The new season ofThe Witcheris now streaming on Netflix, but its release has not gone without its controversy. In the new episodes, there are scenes which feature live animals, and this has drawn the ire of PETA. The organization has issued a statement condemning the show for including real animals rather than using CGI, arguing that this has a negative effect on their growth.
“Netflix’sThe Witcherhas a monster problem, in that producers apparently monstrously chose to exploit a live lemur and squirrel monkeys, among other animals, instead of using modern and humane computer-generated imagery,” the statement reads. “The entertainment industry typically prematurely separates these animals from their mothers and thwarts their instinctual needs to explore, choose mates, raise young, and forage, which is why kind audiences should skipThe Witcherand insteadtoss a cointo the many films and shows that feature only willing human performers.”
PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way," has made their position on this matter clear. Last month, the groupcondemned the release of the family comedyClifford the Big Red Dog. While they were satisfied that CGI was used for the titular canine, PETA took theCliffordfilmmakers to task for bringing in live animals for some of the seasons when they could have used computer-generated imagery, as they were already doing with Clifford.
“While other movies opt for CGI that allows monkeys to stay with their families, instead of being dragged onto film sets and forced to perform,Clifford the Big Red Dogdoubles down on old-school cruelty,” said PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “Cliffordis a big red flag, and kind audiences should skip the flick in favor of productions that don’t exploit animals.”
PETA has also gone after the team behindJackass Forever. In that situation, PETA wants a full-on criminal probe intot he filmmakers. Much likeBam Margera has been doingwith his unrelated lawsuit against theJackass Foreverteam, PETA also wants the upcoming sequel blocked from release. Their problem comes from the daredevils incorporating animals into their stunts.PETA has also gone after the team behindJackass Forever. In that situation, PETA wants a full-on criminal probe intot he filmmakers. Much like Bam Margera has been doing with his unrelated lawsuit against the Jackass Forever team, PETA also wants the upcoming sequel blocked from release. Their problem comes from the daredevils incorporating animals into their stunts.
“Jackassstunts are violent and vulgar, but if the talent is willing and the wounds are self-inflicted, that’s one thing-however, it’s quite another when animals are exploited, harassed, and harmed: That’s cruelty,” the company stated at the time. “TheJackass Forevertrailer shows Knoxville’s crew provoking a snake and a bull to the point of attack, treating a tarantula like a game piece, and coercing a chained bear to eat honey off a bound participant. Four months before its release,Jackass Foreverhas already risked normalizing animal exploitation and legitimizing the cruel exhibitors who pimp out animals for productions. PETA is urging producers to remove stunts involving animals from the film.”
Netflix has not responded toPETA’s “monster problem” withThe Witcher, which is now streaming its second season.
