PETA to Army: Investigate sheep-beating video - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

PETA to Army: Investigate sheep-beating video

The animal rights group PETA is calling on the Army to investigate a video depicting what appears to be soldiers watching while a sheep is beaten with a baseball bat.

In the video, posted to PETA’s website Jan. 13, the sheep is repeatedly clubbed by a man in civilian clothes amid laughter and whooping.

“When you have a group standing around and gratuitously and ineptly smashing at this poor animal, the Army needs to say this won’t be tolerated,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk told Army Times.

She said PETA was sent the video anonymously, and it has since been posted online. She said has heard from current and former service members who condemn the beating, and she is called on the “top brass” to do the same.

“They need to investigate, and if they reach a dead end, they reach a dead end,” Newkirk said. “There is no medal for failing to take it seriously.”

Newkirk said PETA has received no reply to a Nov. 28 letter to Army Secretary John McHugh, Army public affairs chief Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, and Army Provost Marshal General Maj. Gen. David Quantock.

Army spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the 30-second video, the sheep is led into a room by two apparent soldiers and a boy. The man in civilian clothes whacks the sheep with a metal bat while it twitches and tries to walk away. As the video closes, the sheep is being dragged away on its side.

The video contains no obvious indication of the date or location it was filmed, and no names or unit insignias are visible on the bystanders.

Newkirk compared the sheep video to the infamous YouTube video of a Marine tossing a puppy from a cliff. That video led to the ouster of then-Lance Cpl. David Motari in 2008.