PETA Statement re LSU Student Government’s Resolution Opposing Tigers at Games

For Immediate Release:
November 14, 2024

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Vegan chocolates are on their way from PETA to Louisiana State University’s (LSU) student government, which yesterday unanimously passed a resolution calling for an end to the exploitation of live tigers at the school’s football games. The move puts the students in line with experts—including LSU’s own veterinarians and Bill Wheat, a veterinarian and state senator who confirmed in a statement that he “felt strongly” that bringing a tiger to the game was a bad idea and expressed as much during initial discussions about using LSU’s live tiger mascot, Mike, for the purpose. Below, please find a statement from PETA Foundation Associate Director of Captive Wildlife Research Klayton Rutherford:

After nearly universal public condemnation over this stupid stunt, the LSU student government’s unanimous response drives home the point that only one person thought it was a good idea to bring a stressed tiger to a noisy football game: Louisiana’s Tiger King wannabe governor, Jeff Landry, who didn’t even attend LSU. Landry’s desperate bid for attention backfired spectacularly, and PETA hopes he’s learned his lesson and will leave tigers alone.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—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 PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.