https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed For decades Achille (50) eked out a miserable existence living alone in wretched conditions in a cramped circus cage. But better days could lie ahead for Spain's great apes thanks to a new bill that would strengthen laws safeguarding their well-being. https://www.thelocal.es/20241029/spain-seeks-ground-breaking-law-for-great-apes Tue, 29 Oct 2024 10:49:38 +0100 spain-seeks-ground-breaking-law-for-great-apes Hundreds of tweets, Spain’s far right and even Poland’s Justice Minister have claimed that the Spanish government’s new animal welfare law decriminalises sex with animals if they suffer no injuries. https://www.thelocal.es/20230221/fact-check-no-spain-has-not-legalised-bestiality Tue, 21 Feb 2023 15:02:00 +0100 fact-check-no-spain-has-not-legalised-bestiality Twisting and grunting, a terrified bull with burning balls of tar attached to its horns charges into the darkness in a small town in Spain. Organisers don't want the general public to see the footage as "they know it's not culture, it's animal abuse," say activists. https://www.thelocal.es/20221117/is-this-spains-most-grotesque-bull-festival Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:03:22 +0100 is-this-spains-most-grotesque-bull-festival Spanish police and prosecutors said Monday they were investigating an animal testing lab after undercover footage showed staff there tossing around, smacking and taunting dogs, pigs and other animals. https://www.thelocal.es/20210412/gratuitous-cruelty-spain-probes-suspected-abuse-at-animal-testing-lab Mon, 12 Apr 2021 22:50:35 +0200 gratuitous-cruelty-spain-probes-suspected-abuse-at-animal-testing-lab For decades, they have transported tourists through the narrow cobbled streets lined with whitewashed houses in the picturesque hilltop town of Mijas on Spain’s Costa del Sol. https://www.thelocal.es/20191112/finally-costa-del-sol-village-imposes-weight-limit-on-donkey-rides Tue, 12 Nov 2019 14:58:13 +0100 finally-costa-del-sol-village-imposes-weight-limit-on-donkey-rides Two donkeys were painted in black and white stripes to look like zebras in the African savannah apparently for a safari themed party at a beach in Cadiz, southwestern Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20190717/animal-abuse-complaint-after-donkeys-painted-to-look-like-zebras-for-african-themed-party-in-southern-spain Wed, 17 Jul 2019 13:58:41 +0200 animal-abuse-complaint-after-donkeys-painted-to-look-like-zebras-for-african-themed-party-in-southern-spain Activists from animal rights group PETA staged a protest ahead of Pamplona's famous running of the bulls - taking particular aim at foreign revellers. https://www.thelocal.es/20190705/watch-topless-animal-rights-activists-stage-protest-ahead-of-pamplonas-running-of-the-bulls-fiesta Fri, 05 Jul 2019 15:15:28 +0200 watch-topless-animal-rights-activists-stage-protest-ahead-of-pamplonas-running-of-the-bulls-fiesta With their narrow head and long legs, greyhounds are one of the fastest dog breeds on earth, making them the preferred choice of hunters in Spain to catch rabbits and hares. But instead of being rewarded, campaigners say greyhounds are often mistreated, especially once they have become too old to hunt. https://www.thelocal.es/20190305/spain-urged-to-stop-torture-of-unwanted-greyhounds Tue, 05 Mar 2019 09:57:00 +0100 spain-urged-to-stop-torture-of-unwanted-greyhounds Spanish police said Monday they had arrested 182 people who took part in a "national" cockfighting competition, an ancient sport that continues in some regions despite being banned. https://www.thelocal.es/20190115/spanish-police-arrest-182-people-at-illegal-cockfight Tue, 15 Jan 2019 10:13:32 +0100 spanish-police-arrest-182-people-at-illegal-cockfight Horse-drawn carriage rides for tourists have been banned in other cities around the world but they still operate on the Balearic island of Mallorca. https://www.thelocal.es/20180927/why-its-time-to-take-horse-drawn-carriages-off-the-streets-of-mallorca Thu, 27 Sep 2018 14:37:26 +0200 why-its-time-to-take-horse-drawn-carriages-off-the-streets-of-mallorca Shocking footage showing the suffering of a Spanish fighting bull during a fiesta in eastern Spain has renewed calls to ban bullfighting and related activites. https://www.thelocal.es/20180518/disturbing-footage-shows-torment-of-bull-in-eastern-spain Fri, 18 May 2018 16:39:00 +0200 disturbing-footage-shows-torment-of-bull-in-eastern-spain "Here all animals are born and live free until they die," says Victorino Martin, pointing proudly to the herds of fighting bulls grazing by the Tagus River on a famous breeding farm in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20180508/breeding-fighting-bulls-in-spain-a-familys-passion Tue, 08 May 2018 11:26:54 +0200 breeding-fighting-bulls-in-spain-a-familys-passion An elephant died and four others were injured Monday when a circus truck carrying them crashed on a Spanish highway, prompting an elaborate rescue after the animals tipped onto the road. https://www.thelocal.es/20180403/elephant-killed-when-circus-truck-overturned-on-spanish-motorway Tue, 03 Apr 2018 10:00:00 +0200 elephant-killed-when-circus-truck-overturned-on-spanish-motorway Madrid’s police dogs have new digs. And the new kennels not only come with air conditioning but piped classical music in a bid to reduce stress. https://www.thelocal.es/20180402/madrids-police-dogs-are-learning-to-relax-with-mozart Mon, 02 Apr 2018 14:49:59 +0200 madrids-police-dogs-are-learning-to-relax-with-mozart Her name is Margarita and she loves cuddles. https://www.thelocal.es/20170526/animal-loving-spaniards-launch-campaign-to-save-pet-cow-from-slaughter Fri, 26 May 2017 16:04:46 +0200 animal-loving-spaniards-launch-campaign-to-save-pet-cow-from-slaughter The controversial practice will now be outlawed in Spain, along with cropping ears, cutting vocal chords, and removing claws and teeth. https://www.thelocal.es/20170518/spains-bans-docking-of-dogs-tails Thu, 18 May 2017 12:54:54 +0200 spains-bans-docking-of-dogs-tails The controversial practice will now be outlawed in Spain, along with cropping ears, cutting vocal chords, and removing claws and teeth. https://www.thelocal.es/20170317/good-news-for-animal-lovers-congress-bans-cutting-off-dog-tails Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:13:32 +0100 good-news-for-animal-lovers-congress-bans-cutting-off-dog-tails A Spanish court on Monday sentenced the head of an animal shelter to three years and nine months in jail for killing hundreds of healthy dogs and cats in a way that provoked "prolonged agony". https://www.thelocal.es/20170110/animal-shelter-head-on-costa-del-sol-jailed-over-slow-and-agonizing-death-of-hundreds-of-dogs-and-cats Tue, 10 Jan 2017 10:50:54 +0100 animal-shelter-head-on-costa-del-sol-jailed-over-slow-and-agonizing-death-of-hundreds-of-dogs-and-cats Animals rights groups have raised concerns over the welfare of animals used in live nativity scenes across Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20161222/little-donkey-live-nativity-scenes-raise-animal-welfare-concerns Thu, 22 Dec 2016 12:53:56 +0100 little-donkey-live-nativity-scenes-raise-animal-welfare-concerns Animal rights defenders stripped down Sunday in the Spanish tourist hub of Barcelona to draw attention to the cruelty of the fur industry. https://www.thelocal.es/20161212/anti-fur-activists-bare-all-in-barcelona Mon, 12 Dec 2016 09:17:54 +0100 anti-fur-activists-bare-all-in-barcelona