PETA call for Broncos to ban famous icon and change name to Brisbane Boomerangs in nod to Aboriginal ties
He is the four-legged secret weapon of the Broncos, but animal rights group 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) is calling for Buck the Broncos mascot to be retired.
Since 2010 Buck has been a fan favourite, with pundits cheering and celebrating him every time he gallops onto the field with trainer and rider Natalie Siiankoski.
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And again this weekend as Brisbane attempts to stampede towards this year's NRL premiership Buck will take to Suncorp Stadium, despite PETA's calls for him to be axed.
On Thursday, PETA penned an open letter to the Broncos calling for his immediate removal stating it is simply wrong to put the horse through 'the stress of being a mascot'.
Buck has been a regular at Brisbane home games for almost two decades.
'Fans will be cheering wildly as the Brisbane Broncos take on the Dragons for the round 11 clash at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, and there's no reason to subject Buck, the horse, to the stress of being a mascot,' a statement from PETA read.
'No matter how much effort and training is put into 'breaking' a horse, they're prey animals with a strong fight-or-flight instinct, and it's nearly impossible to desensitise their instincts.
'Too often, even horses trained to the standard of 'military precision,' become spooked and run, injuring themselves and others when startled by loud noises, like pyrotechnics and
fireworks, as well as sudden movements.'
'PETA is asking the Brisbane Broncos to retire Buck and move away from imagery such as bucking broncos, which glorifies rodeos.'
However, the Broncos didn't take long to shut down PETA's calls, telling news.com.au that retiring Buck will not happen anytime soon.
'Buck is an iconic, much-loved and much cared for member of the Broncos family and has been for a very long time,' the Broncos said in a statement to news.com.au
'We have no plans to retire Buck, and our game day staff will continue, as we always have, to work with his rider Nat and the stadium to ensure the highest level of safety, for both Buck and our fans in stadia.'
If it is up to PETA, the axing of Buck is not the only change the Broncos will make, with the non-profit organisation urging the NRL club to also change its name and badge to stop glorifying rodeos while also giving a nod to their indigenous roots.
'The team could even adopt the name the 'Brisbane Boomerangs' after the impressive Aboriginal weapon — a nod to the team's fostering of Indigenous talent and commitment to equality.
'Removing 'real' Buck from the field is the best 'conversion' the Broncos could make.
'Unlike real horses, the human inside the inanimate Buck costume can consent to running around a field in front of screaming fans, and no one is sitting on their back. Aside from the odd dry cleaning, Buck, the costumed character doesn't need anywhere near the level of care a real horse does.'
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