Ole! The bulls are coming.

It looks like the European Union(EU) member countries are not only very protective to their human constituents through generous social and welfare programs. By enacting various laws, the EU communities have also helped out many other creatures.

Some of us may have heard that last Sunday the City of Barcelona had just hosted its last bullfighting event in Europe. A EU law will take effect in the next year that rids of a 600-year-old senseless tradition for good. The law makes the bullfighting an illegal activity in all EU countries.

But stopping the bullfights is not the only measure that EU takes to protect other animals.

Not until recently, I have no idea that Russia and her neighboring countries export tortoises*. My ignorance led me to believe all turtles burrow themselves under the hot sandy beach not frigid Siberian plain. So it was an eye-opener when I read of the pet turtles we got from the pet stores might be from Russia and many of her neighbors. Because these poor creatures were handled badly in transit, many died on routes, the EU has the wisdom to ban imports of all turtles.

The EU communities also ban the imports of all seal products. I am sure all of us have seen how these helpless baby seals were harvested on floating ices.

Now I can see the Pomploma bull run will also become a thing of the past soon. - Ayee

*The Last Chance Dog, 2003, Donna Kelleher, D.V.M.