PETA demands Broncos retire famous horse mascot ‘Buck’, change name to the Brisbane Boomerangs | Read the letter

Animal activist group PETA has called on the Broncos to change the club’s name and logo in a bid to end the legacy of Brisbane’s most iconic sporting mascot. It hasn’t gone down well.

‘Buck’ helps launch Brisbane’s Round 1 clash in 2022. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The Broncos have told animal rights activists to ‘Buck Off’ following calls for their famous mascot to be retired.

Animal rights group PETA has written to Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy calling for mass changes at the Brisbane NRL club.

Under the microscope on the field following four losses from their past five games, the Broncos are now copping heat off the field.

PETA has called for the Broncos to retire their famous horse mascot ‘Buck’ and change their name to the Brisbane Boomerangs.

‘Buck’ the horse has been a mainstay at Broncos home games for decades, doing laps around Suncorp Stadium.

But if the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals get their way, he will be retired before Sunday’s clash against the Dragons.

In an open letter to Donaghy, PETA vice president Mimi Bekhechi called for the Broncos to send their much-loved live mascot to the paddock.

“We’d like to ask you to retire the live horse mascot, Buck, and move away from imagery such as bucking broncos, which glorifies rodeos,” Bekhechi wrote.

“You could even change your name to something far more inspiring, perhaps the Brisbane Boomerangs, after the impressive Aboriginal weapon — a nod to the team’s fostering of Indigenous talent and commitment to equality!

PETA’s Brisbane Boomerangs logo proposal.

“Removing ‘real’ Buck from the field is the best ‘conversion’ the Broncos could make.

“Unlike real horses, the human inside the inanimate Buck costume can consent to running around a field in front of screaming fans, and no one is sitting on their back.

“We hope you’ll consider moving the Broncos forward in this way and wish you luck for your upcoming matches.”

PETA’s requests were met with fierce fan backlash, with an exclusive Courier Mail poll revealing 95 per cent of readers condemned the idea to sack ‘Buck’ as Brisbanes mascot.

Donaghy was unaware of PETA’s request and the letter, which was not sent directly to him, until contacted by this masthead.

And the Broncos won’t be bowing to the demand.

'Buck the Bronco' at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“Buck is an iconic, much-loved and much cared for member of the Broncos family and has been for a very long time,” Donaghy said.

“We have no plans to retire Buck, and our gameday staff will continue, as we always have, to work with his rider Nat and the stadium to ensure the highest level of safety, for both Buck and our fans in stadia.”

Buck won’t be the only animal doing laps of Suncorp on Sunday.Television superstar Bluey will be making a special appearance outside the precinct and on the field on what will be a bumper afternoon for the Broncos.

Originally published as PETA demands Broncos retire famous horse mascot ‘Buck’, change name to the Brisbane Boomerangs | Read the letter