‍The following article features quotes from an episode of Line Change Podcast with host Ian Kennedy.

The defense steps out from behind the net to find all their options gone: their partner who just passed is being hit, the right wing has blown the zone, the left wing is asking for a pass standing steps from the opposing D, and the center has decided to change before eating a minus. Remove choice from a hockey player, and they’re headed for trouble.

Remove choice from an animal, and it’s trouble just the same. Especially if they are brought to a hockey game.

On a recent episode of the Line Change Podcast, Ian Kennedy spoke with Ashley Byrne, a Campaign Specialist for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), to discuss animals used for entertainment within the sport of hockey.

Even though a raucous hockey rink is natural to rabid hockey fans, as Byrne describes, animals brought into that space “aren’t choosing to be in these big, noisy environments.” The decibel-level or light show may make for a cool feature on the broadcast, but while hockey fans sacrifice their eardrums, Byrne says animals in that environment can become overwhelmed.

“The animals don’t choose it. They don’t know what’s going on. And you can imagine that would be terrifying, if you had no clue, and you were just brought  to this environment of absolute chaos.”

You can understand why hockey’s history is littered with stories and clips of animals being uncomfortable in the rink.

From escaping condors to bats and rats meeting their demise, the pandemonium has rarely seemed worth the animals' stress. In most cases where the animal was brought to the rink by humans, there seems to be little motive beyond just for kicks. If live animals are brought to rinks, it should be purposeful, such as how many team dogs utilize the noisy game-day environments as training for their future as service animals.

In discussing the playoff tradition of octopi or catfish thrown onto the ice, Byrne pointed to the reality that all species can feel and do not deserve to suffer. The visual of a dead creature on the ice is strikingly violent, but as both Byrne and Kennedy admit, hockey is inherently violent.

As Byrne reminded, a key to hockey is the willingness to engage in the blood and sweat. “The whole point of why you can watch these sports and enjoy them and not feel bad about what you’re seeing is that you have very consenting athletes in there who are engaging in this.”

Hopefully, teams that incorporate animals into team traditions can find more ethical alternatives, such as the Seattle Kraken’s (stuffed) salmon toss because, as Byrne laments, “It’s so different when you throw someone in there who never had a choice.”

Hockey can be rowdy and violent, but that does not mean the rink is a great environment for animals. It might be cool to imagine the mascot come to life, but leave the animals to their own natural environment and choices.

Hockey is wild enough on its own.