SMU soccer crew shall be touring to Charlotte, North Carolina with reinforcements for Saturday evening’s Atlantic Coast Convention championship sport towards Clemson. However not everyone seems to be onboard with the newest roster addition.
SMU introduced earlier this week that the crew mascot, Peruna, will make the journey with the crew to help the Mustangs as they attempt to stay good by way of convention play and safe a spot within the newly expanded School Soccer Playoffs.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) reacts to displaying a landing move to teammate vast receiver Derrick McFall (20) in the course of the first half of an NCAA school soccer sport towards California, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Picture/LM Otero)
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However Individuals for the Moral Therapy of Animals (PETA) fired off a letter to SMU President R. Gerald Turner on Friday urging the college “to cancel the mindless stunt and put an finish to the varsity’s archaic custom of getting a stay mascot.”
“Ponies are prey animals whose intuition is to panic and flee from startling noises, but SMU plans to parade this pony like a toy in entrance of a stadium stuffed with screaming followers, noisemakers, and a band,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo mentioned in a press release.
“PETA is urging SMU to think about Peruna IX’s perspective, cancel this look, and depart ponies in peace by ending the varsity’s stay mascot program.”
Southern Methodist Mustangs mascot Peruna runs throughout the sphere throughout a university soccer sport between Southern Methodist Mustangs and Prairie View Am Panthers on Sept. 16, 2023, at Gerald Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Christopher Leduc/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures)
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In a submit on X, PETA mentioned “ponies live people, NOT props in your championship sport,” including that exposing the animal to the packed crowd at Financial institution of America Stadium is “merciless & mindless.”
Regardless of the protest, Peruna IX shall be in Charlotte on Saturday evening.
Peruna IX, a colt, has been the SMU mascot since 2011. SMU’s first stay mascot appeared in 1932 and, for the primary 60 years or so, Peruna would cost the sphere after each SMU landing. Now Peruna leads the crew onto the sphere and runs between quarters.
FILE – SMU Mustangs mascot Peruna runs on the sphere earlier than the sport towards the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Oct. 5, 2019. (Timothy Flores-USA TODAY Sports activities)
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Saturday’s ACC title sport kicks off at 8 p.m. Japanese.
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