Usually when PETA takes aim at Tyson, it’s the chicken-processing company in their sights. But this time the animal rights organization is protesting Mike Tyson and his new show on Animal Planet, Taking on Tyson, which centers on the former boxer’s love of pigeon racing. This merry band of protesters you see pictured are gathered in front of Tyson’s gated neighborhood in Henderson, Nev. on Monday to express umbrage and remind everyone that racing pigeons is actually a form of abuse. According to them. From PETA.org:
Tyson, who once claimed that his former “pet” tigers “liked” being punched in the testicles and face, has now added pigeon abuse to his résumé. Racing pigeons are forced to fly hundreds of miles in all weather extremes as they attempt to get home. The pigeons are vulnerable to both natural predators such as hawks and cruel humans who view them as “pests.” In a recent ESPN interview, Tyson said, “I try not to get too attached. That’s why I keep breeder pigeons—if a bird gets sick or dies, I can produce another one.”
Pigeons raised in rooftop coops have few real-world survival skills. PETA caseworkers have fielded frantic calls from people who have found exhausted, injured, or starving birds. A pigeon-racing industry veterinarian admitted that most lost birds starve to death.
I’ve never really thought about it, but if those points are true, their protest makes sense. One could certainly assume that Tyson doesn’t know any better. But what of the network playing host to the show? If PETA can’t get a dialogue started with Animal Planet, there’s no hope for anyone discussing anything ever. Shouldn’t PETA be protesting at the Animal Planet headquarters as well?
PETA’s Lisa Lange told the Associated Press that the protest followed Sunday night’s debut of the Animal Planet show, “Taking on Tyson.” It features Tyson competing with pigeon racers in the New York City area.
In case you can’t read those signs, they read “Mike doesn’t give pigeons a fighting chance” and “Featherweights no match for heavyweight.” I also have to assume that if that dog ever caught a pigeon, things might get awkward.
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Tyson: K.O. the pigeon show [PETA.org]
PETA protests pigeon racing at Tyson’s Nevada home [NBCSports]
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- nixonotis - Mar 9, 2011 at 12:45 AM
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The folks associated with PETA are nearly as crazy as Tyson.
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- BC - Mar 9, 2011 at 9:12 AM
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Could we take all of the members of PETA and Greenpeace, load them onto a rocket, and send them to Mars? These people are lunatics. I wish they’d stop wasting our time and just disappear.
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- startedin67 - Mar 9, 2011 at 9:20 AM
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The reason those self-aggrandizing nutjobs at PETA are protesting Tyson instead of the Animal Planet HQ or whatever you call it, is because Tyson is way more high profile, and PETA is all about publicity.
I’m still waiting for the day that PETA tries to harass biker gangs for wearing leather jackets. That’d be fun to watch.
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- BC - Mar 9, 2011 at 12:58 PM
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Sort of like when Greenpeace harassed a Russian whaling ship years ago, and the Russians rammed Greenpeace’s boat and sunk it.
