Welcome to CAS

The Comité Anti Stierenvechten (CAS, in English: Anti Bullfighting Committee) was founded in 1990 by the Dutch Animal Protection Society and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). Because bullfighting is such a complex subject, both organisations decided to work together by starting a foundation whose main goal is to stop this terrible form of animal abuse, both on national and international level. When CAS turned into an independent organization, both organizations withdrew, but we still work together on several occasions.

Our goal is the total abolition of bullfights and fiestas (festivals) where bulls and other animals are tortured and killed.

Comité Anti Stierenvechten does not receive funds from the government. However, we can count on the support of 15.000 members. The office, with three part time staff members and several volunteers, is located in Utrecht.

Activities
In the Netherlands, bullfights are prohibited by law. However, a lot of Dutch people spend their holidays in the bullfighting countries. Our activities can be divided in the following items:

• Informing the public on the horrors of bullfighting, in order to prevent people from visiting a bullring or fiesta (where bulls and other animals are tortured) abroad.
• Supporting and cooperating with anti bullfighting organisations abroad.
• Organizing and taking part in peaceful (protest) campaigns.
• Lobbying with national governments and the European Union to draw the attention to the horror of bullfighting.

Campaigns
Every year, a theme is chosen for the campaigns. In the past, CAS drew the attention of the public to the horses that are abused in the bullfights, to the bull runs in Pamplona, bullfights in South-America, fiestas, the role of the Roman Catholic Church in bullfights, etc.

Means for informing the contributors

• Four times a year a letter with, among other things, a request for a contribution and a newsletter.
• Petition forms, protest cards, folders etc. about (protest) campaigns.
• The website www.stieren.net.

Means for informing the public

• (Free) advertisements.
• Our 'Olééd'-brochure with general information about bullfights and fiestas.
• Petition forms, protest cards, folders etc. about (protest) campaigns.
• The website www.stieren.net.
• Press releases, articles and letters to the editor in papers, magazines and other media.
• Information for lectures and papers (for schools) and lending out DVDs with images of bullfights and fiestas.
• (Free) radio and television spots.

Furthermore, CAS reacts very actively on pro-bullfighting publications in the media by sending protest letters.

International
Since the foundation, Comité Anti Stierenvechten has worked together with animal protection organizations in other countries. This cooperation has increased in the last few years. Furthermore, CAS regularly gives financial support to projects and campaigns against bullfights and fiestas of animal protection organizations in the bullfighting countries. This involves (for example) placing billboards in Spain, supporting an investigation of the bullfighting world, printing protest cards against bullfighting, etc. 

Comité Anti Stierenvechten thinks it is very important for anti bullfighting organizations to work together, because the anti bullfighting lobby will then grow bigger and bigger. This way, we have the best chance to stop bullfights and fiestas with bulls and other animals as soon as possible.

Comité Anti Stierenvechten also has colleagues in Belgium and the United Kingdom (go to the contact page).