Charities urge German clubs to drop live animal mascots

[Pelican Press 0]

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Charities urge ******* clubs to drop live animal mascots

******* soccer clubs Eintracht Frankfurt and Cologne have been urged by animal charities to drop their live eagle and goat mascots from matches.

Second-tier Cologne, nicknamed the Billygoats, are on to their ninth iteration of Hennes the goat. The animal is paraded around the edge of the pitch before games. Hennes I, who arrived in 1950, has even been included in the club’s Hall of Fame.

Bundesliga side Frankfurt, nicknamed the Eagles, let Attila fly around their stadium before games just like eagle mascots at Portugal’s Benfica and Italy’s Lazio. He makes a circuit before landing back on his falconer’s glove.

“Whether eagle or goat, for both animals, being in the noisy stadium, the many people and the hectic environment means massive stress,” animal rights organisation PETA said in a statement, adding that transport to the games also causes stress.

The ******* Animal ******** Association agrees, stating: “The animal has no place to retreat and cannot escape the hustle and bustle in the stadium.”

Cologne deny the goat is mistreated.

“Hennes IX belongs to the club like the cathedral belongs to Cologne,” they say.

Like his predecessor, he lives in Cologne Zoo. On match days, carer Ingo Reipka drives the goat to the stadium in the special “Hennes-mobile”.

“Hennes is so well trained by the keepers at the zoo that he often jumps into the car almost by himself when I arrive,” Reipka said.

In 2015, Cologne striker Anthony Ujah grabbed the then Hennes VIII by the horns and pulled the goat towards him during a goal celebraton. The outrage was huge and Ujah apologised publicly.

Attila’s handler Norbert Lawitschka said of the 20-year-old bird: “Attila used to take part in shows. He has no stress at Eintracht.”

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