Even if you're an animal rights activist, there might have been times when it felt like it was too easy to mock PETA for their shock tactics, especially when they involve clothes-ditching and on-the-spot showers in fake blood. But this isn't one of those times.
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has been campaigning to shut down the historic Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race for a long time. This week, a few PETA activists decided to make one more stand to make themselves heard, and they did so at another history-making event: the first-ever Netflix live sports event, the Netflix Cup, which kicked off the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Netflix Cups pits F1 drivers against PGA Tour professional players in a tournament that strangely bridges two sports you would have never imagined could be bridged: F1 racing and professional golf. Just to be clear, the Netflix Cup is a golf tournament, and it took place at the Wynn Golf Course in Vegas.
PETA's choice for which event to boycott wasn't random at all: F1 supports the Iditarod race, which sees dogs pull sleighs over distances totaling some 1,000 miles (1,610 km) through the harshest terrain and conditions on earth. Well, it's not F1 that directly that backs the event, but Formula One parent company Liberty Media. According to PETA, Liberty Media has been sponsoring the event yearly with at least $250,000 in cash.
The Iditarod Trail race goes back to 1973 under the current form, but the first two races were held earlier than that, in 1967 and 1969. Even though only certain breeds of dogs are allowed to take part in the race, like Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes, which are accustomed to low temperatures and harsh weather, the death toll each year among the animals is high.
It's too high to keep the event going, PETA says.
Photo: Netflix
Dogs perish during the race due to the weather, exhaustion or the bad treatment from the mushers. Dogs are also killed by mushers who understand they could never race again because of injuries, and dogs are kept in terrible conditions before and during the race. PETA calls this speciesism and argues that racing should only be done by humans, who have a say in whether they want to race or not.
When the PETA protesters suddenly showed up at the event demanding that F1 stop all support of such a cruel race, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, Justin Thomas, and Rickie Fowler were making their way to the first tee. The protesters were quickly escorted off the premises by security, and one of them ended up in custody.
PETA, which makes no secret of owning stock in Formula One, is asking F1 drivers and supporters to put pressure on Liberty Media so that it cuts ties with Iditarod. F1 has not yet addressed the disruption at the Netflix Cup, let alone Liberty Media's plans for Iditarod.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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