Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton is facing backlash for his association with the Iditarod, the 1,000-mile Alaskan sled dog race.
Formerly “PETA UK’s Person of the Year,” Hamilton is in hot water after dining with Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei. Unfortunately for Hamilton, Liberty Media — Formula 1’s parent company — is also an Iditarod sponsor. According to a press release, during the race “150 dogs have died from being forced to pull heavy sleds through some of the most extreme weather conditions on the planet.”
Lewis Hamilton’s long history of animal advocacy
Without a doubt, Hamilton’s condemnation is surprising. After all, the seven-time world champion is a well-known animal advocate. Not only is Hamilton a vegan, but he regularly uses his platform to advocate for animal rights. Hamilton was an executive producer for the documentary “The Game Changers,” which exposed the myth that animal protein is vital to elite athletic performance.
Amazingly, even Hamilton’s own dog, Roscoe the Bulldog, follows a strict vegan diet. Hamilton has said, “ [Roscoe] eats quinoa and vegetables every day and it’s literally changed his life. He’s like a puppy again at nine years old.”
Finally, Hamilton has even gone as far as creating his own vegan fast-food chain. Funded jointly with Leonardo Dicaprio, UK-based Neat Burger recently expanded into the US early in 2022.
Public backlash against PETA
With all the work Hamilton has done to stand up for animals, PETA’s aggressiveness towards him seems misplaced. On Twitter, many of Hamilton’s followers quickly came to his defense. Not surprisingly, they felt that PETA was in the wrong, considering all of Hamilton’s work for animals.
In response, PETA’s official Twitter claimed that their intent was not to criticize Hamilton but to encourage him to speak out against the questionable ethics of sled dog racing. And not without reason, either. In their press release, PETA claims that hundreds of dogs suffer exhaustion and injury during the Iditarod, and many dogs end up perishing. Furthermore, PETA says the race’s official death toll obscures the oppressive training sled dogs endure in order to race.
With that in mind, is it fair to hold Lewis Hamilton accountable for the actions of everyone he associates with?
