One such story can be found in the January issue of Sporting Magazine. In the anecdote, a butcher brought a female dog and her litter of puppies to a bull-baiting event. She was a sorry looking thing with no teeth. When he loosed her onto the bull, she pinned the animal within mere minutes. Another story provides gruesome evidence of just how relentless a Bulldog can be.
Mercifully, he put the dog down soon after. The life of Bulldogs during that time period was filled with the same, if not similar, types of horrific treatment. It was fairly common to see gravely injured dogs—with entrails trailing behind them—being pushed to attack over and over again. The dogs were gored, shaken violently, and even trampled.
A writer reported one incident where a bison, pinned by the dog, reared up and stomped the dog to death to get out of its grip. Like most things, money was the primary motivator for such atrocities.
However, people also found the spectacles highly entertaining, and other exhibitions were thrown into the mix to attract viewers. Dogs would be made to chomp on a sponge attached to a rope and raised into the air by their teeth while fireworks exploded around them.
In fact, in , approximately 5, people sat through a bull baiting and a subsequent boxing match. Bull baiting had become such a pervasive part of English culture that butchers were required to bait bulls before slaughtering them. It was believed that bull baiting made the meat more tender and nutritious. A court roll from the Manor at Barnard Castle advised butchers that bulls over two years of age must be put in the ring prior to butchering.
Any butcher found selling non-baited bull meat would be fined and face other penalties. Incidentally, a breed of Bulldogs known as Lonsdales was named after a butcher who lived in Barnard Castle around These dogs were very popular for several years during that time. Thankfully, a movement to ban bull baiting soon arose.
A bill was introduced to the House of Commons in , but it was thrown out. However, opponents were successful in making bull baiting illegal in Unfortunately, people still continued to partake in it for several years afterwards. Bulldogs had been bred specifically for the sport. Part of this was because dog fighting became popular, and many Bulldogs were killed fighting other dogs. It is believed that Bulldogs were mixed with Terriers to create animals that would do better in this sort of match.
Lucky for Bulldogs, some were exported to Germany where they were crossbred with other breeds to create Boxers. Others were transplanted to France and America, where they were further reduced in size and became the lovable dogs we know today.
Dells: For about an hour at a time. Dells: No. Prosecution: What is the impact of baiting on the dog? Dells: It hurts him, but not as much as the bull would like. Prosecution: Why do people watch bull-baiting? Prosecution: What would the dogs attempt to do to the animal being baited? Dells: They bite at its horns and into its skin. Prosecution: How does this impact the bulls? Dells: The bulls get very bloodied by the end of the day.
Paulings: They attempt to immobilize them at all costs. Prosecution: Could you provide an example? Paulings: No. Prosecution: Why do you believe this? Defense: So, then you do personally enjoy the baiting of animals? Defense: Is bull and bear-baiting beneficial to British society? Ebbelstone: Yes, it is. Defense: How is it good for society? Ebbelstone: It brings the populace of a community together. Defense: Could you provide the court with examples? Ebbelstone: Yes. It provides much joy for the people.
Ebbelstone: For some, pain is better than death. Prosecution: Over the history of England, have any traditions become deemed wrong for society? Prosecution: And were they made illegal?
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