Well, this is certainly a twist. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent a proposal to Newport Mayor Khamsyvoravong regarding the Easton’s Beach carousel with a rather unusual request: Restore the iconic carousel—but leave out the horses.
“PETA would happily contribute toward the cost of restoring the carousel at Easton’s Beach if you’d please leave the horse figures in storage and include only animal-free pieces, such as cars, unicycles, tractors, airplanes, rockets, and bulldozers, which children are naturally drawn to, or even more whimsical designs, like shooting stars, rainbows, or brooms,” writes Ingrid Newkirk, President of PETA.
According to PETA, which has over 9 million members worldwide (and thousands in Rhode Island), traditional animal-themed carousels unintentionally promote animal exploitation. They argue that horses, as fun as they are to ride, are actually “servants” to human entertainment, with their lives confined to performing for crowds. PETA cites troubling examples from the world of racing and carriage rides, where horses are allegedly forced to work in harsh conditions and even endure abuse. In their eyes, the carousel’s cheerful ponies are just another symbol of a past we should leave behind.