The death of a horse on the set of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has sparked outrage from animal rights activists. PETA accused the producers of using animals as objects and ignoring their welfare for the sake of entertainment.
Amazon Studios confirmed that the horse died on March 21 due to a heart attack. They said that the horse was not involved in filming at the time and that a vet and an animal welfare representative were present. They also said that an autopsy confirmed that the horse died of natural causes.
PETA condemned the incident and called for a ban on using real animals in production. They said that the producers could have used CGI or other humane methods instead of putting horses at risk of death. They urged the creators of the show and other producers to stop exploiting animals and find a new way to express their art. They said that no one wants to watch a TV show that causes suffering to animals.
This is not the first time that a horse has died on a TV set. Last year, a horse died on The Gilded Age’s set, which HBO also attributed to natural causes. PETA released a similar statement then, demanding an end to animal abuse in entertainment