Stone dragging contest using mules on Costa del Sol slammed by animal welfare group
The political party Pacma has denounced the event to the Guardia Civil but the organisers claim it "had all the necessary permits and authorisations"
Spain's national animal welfare political party, the Partido Animalista (Pacma) has reported a stone dragging contest with mules held in June 2024 in Nerja on the eastern Costa del Sol to the Guardia Civil's nature protection unit, Seprona.
The political party pointed out in a statement that, after recently accessing the documentation of the event having asked "four times for public information" on the event, it has been able to verify that "there is no record of a federative regulation governing this activity, an essential requirement according to Law 39/2022, of 30 December, whose article 10 states that the protection of animals used in competitions must be guaranteed by specific federative regulations".
Pacma argues that, "if the absence of such regulation is confirmed", the event, which was also held in 2025 and denounced by the same group, "could incur in a possible crime of animal mistreatment typified in article 340 of the penal code, as it is an unregulated activity that could have caused injuries to the animals used in it".
"We hope that the proceedings will be carried out in order to clarify the facts and determine who is responsible"
Pacma's president, Javier Luna, requested in the statement that the necessary procedures be carried out to clarify the facts and to determine the corresponding responsibilities, whether criminal, administrative or civil.
Pacma, which is in favour of the abolition of this type of activity using animals, has pointed out that these competitions must be subject to strict control, while denouncing that "stone dragging with mules is a form of normalised mistreatment documented by veterinarians that cannot continue to be covered under the label of tradition or sport".
Nerja town hall said in May that when Pacma ed a previous complaint, the stone dragging competition with mules "was held with the corresponding authorisation issued by the Andalusian regional government, the competent administration in the matter".
The town hall went on to say that "a registered veterinarian was present" during the competition, who was "in charge of guaranteeing compliance with the established health and animal welfare conditions," It went on to say that the event "took place without any incident that would imply non-compliance with health regulations or animal welfare conditions in force for this type of activity".
"The event took place without any incidence of non-compliance with welfare regulations"
The San Isidro riding and harness cultural club, as a collaborator in the event, told SUR that "they had all the permits and authorisations from the regional agricultural office (OCA) in Vélez-Málaga, as well as the supervision of veterinarians" during the event. There were 15 competitors with their mules.
"The animals are working animals, they are not forced at any time, if they don't come out with the first shot they don't participate. In addition, the weights are adapted to their age and characteristics. It is a centuries-old tradition and we try not to lose it, although there are fewer and fewer of them left," argued the sources consulted from this Nerja-based organisation, which also organised a cowboy dressage competition. "This was not denounced by Pacma," the club pointed out.
