animal rights
Merry-go-rounds with animals, even the plastic ones, are outdated. Peta says this in an open letter. According to the animal rights organization, the attractions would “normalize animals as a means of transportation.” Efteling, among others, is being criticized: “You have an exemplary role.”
A classic attraction is under fire. The age-old merry-go-rounds, which are often found at fairs and amusement parks, use animals as “a means of transportation or entertainment,” according to Peta. Such windmills often contain plastic animals such as horses, elephants or tigers. The animal rights group suggests replacing the animals with “cars, airplanes, spaceships, bulldozers and other vehicles or fantasy modes of transportation such as shooting stars, rainbows or brooms.”
The Dutch branch of Peta specifically calls on Efteling, which includes a large, classic steam carousel with horses and pigs. “The Efteling has an exemplary role and an enormous influence on other amusement parks. If it alone indicates that you are considering or thinking about it, then we will initiate an important discussion,” Janneke Hogervorst tells Algemeen Dagblad on behalf of Peta.
Efteling responded to the call. A spokesperson calls it “a particularly interesting discussion”. The Dutch theme park does not yet know whether anything will actually change. “We continue to monitor developments closely,” the spokesperson told Algemeen Dagblad.
“Children learn through play, and by teaching them to have respect and compassion for all living and sentient beings, we create a just and compassionate world,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk.
Peta also sent a letter to Chance Rides, the largest carousel manufacturer in the United States, but is calling on all other carousel manufacturers to ban animal images in the future.
Gaia: “Not a priority”
Now that Peta is putting pressure on one of the largest players in the amusement park sector in the Netherlands, the question arises: will the discussion spread to Belgian fairs and amusement parks? “For us, this matter is not a priority,” says Ann De Greef, director of animal rights organization Gaia. “We live in a world where many animals suffer every day due to, among other things, intensive livestock farming, which is why our agenda unfortunately does not allow us to deal with such matters.”
Yet De Greef also sees something positive in Peta’s demand. “I understand why Peta does this, because it influences our image of animals,” she says. “That is why we also ask influencers not to post photos of dogs with a flat snout, for example.” She emphasizes that Peta has many members internationally – more than Gaia – so they can work on these types of matters.
