New Year, New USC? PETA Urges School to Start Fresh by Ending Deadly Dove Releases
For Immediate Release:
August 29, 2024
Contact:
Reed Bolonyi 202-483-7382
As fall semester classes begin, PETA is calling on the University of Southern California (USC) to start the school year with a clean slate—by adopting a policy ending its cruel practice of releasing live doves during graduation ceremonies and other events. In a letter sent today to USC President Dr. Carol Folt, former Trojan and current PETA staff member Natalie Jackson points out that dove releases are life-threatening for captive-bred doves, who are not prepared to fend for themselves when released outdoors—especially amid the noise and chaos of large events—and urges her alma mater to leave animals out of future celebrations.
“Birds released at graduations are meant to return to their dismal cages—but often never do. … Some become overheated and dehydrated in the hot sun, contract diseases, starve to death because they have no survival skills, or are attacked by predators,” Jackson writes. “It’s time to end this callous tradition. There are countless ways to celebrate the start of a life after college without using animals.”
USC most recently endangered birds by releasing doves at a commencement ceremony in May. PETA staff members have picked up the remains of doves killed by birds of prey, and the group is often contacted by concerned people who have found horribly injured or malnourished banded birds.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Folt follows.
August 29, 2024
Carol Folt, Ph.D.
President
University of Southern California
Dear President Folt:
Greetings from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). I’m writing today to point out that the beginning of the fall semester would be the perfect time for you to enact a new policy against all future dove releases on USC’s campus. As an alum, I’m deeply disappointed that the university has repeatedly endangered animals by releasing doves at past events, despite requests from the public and PETA to end the archaic practice. I urge you to start this academic year off on a positive note by making the ethical decision to end these releases permanently.
Dove releases can be life-threatening for these captive-bred birds, who have known nothing but confinement to tiny cages prior to being released. They’re not at all prepared to navigate and fend for themselves—especially not amid the noise, chaos, and sensory overload of a large, disorienting celebration.
Birds released at celebrations are meant to return to their dismal cages—but often never do, as it’s not necessarily freedom that they find in the sky. Some become overheated and dehydrated in the hot sun, contract diseases, starve to death because they have no survival skills, or are attacked by predators. PETA has received countless calls from good Samaritans who have found horribly injured or malnourished banded birds, and PETA staff members have picked up the remains of doves killed by birds of prey.
Dooming birds to such fates is not only cruel but also quite the unsuitable metaphor to leave students with before sending them out into the world.
Will you please pledge to make this the first academic year that the callous tradition of dove releases no longer tarnishes celebrations at USC? There are countless ways to celebrate the start of life after college without using animals. I’d be happy to meet and discuss this important issue with you.
Sincerely,
Natalie Jackson
Senior Philanthropic Specialist
Class of 2015
