Bull-baiting as a sport appeared quite popular in the Black Country, the 'Bull Ring' Sedgley was so named.
This rather brutal sport which entails setting dogs upon a tethered bull, originally started out in medieval times as a necessity to ensure 'tender' meat from the bull before it was slaughtered.
This gradually developed into a blood sport, and the bulldog and other 'bully' dogs were bred for this very use.
The sport along with many other baiting sports was outlawed when the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835 was passed by Parliament, but obviously the locals were oblivious of this or more likely just ignored it as the reported offence indicates.