This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

On July 19, investigators from Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) filmed dogs being set on and attacking terrified bulls at the California Rodeo Salinas held in Salinas, California. SHARK’s footage is harrowing. It shows a group of bulls huddling together while frantically trying to avoid the dogs who are harassing them. The dogs are shown biting and scratching the bulls’ faces causing them to bleed from their mouths. When the dogs tried to cease these violent assaults, they were ordered to continue.

This barbaric spectacle also endangered the dogs themselves, who could have been seriously injured. They repeatedly got tossed into the air and were nearly gored or trampled to death. The bulls were previously used in a “bullfighting” competition, which involved tormenting bulls who had tight straps tied around their waists to agitate and inflict pain on them. Please join us in demanding that local law enforcement prosecute this animal abuse and ensure that it is not repeated.

Outrageously, rodeo supporters say that the dogs were being used to “herd” the bulls into a holding area, a dishonest claim swallowed whole by enforcement officers at the SPCA for Monterey County. However, this claim is ludicrous since most of the dogs were not herding dogs, but rather breeds with strong bites that are typically used as guard and attack dogs. The dogs didn’t charge the bulls’ hind legs, like herding dog would have, but rather attacked their faces and intentionally bit them when they could. The holding areas were also closed during the incident and it’s clear from video evidence that no attempt was made to move the bulls into them.

Compelling dogs to attack bulls is clearly forbidden by California Penal Code Section 597b, which prohibits making animals fight for amusement, and expressly bans “the worrying or injuring of any bull.” These violations should be prosecuted to the law’s fullest extent so as to send a clear message that this cruel and deviant behavior is not acceptable in California.

Given the SPCA for Monterey County’s unresponsiveness, coupled with previous support for the Rodeo from the Salinas Police Department, we are taking the fight to California’s Attorney General, the Governor and legislators who represent Salinas on the state and federal level.

What You Can Do

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.