Bull allegedly rammed by vehicles and taunted by dogs during event to celebrate patron saint in Guadalajara area of Spain

A bull run in the Fontanar countryside area of the Guadalajara municippality in Spain has provoked the anger of animal welfare and protection associations who have publicly criticised the alleged mistreatment that an animal received during the event - an incident that they claim could constitute a breach of Spain's animal welfare law.

The traditional run was held last weekend, as part of the festivities in honour of San Roque. The imposing five-year-old bull was hired from the José Escolar ranch. As mayor Jesús Caballero announced at the presentation of the event, the animal would, "without a doubt, thrill all bull lovers".

Bull runs are very popular in the Guadalajara area. This year's event, however, ended in controversy, as several vehicles allegedly rammed the animal. Some participants also allegedly took along dogs and encouraged them to harass and bite the bull. These incidents have been described as "mistreatment" by the animal welfare organisations, including the Luna Nueva association, representatives of which said that they had been surprised to see the town hall itself post photos and videos on social media, demonstrating that the animal welfare law had been violated. The law bans the use of animals at events where they might suffer physical or psychological damages.

According to Luna Nueva, "deliberately ramming a bull with a vehicle and allowing dogs to interfere can constitute a crime of animal abuse". Moreover, the regulations of the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha only allow the use of special vehicles in the bull runs in the countryside but never to hit the bulls.

When asked for an explanation, Fontanar town hall responded that "the event passed off without incidents". However, the municipal team didn't go further and instead praised "the bravery, stamina and strength of the bull - a first-class bull - and the skill and expertise of the participants".