BULL-BAITING
There were other indications of the growing revulsion against blood sports. There were a large number of essays dealing with bull-baiting that expressed the peoples dislikes. Newspapers and journals had many letters written by people to the editor on the subject of bull-baiting. Sermons on the theme of humanity to animals were often delivered. The formation of several reform societies were initiated due to public outrage of bull-baiting and other blood sports, examples of the prominent societies was the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(1824), The Association for Promoting Rational Humanity Towards the Animal Creation (1830-1833), and The Ladies' Society for the Suppression of Cruelty to Animals. The country still was struggling with bull-baiting and after a long struggle in the early 1840's bull-baiting had been eliminated. During the wakes and holidays it was suggested by some of the residents to introduce steeplechase races as a substitute11.
COCK-FIGHTING
Although cock-fighting was widely popular to gentleman and the common man alike, there still arose opposition to the sport. The opponents of cock-fighting, as well as the other eighteenth century blood sports, used moral and religious arguments against cock-fighting. It was viewed to be a barbarous and primitive act that was beneath the eighteenth century gentleman. Killing cocks in this manner was seen as an act of ultimate disrespect to an animal that is used to feed the people 12. Many people disputed this view, claiming that since cocks were naturally aggressive, the organized fights were not inhumane.
PRIZE-FIGHTING
Prize-fighting was often criticized. In the late eighteenth century, magistrates strongly urged the prohibition of staged fights. They also wanted to prosecute everyone involved in the fights. This was due to the frequency of deaths and maulings, which caused much public disfavor. Opposition also formed because of the considerable problems of public order. A crowd of thousands was very hard to control. Prize-fighting was considered by law as a breach of peace and an unlawful assembly. However, many of the fights were protected by their influential patrons, and many of the crowds were too large for the local law to prosecute 13.
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