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PETA finally takes notice of SMU's mascot, Peruna, comes out of nowhere to advocate against ACC Championship appearance

On3 imageby:Billy Embody•12/06/24•

BillyEmbody

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Oct 5, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; SMU Mustangs mascot Peruna run on the field before the game against Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy Flores-USA TODAY Sports

SMU is getting Peruna to the ACC Championship on Saturday in a well air-conditioned, first-class trailer that’s on the way to Charlotte.

PETA came out of nowhere on Friday to release a statement, looking to go after SMU for bringing a live mascot to an event, comparing it to Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry hijacking LSU’s matchup with Alabama by bringing in a live Tiger that wasn’t LSU’s Mike the Tiger.

“We urge you to cancel this senseless stunt and put an end to this archaic tradition,” PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman said in a statement. “SMU shouldn’t be teaching students that it’s OK to subject a pony to bright lights, screaming crowds, bands, noisemakers, and an unfamiliar environment. Ponies are prey animals. They are easily stressed or frightened by loud noises—and no amount of “grooming” or summer band practices will prepare them for the chaos of game day.

“As more and more people realize that every animal is an individual with their own interests, needs, and personalities—as well as the capacity to feel pain, fear, and love, students and sports fans alike are increasingly opposed to using live animals as “spectacles” at sporting events. This is evidenced by the recent debacle at LSU in which a live tiger was carted out in a cage to a football game. Following the event, the student government unanimously passed a resolution pushing for LSU leadership to ban the exploitation of all live tigers.”

Peruna is well taken care of by the university, which is bringing him to the ACC Championship game and he’ll be able to do his normal routine of running down the field after scores.

For SMU, the tradition of Peruna won’t end and PETA coming out of nowhere to suddenly advocate for the Shetland Pony won’t change that.

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