Animal rights group PETA urges Nintendo to remove "cruel" nose ring from Mario Kart World's Cow

Controversial animal rights group PETA has been met with mixed reactions once again after it called for the nose ring to be removed from Mario Kart World’s popular Cow character.

The details:

• Over the years, the cows seen in Mario Kart’s Moo Moo Meadows track have become loved among fans with their adorable grins and peaceful nature. After various calls by fans to include them in more Mario-related content, Nintendo confirmed that a cow would be joining the cast of Mario Kart World, becoming one of the game’s most popular characters.
• However, not everyone is happy about the character’s appearance. PETA has issued a statement urging the redesign of the cow to remove its nose ring, which it describes as a "tool of cruelty that causes lasting pain and discomfort" to its real-world counterpart. "We know Mario Kart World is just a game—and that's exactly why Cow's nose ring needs to go," the organization wrote. "Mario Kart is supposed to be a fun escape, not a reminder of the painful tools used on cows in the meat and dairy industries. No one wants to think about animal suffering while zipping around a racetrack."
• This is not the first time PETA has run into an issue with Nintendo games, with the group campaigning against some of the developer's biggest franchises for around two decades. The organization has claimed that Animal Crossing: New Horizons promotes "abusive behavior toward fish and insects” and created graphic games to protest against the battling and capturing of Pokemon as well as Mario's tanooki suit.

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