PETA plans to rain on Budweiser’s Super Bowl parade by exposing the beer giant’s “ugly secret” of “mutilating” its Clydesdales to maintain their tails short, The Post has learned.
Anheuser-Busch has bought up several minutes value of promoting spots for Sunday’s matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs in Glendale, Ariz. — including one entitled “A Clydesdale’s Journey.”
But PETA claims the dirty truth behind the journey of a Clydesdale is a practice called “docking,” which involves cutting through a horse’s tailbone.
“Budweiser is keeping an unpleasant secret,” proclaims a PETA-produced video, which incorporates interviews with Budweiser horse handlers.
The video goes on to say Budweiser representatives mislead the general public concerning the short tails by claiming they’re “trimmed,” implying that just the hair is cut.
As a substitute, PETA’s investigation claims to have found the Clydesdales’ tailbones are removed with a scalpel or a good band that cuts off the blood flow, causing the tail to die off.
Budweiser began using Clydesdale horses to have fun the repeal of Prohibition.PETA
“It’s the identical form of mutilation that’s done to certain breeds of dogs,” Kathy Guillermo, a PETA vice chairman, told The Post. “However the horses depend on their tails to swat away flies and vets tell us that the tails are vital for balance after they are turning or stopping.”
The procedure is banned in 10 states and a number of other countries all over the world including the UK and Germany. The American Veterinary Medical Association doesn’t endorse the practice for cosmetic purposes, the group says on its website.
“The protection and wellbeing of our beloved Clydesdales is our top priority,” an Anheuser spokesperson said. “Combined with our highly trained staff of skilled caretakers, we partner with an equine health worker to make sure our animals receive the very best level and quality of care. For 90 years the long-lasting Clydesdales have represented the most effective of the American spirit and have made a positive impact across our country in communities large and small.”
PETA is launching a campaign against Anheuser-Busch over the tail docking issue during Super Bowl weekend.Matt Cowan
The animal activist group plans to fly a banner over State Farm Stadium and the nearby tailgating party before kickoff to bring attention to its investigation.
The group may even follow the horses around Phoenix over the weekend with a mobile billboard truck and a television ad can be released this month in regional markets, PETA said.
PETA reached out to Anheuser-Busch chief executive Brendan Whitworth last month but didn’t hear back, Guillermo said.
The Clydesdales’ tails are docked when the horses are foals.PETA
Anheuser-Busch has used the huge horses in its signature Budweiser commercials and at promotional events to tug wagons of beer for a long time. The tradition of docking their tails was meant to maintain their hair from getting tangled within the wagon hitches, nevertheless it’s used for purely cosmetic purposes today, Guillermo said.
The corporate began using Clydesdales 90 years ago to have fun the repeal of prohibition.