Annual festivals such as 'Rapa das Bestas' where wild horses are wrestled to the ground and brutally branded and have their ears cut off.or ' Toro Jubilo' where bulls are tied up and tortured by a crowd of men before being burned alive! 

These activities , amongst many others, take place in a modern western country in the EU. Surely it is time that governments and the EU parliament did something to prevent such barbaric and unnecessary practices.

Animals deserve basic rights to respect and protection from all of us in a civilised society. Some of the scenes , still common in parts of Europe are like those of the ancient world! We need to end this inhumane, unnecessary suffering in all its forms.