By Trish Svoboda

The animal rights activist group PETA recently issued a letter to Aaron Landrum, CEO of Chance Rides regarding its use of animal-themed carousels. Chance Rides is based out of Wichita and is one of the leading manufacturers of amusement rides in the U.S.

In the letter PETA president Ingrid Newkirk asked that the company to end the manufacturing of animal-themed carousels, and to instead “exclusively produce figures in the shape of vehicles, such as cars, unicycles, tractors, airplanes, rockets, and bulldozers.” She also suggests more whimsical designs for children, such as rainbows, shooting stars, and brooms.

In Newkirk’s letter, she mentions that animals used for entertainment purposes, such as rides, are confined and often abused, and that carousels featuring animal themes inadvertently glorify the exploitation of sentient beings.

Newkirk also states in the letter that following talks with PETA, other companies have updated product images, citing Barnum’s animal crackers as an example, saying Nabisco changed their designs from caged animals to wild free-roaming animals. She also says Trader Joe’s changed the design of three of its products to no longer include elephants performing tricks.

We reached out to Chance Rides and have not heard back as of the time of this publication.