Animal rights activists are calling for the retirement of Eintracht Frankfurt’s eagle, saying it’s too old.
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For twenty years, Attila the golden eagle , now 22, has been Eintracht Frankfurt's living mascot and a beloved presence among fans. But animal rights organization PETA is calling for his retirement, arguing that the noise and atmosphere of the stadium are placing excessive stress on the now elderly animal .
The club, however, sees no reason to end this long-standing tradition. According to Bild , PETA has contacted the club several times to raise the issue, but the discussions were reportedly relatively calm. Eintracht officials are confident that Attila is doing well and emphasize that the eagle has been accustomed to the presence of people and the stadium environment since he was a baby. Furthermore, he is only used for limited periods: before kick-off, he performs his traditional lap of honor on the arm of his trusted falconer, Norbert Lawitschka , remaining on the pitch for about half an hour in total.
He is then returned to a large enclosure inside the vehicle, where he can eat and rest peacefully. Only after victories or particularly positive performances is he allowed back on the pitch to celebrate with the team. According to the club, therefore, there's no question of subjecting the animal to hours of noise and stress: Attila must not fly around the arena or perform acrobatics.
The club also maintains that it complies with all official regulations and assures that the eagle's well-being remains its priority. PETA is calling not only for Attila's retirement, but also for no more animal mascots to be used in stadiums in the future.
Among the alternatives proposed by the organization are an eagle drone or a hologram. This solution is hard for Eintracht to imagine: Attila is now part of the club's history.