PETA Is Protesting Fish Captivity – In A Video Game

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have always seemed to lean into the old adage, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

The organization seems to only seek bad or mocking publicity, and the latest stunt is no different. People are trapped in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has helped explode the popularity of Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” which launched on March 20. The video game is a casual life simulation, where players turn a deserted island into an adorable little village, complete with anthropomorphic animal residents.

One of the main collection and money-making activities in the game is to fish, some PETA is against both in real life and fantasy, apparently. The group organized a virtual protest of the museum in Animal Crossing where players donate fish to an owl named Blathers, who, just as his name implies, loves to talk at length about the items you bring him. Metro reported that PETA used social media platform TikTok to post a video of players “storming” the museum and “demanding” Blathers “empty the tanks.”

“The problem is the museum starts off as empty and the tanks are only filled if you decide to catch fish and give them to Blathers, so whoever at PETA made this video would’ve had to go and fish for the museum exhibits themselves – before then protesting their existence,” the outlet noted.

Notably absent from PETA’s virtual protest is the fact that Animal Crossing players can also catch bugs for the museum.

It’s not the first time PETA has leeched off Animal Crossing’s popularity to remind people the organization is against fun. In March, The Daily Wire reported on PETA’s guide to living a vegan lifestyle in the fictional game.

“It’s disappointing that a game in which villagers from all different species (from elephants and ducks to deer and pigs) coexist harmoniously with humans encourages abusive behavior toward fish and insects. Instead of being recognized as the living, breathing, feeling individuals they are, they’re presented as forms of entertainment for the other villagers. Your island should be a safe space for all animals, big and small,” PETA said in its guide.

At that time, PETA also called for players not to catch bugs. The organization claimed there were plenty of ways to have fun in Animal Crossing without catching bugs and fish (the two main sources of income for players who want to upgrade their islands). The examples PETA gave were dull, however, insisting players can have fun by decorating their island with a bonfire and then sitting around it. Nothing happens in the game when you sit around a bonfire. You just… sit there. No one buys a video game to do nothing but sit around in front of objects.