PETA to protest Mike Tyson's new pigeon show [Updated]

"Taking on Tyson," Mike Tyson's new series featuring his entry into competitive pigeon racing, received some favorable reviews, but an animal rights group is not flying high over the Animal Planet project.

Members of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) are planning to protest outside Tyson's gated Nevada community in Henderson. [Updated 12:35 p.m.: An earlier version of this article said Henderson is in New Jersey.]

"If Mike Tyson truly loved birds, he would fight for their protection -- not force them into a 'race' that tears them away from their families and subjects them to injuries, exhaustion and death," PETA Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement.

In the series, Tyson, who has a lifelong affection and connection to pigeons, puts together a team of veterans to compete in pigeon racing.

Animal Planet had no immediate response to the protest.

--Greg Braxton

Photo: Mike Tyson. Credit: Mat Szwajkis/AP

Comments

[anon]

This poor man can't catch a break!!!!!!!! He's not fighting the birds!! Leave him and his birds alone!!!! If you're so concerned about animals, why don't you go and find homes for the thousands of animals who end up at shelters every day.

[Nicvk]

Is he really "forcing" them to race? They are Birds! That fly back home over hundreds of miles. If they didn't want to come back they wouldn't. Can someone from PETA have a real argument for something like this? among other things. How is this really inhumane? I don't get it. Are our animals just supposed to sit around and be fat and lazy? It's a bird!

[BeltwayBoy]

Are you kidding me? He isn't doing anything wrong or hurting animals! Birds are made to fly, right? Get a life you ignorant .......... The man is not harming anybody and this is really stupid!

[brandon darley]

Have seen this first hand, I live a neighborhood away from Tyson and sure enough Peta is standing curbside with signs. Don't these people have more pressing animal issues. We are talking about racing an over poppulated, disease carrying animal. RACING not FIGHTING. Peta needs to give the man a break, not only is it rude to his personal life, its a dangerous distraction on a winding road. I'm all for protecting animals, but protect some that need protection PETA.

[JohnClayton]

This is PETA's 15 minutes of fame.

[milos]

PETA is pathetic. they wanted to put down all of Michael Vick's dogs without even evaluating any of them. Shame on you. you shouldnt be allowed to speak
let alone protest.Leave Mike alone. He should knock you all out!!!

[antyfed]

PETA is a JOKE! Pigeon racing has been around long before Tyson took up the "sport" and well before he was even born! Now they're going to protest in front of his house? Where were they before Tyson? They just lost all credibility and should be ashamed of themselves.

[ACE]

I'm starting to believe the horse racers of the world must "donate" to peta because i never hear of them at preakness or the kentucky derby protesting. They need to do something worthwhile with the money raised from the true animal lovers of the world. Mike Tyson may look intimidating but he seems to love a animal that is a pest to most people. I dont believe racing pigeons will end with a broken wing and euthanization.

[alwaysatrojan]

Huh?

[Alan]

Having watched an interview with Tyson on his "birds", it was interesting to find out 1) Several have been in his care for nearly 20 years (thats not abuse). 2) They come back to the roost after a race or fly about because they actually like the roost he created (thats not abuse). 3) He fully admitted if they don't want to come back they don't, but his have always come home (thats not abuse). If a guy that put "fear" into the worlds population as a Heavyweight Champ wants to play with birds great. Beats the hell out of the foolish stuff he was doing earlier. I think PETA needs to rethink who they're fighting with.

[Carl]

"tears them away from their families"...hahahahahahahaha. Lord, that's funny.

[Canjac Canjar]

Unless Tyson starts biting off the pigeons ears, or roasting them over an open fire, theres nothing PETA can do.

[kevin]

of all the things to protest flying pigeons all those movie stars donations really going to a good cause here. Is some of the best memories as a kid with my dad driving a town over letting the pigeons go and then seein them beat us home sometimes. And when your pigeon coup gets over populated we had pigeon for dinner was pretty good. I dont think he will do that on his show though. lol

[Jon K.]

PETA is and has been fricken crazy. They are so utterly nuts that they undermine animal rights as a whole.

Anyone remember their "sea kitten campaign" when they wanted to co-opt the English language and have "fish" renamed "sea kittens?"

Utterly bonkers.

[Janie]

Mike Tyson loves pigeons and wouldn't think of hurting any of them! Homing pigeons LOVE to race; it's in their blood. I've owned pigeons for 30 years myself so I speak with much knowledge on the subject and can't think of a person that treats them better than Mike does. Seems like everything people do anymore someone else gets riled up. Please learn about things before complaining PETA (jerks).

[Elizabeth]

I'm a vegetarian and animal lover and PETA embarrasses me. They give animal loving humans a bad name.

[Mark]

PETA = domestic terrorists

[JL]

PETA really needs to figure out plan B...they are needlessly attacking the show on pigeon racing merely because it is associated with a big name - Mike Tyson. It is PETA's pathetic way of gaining publicity under a guise of "helping" animals when it is media tactic. If PETA really is that concerned with animal welfare they should start at ground zero - the local animal shelters that are overwhelmed with animals that will likely be euthanized.

PETA leave Mike, the homing pigeons, and Animal Planet alone. We get it, your a business and need press like everyone else but really..."force them into racing" "tearing them (the pigeons) from their families"... almost comedic! PETA the new comedy show in town. Laughable you are PETA...

[Tom]

Take the PETA people into the desert outside Henderson, and leave them there. We'll see how quickly they learn to appreciate nature.

Seriously, why does anyone pay attention to these frauds? You know it is just hype for the headlines, and what they say doesn't even make sense.

[Walter]

There isn't a single favorable comment about PETA on here, including this one.