PETA Calls On Little Everglades Ranch to Drop Cruel and Dangerous ‘Bull Run’

Event Poses a Deadly Risk to Bulls as Well as Human Participants and Bystanders, Warns Group

For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Dade City, Fla. — This morning, PETA sent a letter to the operators of Dade City–based Little Everglades Ranch calling on them to cancel their plans to host an event called “The Great Bull Run” in February. As PETA explains in its letter, bull runs are cruel to the animals who, in this case, would be trucked around the country and forced to run in a panic through arenas packed with thousands of screaming people. The events are also potentially fatal for human participants and bystanders, hundreds of whom are trampled, gored, or otherwise injured every year during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

“Bull runs mean collisions, falls, broken legs, trampling, and other potentially fatal outcomes for everyone involved, from the bulls to the bystanders,” says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. “PETA is calling on arenas across the country to turn away these cruel and controversial events before anyone is hurt or killed.”

This morning, PETA also sent a letter to the organizers of The Great Bull Run urging them to switch to an animal-free event.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA’s letter to the Little Everglades Ranch follows.

April 29, 2013

Katie Carris, General Manager
Little Everglades Ranch

Dear Ms. Carris,

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Florida, to express concern over “The Great Bull Run” scheduled to take place at Little Everglades Ranch in February 2014 and to urge you to consider cancelling this event and hosting alternate activities that don’t involve live animals.

No matter how cautious the organizers may appear to be, there is no way to be sure that the animals won’t suffer or become injured at these events. After having been loaded onto trucks, driven thousands of miles across the country, and herded into an arena filled with thousands of screaming people, the bulls will bolt out of the pen in panic when the starting gate opens, running out of confusion and terror. As they rush through the chute, they can crash into the barriers, fall and break their legs, or collide with and injure each other.

They can also seriously hurt runners and bystanders. Every year, an average of 200 to 300 humans are injured—by being trampled or even gored—during Pamplona’s Running of the Bull, and there have been many deaths. The recklessness inherent in these events can’t be denied. Although the human participants are warned of the very real danger, the bulls are not able to opt out. Because it is cruel to animals and dangerous for humans, the Running of the Bulls is condemned worldwide.  

There are countless fun, adrenaline-packed events that your venue could host that would not put animals at risk. New Orleans, for instance, holds an annual event in which The Big Easy Rollergirls roller derby team chases participants through the French Quarter. Another option would be to replace the live bulls with humans in bull costumes for a fun, family-friendly event that does not put animals in harm’s way.

May I hear that in light of this new information, you will consider cancelling the cruel and dangerous Bull Run at your venue?

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
PETA