Why did PETA send a letter to SEC commissioner ahead of the Ohio State-Texas CFP semifinal?
PETA sent a letter to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday, asking him to block the Texas Longhorns from bringingtheir mascot Bevo to their College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium.
In the letter, by the company’s EVP Tracy Reiman, the organization cites noise and the raucous environment of a college football game as harmful to the steer.
“PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was highly concerned to see that Bevo would be attending the Cotton Bowl Classic at the AT&T Stadium this Friday” said Reiman, “ Bevo deserves to spend his days grazing with his herd. Being forced into a stadium full of bright lights, screaming fans, and frightening noises is stressful—even terrifying—for sensitive, intelligent animals like longhorns, and this stress could cause Bevo to react in ways that might result in injury to himself or others, as we saw back in 2019 when he charged Uga at the Sugar Bowl.”
Bevo, the Longhorns mascot, is a burnt orange steer and has represented the school since 1916 with a new steer being chosen for the role as needed.
PETA pointed out that the Dallas Cowboys and other organizations use mascots instead of live animals and encouraged Sankey to reconsider allowing Bevo on Friday.
