anderson on Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) (did you see that split?!), and her run has surely inspired many people to speak up for animals. Who knows—maybe if José Tomas had watched Pamela's anti-bullfighting paso doble, he'd have thought twice before getting into the bullring with the animal who gored him in the groin this weekend.

Pamela needs your votes to stay in the competition! Polls open at 8 p.m. EDT tonight, and the phone and text lines stay open for 30 minutes after the end of the show. Online voting remains open until 11 a.m. EDT tomorrow. It only takes a few minutes to help vote this compassionate activist for animals to the top! Call 1-800-868-3411; text the word "vote" to 3411 if you're an AT&T mobile customer; or go online and vote for Pam seven times.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor

© Star Max Inc.

I think it goes without saying that a vote for Pamela Anderson on Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is a vote for beauty, talent, and animals—which is why I'll be casting all twelve of my votes for her by:

1. calling 1-800-868-3411
2. texting the word "vote" to 3411
3. Giving her all 10 of my online votes

Pamela's run on DWTS has been riveting. And tonight, she's bringing the season's fieriest, most fascinating dance yet: She and her partner Damian Whitewood will be performing the paso doble (the traditional Spanish dance based on the interaction between a matador and bull)—and Pamela will be using the performance as an opportunity to speak out against bullfighting.

In preparation for her performance, which she and Damian are calling "Dance, Don't Bullfight," PETA sent DWTS a sneak peek of our soon-to-be-released anti-bullfighting video starring actor, singer, and guitarist Charo. Charo also joined Pamela in rehearsal to show her some Flamenco moves to spice up her compassionate choreography. With 20,000 people taking action last week to eliminate Madrid's proposal to declare the bloody "sport" to be an activity of cultural value, Pamela's kindly orchestrated move for bulls couldn't come at a more empowering moment.

You can cast 12 votes for Pamela tonight, and if she makes it through to next week, I just might definitely will have a contest lined up for you—so vote for her!

Written by Logan Scherer

Today, I sing the praises of the Internet. Not for e-mail—which is handy, yes—but all that Viagra spam irks me. (Hello? It's called "Veggie Viagra"). Or online games (like I need another addiction. The real reason I love the Internet so much is because now my "cosmic justice file" has grown exponentially and now comes with an international flavor.

Let's have a looksie at some of my faves, shall we?

• An exhausted, abused monkey decides he's not gonna take it anymore.
• During this year's Running of the Bulls, the tortured bulls weren't the only ones who lost their lives. (Of course, the bulls still lost in the end. They always do.)
• Karma's a bitch, especially when another inmate delivers some Mike Tyson–style payback after you cut off the ears of your dog.
• Film critics thought Lady in the Water was a stinker, but this fisher "lady" in the water left many fishing critics beaming.
• This white tiger saw red as he mauled a zookeeper to death. Subsequently, so did zoo visitors.
• If this guy would have used our humane bug catcher instead of trying to kill a spider with a lighter, he wouldn't have almost burned down his house.
• Does this tune haunt you? I don't suggest fishing in a shark's waters.
• Lions and tigers and a very angry bear (Oh, my!) must have been fed up with being kept in a cage.
• What rhymes with "possum?" "Awesome," so don't try to shoot 'em.
• The gored matador from this bullfight hopefully learned his lesson and has picked up a more constructive hobby. I hear crocheting is nice.

buzzfeed / CC

Now, tell which of the above is your favorite example of cosmic justice.

Written by Karin Bennett

cbs3springfield / CC

"California cows can keep their tails."

That sentence in the Central Valley Business Times says it all. California state proved it was full of animal-friendly folk when Prop. 2 passed last year, and now lawmakers in the state have just signed a law that will make the docking of cows' tails illegal starting this January!

During our recent undercover investigation on a Pennsylvania factory farm, our investigator witnessed tail-docking on a number of occasions. The tails of cows were removed by "banding"—which means that circulation to the tail was cut off using an elastic band, which caused the cows' tails to slowly lose blood flow and die. Once the tail is necrotic and lifeless, it is snapped off by a farm worker. Tails act as natural flyswatters for cows, who have no other way to chase off insects or stop them from biting. Once the cows on this farm had their tails removed, they still tried in vain to rid their bodies of flies, who were rampant in the manure-slicked barn.

Tail-docking is just one of the many horrendous abuses inflicted on animals on factory farms and is a practice that even the notoriously hypocritical AVMA opposes.

Cheers to the California legislature for taking this important step.

Written by Jeff Mackey

commons.wikimedia / CC

Apparently he wasn't content with going all "crocodile hunter" on an anaconda, as he did during the last off-season. Now Texas Rangers infielder Omar Vizquel has expressed the desire to take up bullfighting in his home country of Venezuela during this year's off-season. He has also said that he hopes to attend all the Triple Crown horse races after he retires.

Is there no animal safe from Omar's down time?

Upon hearing about Omar's ghoulish vacation plans, we dashed off a letter to the aging shortstop asking him to solve his midlife crisis in a way that doesn't involve torturing and killing animals.

Buy a convertible, go skydiving, date a woman half your age—just don't drag animals into it, OK, Omar?

Written by Alisa Mullins

banbloodsports / CC

At a time when protests of the gruesome Running of the Bulls are making a bigger splash than ever, the sagging global economy is apparently taking a toll on the annual festival as well.

It turns out that bombed bull abusers are scaling back their bar tabs. This means fewer euros for merchants during this year's Running of the Bulls. In the past, these businesses have cashed in on the annual torment and killing of hapless, hopeless bulls. But this year, the global recession means that local businesses won't be making as much of a profit from the misery of the bulls.

Not only that, but according to NPR, polls show that most Spaniards have no interest in bullfighting. In Catalonia alone, nearly 200,000 people have signed a petition asking the regional parliament to ban this barbaric "ritual."

While this is hopefully the beginning of the end for an industry that should have died off with the Spanish Empire, you can save money and animals by doing more than simply tightening your belt. Sign up to take that belt—and the rest of your clothes—off altogether as a member of PETA's Action Team. It won't cost a dime, but the potential to raise awareness is priceless.

Written by Shawna Flavell

warkscol.wordpress / CC

The American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) annual conference starts July 10 in Seattle. On the agenda is a pitch for the AVMA to change its current opposition to ear-cropping and tail-docking and give a thumbs-up to the painful procedures.

Say what?!

Our friends at NYCVet.org alerted us to a recent issue of the Journal of the AVMA, which revealed that the Utah Veterinary Medical Association (UVMA) wants the AVMA to reword its official position on ear-cropping and tail-docking. Instead of opposing these practices across the board, UVMA wants the AVMA to change its stance as follows:

Ear Cropping and Tail Docking of Dogs
The AVMA opposes ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes. Although cosmetic ear cropping and tail docking of dogs has little or no therapeutic basis, it is a procedure that is condoned by the American Kennel Club and by many members of society. It is imperative that the procedures be performed by trained, licensed, and caring veterinarians using current standard of care. The AVMA encourages the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from in breed standards. Members of the AVMA will conform to all state mandates concerning the procedures.

Um, here's a newsflash—cruel ear-cropping and tail-docking have been banned in countries around the world because they are purely cosmetic, hurt like hell, and have no benefit whatsoever to the animal. We hope that the AVMA holds strong and doesn't decide to become even less caring about animals than it already is.

Written by Karin Bennett

For two days, the exhausted dairy cow had lain in the pasture, dying. Her eyes were missing, probably eaten by birds. A commuter passing by saw her and had been trying desperately to get help, with no luck. Eventually, this kind person, frantic to find help for the tormented animal, contacted PETA's after hours emergency hotline, and we were able to work with law enforcement officials, urging them to take immediate action.

It's hard to believe that this cow was still alive when help finally arrived, but it's much harder to imagine the tremendous anguish that she must have endured.

Our caseworkers stayed on the phone late into the night as deputies knocked on every door in the area, waking up residents in hopes of finding out who owned the property and the cow. After hours of searching, the man was finally located, and the deputies were mercifully able to put an end to the cow's suffering.

Unfortunately, this story is not unusual in the meat and dairy industry, where living beings are looked at as property and products. In fact, cows too sick to walk or stand are so common on factory farms and in slaughterhouses that there's a word for them: downers.

It's easy to look at cows in a field and think that they live idyllic lives, but they're commonly subjected to abuses that could warrant felony cruelty-to-animals charges if they were dogs or cats. Fortunately, though, it's so easy to opt out of contributing to their misery.

And I know that we just talked about this, but it bears repeating: If you see an animal who is suffering, report it to the authorities—and don't give up until they do something about it!

Written by Jeff Mackey