Peta calls on club to never again use a live animal mascot‘There’s no reason to drag a wild animal into a stadium’A leading animal rights group has urged Crystal Palace to retire their American bald eagle mascot because, it says…
Animal rights organization Peta has urged Crystal Palace to retire their live bald eagle mascot, Phoenix, and permanently end the use of live animal mascots. In a letter to chief executive Sharon Lacey, Peta argued that loud, crowded stadiums leave birds disoriented and stressed while posing safety risks to both animals and spectators.
Phoenix debuted in August 2024 following the 2020 death of previous mascot Kayla, though planned pre-match flights across Selhurst Park were reportedly abandoned this season. Crystal Palace and the eagle's caretakers at Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation did not respond to Peta's correspondence or requests for comment.
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