The usage of real penguins by NHL during one of its iconic game is facing a huge backlash from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), calling this act to have caused extreme stress to the animals.
During the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia showdown on last Saturday of February, it was reported by Time magazine that PETA wrote a letter to address its objection towards using live penguins as an entertainment element.
Startled by the crowd and the fireworks, PETA claimed in the letter that the penguins were scrambling in fear and stress despite opposite statement by Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, claiming the penguins were doing alright with the condition.
To support its statement, PETA went on and pointed out the ending of the orca-breeding program by SeaWorld last year as a reference, after the continuous criticism from animal activists, regulators, and the public over the past few years. The animal rights NGO also urged NHL in the letter not to repeat the same promotional strategy in the future to avoid animal abuse.
However, NHL has not commented on this matter but only referred to the letter that was issued by Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium's spokesperson, as reported in The New York Times. In the statement replying PETA's claims, the zoo person in charge insisted that the penguins were completely safe during the show and were 'very comfortable around people and noises'.
Both NHL and Pittsburg may continue to face further criticism from PETA and the public through the social media platforms if this is not handled carefully considering the increasing awareness towards protection of animal rights.
To recall, a horrific scene that filmed a dolphin vomiting due to stress while trying to flee away from its captors in Japan surfaced early this year. The distressing video has sparked criticism over the social media platforms, calling out the marine parks action to be inhumane.
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