Crystal Palace is facing renewed pressure to retire its live eagle mascot, Phoenix, after animal rights group PETA wrote to the club arguing that a football stadium is “no place for animals.” The Premier League club has been asked to stop using the bald eagle and to commit to never having a live animal mascot again.
PETA's letter to Crystal Palace
In a letter dated September 1 and signed by PETA's senior corporate projects manager, Dr Carys Bennett, the group addressed Crystal Palace chief executive Sharon Lacey. The letter stated that a “bright stadium filled with boisterous fans is no place for animals,” and argued that under such conditions, birds easily become “frightened, disoriented, and panicked – placing themselves and others at risk.”
PETA pointed to previous incidents involving birds used as mascots, including an owl being killed after being hit by a ball, eagles crashing into walls or glass windows, and a falcon landing on a supporter's head and injuring him with its talons. The organisation also noted that eagles naturally fly over large territories, spend much of their time high in trees, and would generally avoid humans.
Eagle Heights defends Phoenix
Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation, where Phoenix lives, has defended her appearances. The foundation said Phoenix attends the Fan Zone before matches rather than the matches themselves, and supporters are not permitted to handle her. In a statement, the organisation said: “Her wellbeing is continually assessed, and we would withdraw her from appearances immediately if we believed they were no longer appropriate for her.”
Eagle Heights also described Phoenix as “far more than a football club mascot,” saying her appearances introduce birds of prey to thousands of football supporters who might otherwise never visit a wildlife centre. The foundation's defence follows a social media post showing Phoenix at Crystal Palace's recent match against Nottingham Forest, where she “stole the show once again.”
PETA's response and club's position
Dr Carys Bennett responded to Eagle Heights' defence, saying: “Bald eagles are revered as symbols of freedom, yet Phoenix is being used as little more than a prop to entertain football fans. Crystal Palace already has a human mascot to energise supporters, so there's no reason to drag a wild animal into a noisy, crowded stadium. PETA is urging the club to let Phoenix spread his wings and retire him from matchday duties for good.”
PETA noted that Crystal Palace already has a human mascot, Pete the Eagle, and pointed to other teams that have stopped using live animals, including Tottenham Hotspur and Barnsley. Phoenix succeeded Palace's previous eagle mascot Kayla, who died in 2020, and made her official debut in August 2024. Crystal Palace has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded publicly.
