Camel in fancy dress made to parade through music festival
THE RSPCA has criticised a music festival in Brighton for allowing organisers to drag a camel dressed in bright pompoms through crowds of fans.
The animal welfare charity said that the experience of the noisy and crowded Land Beyond festival would have been “stressful” for the animal.
In a statement, it said: “The RSPCA would have welfare concerns about any animal having to appear at a festival. The large crowds of partying people and loud music at such an event, as well as the transport there and back, is likely to be very stressful.
“We question the necessity of taking a camel to an event like this.”
It added that “animals such as camels are naturally social, so being exhibited alone, without a suitable companion animal, would compound the stress”.
Festival-goers who witnessed organisers dragging the camel around said it was “modern-day animal cruelty” as it was forced to endure music blasted from tents.
Sophie Wilkinson uploaded a photo of the animal on Instagram with the caption: “Why did Rox Promotions think it was acceptable to bring a camel into their festival? Owners were seen abusing the animal, and it was visibly distressed by the noise/drunk people.”
Kyna Walker, who was also at the event, said: “Very unnecessary for a camel or any animal to be at a festival, especially a rowdy drum and bass one.”
Land Beyond and the company that provided the camel insisted that the animal was well looked after.
The festival was called off on Saturday due to high winds but went ahead on Sunday with Dizzee Rascal headlining the event.