Hats off to the University of South Florida (USF) Federal Credit Union for pledging not to hold future promotions of the cruel Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, after PETA explained how bulls suffer for the spectacle. Several USF students and alumni complained to PETA that the credit union was holding a "Best Bull" contest that referenced the Running of the Bulls and offered a trip to Pamplona as a prize option.
 

J>Ro/cc by 2.0

 
In its letter, PETA explained that people often use electric prods to force the bulls to run through the cobblestone streets, causing the animals to slip and suffer broken legs and other injuries. After they are driven to the ring, the bulls are tortured to death by being repeatedly stabbed in the neck and back before the matador kills the weakened, bleeding bulls with a sword. 

After reading PETA's letter, USF Federal Credit Union President and CEO Richard Skaggs told us that his organization would not have promoted the Running of the Bulls if it was aware of the cruelty involved and that it will not reference the event or offer the trip as a prize in the future.

Seventy-two percent of Spaniards oppose bullfighting. The only thing keeping the fights alive is tourist dollars. Please opt for travel packages that don’t include bullfighting, and educate your travel agency if it offers bullfights as an option.  

Written by Michelle Sherrow

The impossible happened—for a split second anyway. I momentarily laughed during a bullfight—or rather, during a matador's wardrobe malfunction, which drew plenty of guffaws and catcalls from the audience. Watch as Alvaro Marin runs, bare-bottomed, from a bull—and then fashions an adult diaper out of a piece of cloth. 

Of course, just like the tormented bull, the laughter was short-lived: Marin returned to the ring to slaughter the animal. Any shame that Alvaro Marin felt about his impromptu reveal was misdirected. As another Alvaro—the bullfighter-turned-vegetarian animal defender—notes, the continued killing of bulls in bullfights should bring shame and sorrow. Until these bloody slaughters are banned, they should also bring your protests. 

Written by Karin Bennett

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