NEWPORT, R.I. (WLNE) — PETA has offered the City of Newport to help fund restoration on the Easton Beach Carousel if the city chooses to use non-animal pieces for the ride.
In a letter to Mayor Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong the organization said that more “imaginative” designs could be used, including cars, unicycles, tractors, airplanes, rockets, bulldozers, shooting stars, rainbows, or brooms.
The mayor’s office said that it has tasked the City Administration to find possible locations to relocate and restore the carousel.
PETA said that the use of horses on the carousel is “archaic” and “unintentionally normalizes animal exploitation.”
“Horses are affectionate, loyal individuals, not living taxis, and updating archaic carousel designs would help reinforce to impressionable young people that all sentient beings deserve our respect,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said. “PETA is eager to help the Newport City Council restore the Easton’s Beach Carousel with a modern spin that engages children’s imaginations and helps create a kinder world for all animals.”
Mayor Khamsyvoravong responded by saying that the restoration will be a “community decision” and that all voices are welcome to give input.
The mayor’s full statement can be read below:
At this time, we have asked the administration to determine what the best next steps are for Newport’s cherished carousel, and this involves some substantial logistics
Ultimately, this will be a community decision and we will welcome all voices from our community to be involved in that discussion.
At the end of the day, my job is to ensure Newporters have the final say on how best to bring back this part of our community’s history.
