Mike Tyson Animal Show Investigated for Gambling
Mike Tyson
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have urged New York officials to investigate boxer Mike Tyson’s new animal reality show. The program is set to focus on pigeon racing and has incurred the wrath of the animal rights group, who denounced the sport as “inherently cruel”. A spokesperson for PETA told New York Daily News that the birds involved in the races “often end up lost in storms, being injured, or just becoming so exhausted that they're unable to fly”.
PETA have urged the New York District Attorney, Charles Hynes, to investigate the legality of the show. PETA has suggested that pigeon racing naturally involves “gambling”, noting that “that's why people do it, to make money”. A spokesperson for the District Attorney has suggested that they will look into PETA’s allegations, but the program’s makers have suggested that they had never planned for there to be an element of gambling included in the show. Patricia Kollappallil, a spokesperson for Animal Planet, told reporters that they have never discussed a wagering element of the program and noted that the pigeons will be “cherished and respected by their owners, including Mr. Tyson”. The show will begin filming next month, in Brooklyn and, if it goes ahead, will be screened next year.
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