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Cultural Heritage or Excuse for animal abuse?

In the 21st century we must ask the question, should traditional cultural practices involving cruelty to animals be defended for cultural reasons, or regarded as barbaric and stopped?
Arguably the most well-known sport involving animal violence is Spanish bullfighting. The legislation in Spain protects bullfighting, but efforts by the Spanish Parliament to protect bull fighting as cultural heritage under the terms of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisational Convention (UNESCO) have not been successful. However, as bullfighting is subsidised by the Spanish government there is increasing opposition within Spain to cease subsidy support and spend the money on public services. The Spanish government supports bullfighting as it views it as “a cultural asset” although it is increasingly reducing in favour within Spain itself with only 4 bullrings now operational in mainland Spain although there are 3 in Mallorca and the practise is still popular in Mexico, some parts of Portugal and even southern France.

 

Economic Benefits

The Spanish government has subsidised bullfighting as it believes that the economic benefits it brings to the country from tourists attending the bullfights together with supporting the local farming industries in the breeding of bulls for the sole purpose of bullfights. Although many of the bull rings are supported by locals, the promotion of bullfighting internationally as a cultural attraction means that to support the tradition it needs to attract more tourists. A recent ‘Ipsos MORI’ poll (2017) reported that less than a third of the Spanish population supported bullfighting.
What about the UK?
Although fox hunting was not actively promoted in the UK as a tourist attraction to any great extent the defenders of the practise used the arguments of being an integral part of our countryside cultural heritage. Fox hunting was banned in Scotland in 2002 (Protection of Wild Mammals Act 2002) and in England and Wales in 2005 under ‘The Hunting Act 2004’. Hunting is still a sport in the UK although hunters are not officially allowed to hunt foxes, although they are allowed to simulate hunts by creating a scent trail in advance, for the dogs to follow.

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In her article ‘Tourism and wellbeing Mel Smith et al suggested that optimum tourist wellbeing combines hedonic, altruistic and meaningful experiences. It seems difficult to believe that being an active participant in watching or participating in the death of an animal in a cruel and barbaric manner can be a ‘meaningful’ experience.

In the modern world we must ask ourselves if many of these practices are outdated and incompatible with modern values. In short, does the moral cost outweigh the heritage value?

References:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/bullfighting-ban-spain-ibiza-balearic-islands-catalonia-canary-constitutional-court-legal-illegal-a7857946.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mark-jones/culture-is-never-an-excuse-animal-cruelty_b_3272796.html
https://www.inbrief.co.uk/sports-law/fox-hunting-with-dogs/
Smith M.K., Robinson M. (2006) Cultural Tourism in a Changing World. Politics, Participation and (Re)presentation., Channel View Publications