Fighting Bull Sanctuary Rescues 8 Bulls and Cows in Colombia Before the Bullfighting Ban
Namigni Animal Sanctuary's Toro Bravo Reserve, the world’s only Spanish fighting-bull sanctuary, rescued 8 bulls and cows in Colombia before the 2027 bullfighting ban. Read the rescue story.
Key Facts
Who rescued them: Namigni Animal Sanctuary — a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the world’s only sanctuary dedicated to Spanish fighting bulls.
What: 8 fighting cattle — one bull, five cows, two calves — saved from slaughter.
Their names: Shogun, Ishtar, Morgana, Belladonna and Imperador, Galaxia, Nemesis and Tormenta.
Where: the Reserva del Toro Bravo, Guasca, Colombia.
When: September 2026.
Why it matters: Colombia’s bullfighting ban takes full effect by 2027, with no plan for the animals left behind.
What happened?
In September 2026, Namigni rescued eight Spanish fighting bulls and cows that were bound for the slaughterhouse, discarded for no longer being useful in the ring and for the scarcity of pastures in Colombia, which is being affected by a major drought in many regions. The group is a family: one bull (Shogun), five cows (Ishtar, Morgana, Belladonna, Galaxia and Nemesis) and two calves — Imperador, Belladonna’s son, and Tormenta, Nemesis’s three-month-old daughter. All eight are now in lifelong sanctuary care — no ring, no fear, no final date.
Why are fighting bulls at risk after a bullfighting ban?
Colombia is ending bullfighting, but a ban decides how these animals will no longer die; it says nothing about how they will live. There is no national plan for the bulls and cows left behind, and no public funding set aside to protect them. When bullfighting ends, thousands of animals bred for the ring will have nowhere to go, and many face slaughter. These are the forgotten victims of the ban: saved from the ring, then left at its edge.
Who is Namigni Animal Sanctuary?
Namigni Animal Sanctuary is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Guasca, Colombia. It is the world’s only sanctuary dedicated to Spanish fighting bulls. Its approach is “more than rescue”: it rescues animals, protects them for life, educates the public, and defends the breed’s survival without exploitation — building a practical alternative rather than only protesting cruelty.
What is the Reserva del Toro Bravo?
The Reserva del Toro Bravo is Namigni’s program for rescued Spanish fighting bulls and cows. It has grown from seven animals in 2025 to twenty-eight today — the first and only sanctuary of its kind, and a working model for what happens to fighting cattle after bullfighting ends.
What happens to the rest of Colombia’s fighting bulls?
This rescue proves the model works — and shows its limits. One small, mostly self-funded sanctuary cannot absorb every animal a nationwide ban leaves behind. Without a transition plan or public funding, thousands remain at risk. Namigni has called since 2023 for responsible policies to protect Colombia’s fighting bulls and cows.
How can you help?
Namigni is mostly self-funded and relies on donations to care for the animals it rescues. Every gift supports their first year in sanctuary.
Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/CQJ2YDA7ZWWZL
Donate via Stripe: https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sL3eS8v903n3WGfIs00
Donate via a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF): reach out to miguel@namignianimalsanctuary.org
Donate via Double the Donation
Donate via Benevity: https://causes.benevity.org/causes/840-992215540
Share this story — reach is its own kind of support.
Frequently asked questions
How many fighting bulls did Namigni rescue?
Namigni rescued eight fighting bulls and cows in a single operation — one bull, five cows and two calves — the largest single rescue of fighting cattle it knows of worldwide. Apart from this group, 20 other fighting bulls and cows were already under Namigni's care and protection.
When does Colombia’s bullfighting ban take effect?
Colombia banned bullfighting under Law 2385 of 2024 (“No Más Olé”), upheld by the Constitutional Court, with the practice ending fully by 2027.
Is there a sanctuary for Spanish fighting bulls?
Yes. Namigni Animal Sanctuary’s Reserva del Toro Bravo, in Guasca, Colombia, is the world’s only sanctuary dedicated to Spanish fighting bulls.
What happens to fighting bulls when bullfighting is banned?
Without a transition plan, many fighting bulls and cows face slaughter once bullfighting ends. Sanctuaries such as Namigni rescue them and provide lifelong care.
How can I help save fighting bulls in Colombia?
You can donate to Namigni’s rescue campaign, or share its story to expand its reach and support.
They have a future now. Help us make sure the rest do too.
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