Complaint to Italian Embassy about cruel ox race
21 April 2011

ICABS has complained to the Italian Ambassador to Ireland about an animal cruelty event in Southern Italy due to take place tomorrow. The Chieuti annual oxcart race involves the chasing and abuse of oxen along a 3-mile course.

After a blessing of teams by the local priest, pairs of oxen are forced to pull four carts at speed. Riders on horseback use spiked lances to spur the oxen along a gruelling course through town and countryside.

The frightened oxen suffer stress and injury.

Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe (FAACE) is asking people all over the world to join calls for the cruel race to be banned.

An ox collapsed from exhaustion at Chieuti's cruel oxcart race. Please join international calls for this event to be banned.

 ACTION ALERT 

Help bring the suffering of oxen to an end. Please lodge a complaint with the Italian Ambassador to Ireland.

Ambassador Valerio Augusto ASTRALDI
Italian Embassy
63/65 Northumberland Road
Dublin 4
Tel: 01 660 1744
Email: ambasciata.dublino@esteri.it

 ACTION ALERT 

Please click the link to
Email the Ministry for the Environment, the Tourism Minister and Chieuti Townhall

Sample letter thanks to FAACE

Translation:

The photographs, videos, articles and testimonies of protestors serve to demonstrate only too clearly that the animals participating in the festival in Chieuti are made to suffer; to make them run, the oxen are goaded with spiked lances.

Not only are the oxen hurt and even collapse through exhaustion, but the horses also suffer.

This is a cruel spectacle that shows Chieuti, as well as the province of Foggia, and Italy, in a very bad light, and discourages tourism. I would ask you therefore, to permanently abolish the Chieuti oxcart race, and celebrate St. George's Day in a way that does not involve the abuse of animals.

Until this happens, I will not be visiting Italy and I will tell my friends and acquaintances of my decision, so that they also will not travel to Italy

 ACTION ALERT 

Ask the Church authorities to disassociate from the Chieuti event

Email: Bishop Lucio Angelo Renna and the Vatican daily Osservatore Romano
(Sample letter thanks to Comitato Europeo Difesa Animali onlus)

Video: The cruelty of Chieuti's ox race

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