PETA Condemns Use of Wild Animals on CBS' TV Adaptation of James Patterson's 'Zoo'

CBS recently premiered "Zoo," a new TV series based on James Patterson's bestselling science fiction thriller novel of the same name. But after the new show aired its pilot episode yesterday, animal rights organization PETA already wants it axed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The group, who met up with the network executives to voice out their concerns regarding the inclusion of live wild animals in the series, found it detestable for the series to use them still in the show despite its petitions for the company never to.

"By producing a show that exploits wild animals, including lions, CBS has proved that it's out of sync with public opinion at a time when people are shunning Sea World's captive orca sideshows, states and counties are passing laws banning wild animal acts and private ownership, and Ringling Bros. is taking elephants off the road," PETA's Foundation Deputy Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement, Brittany Peet, said in a statement, as quoted by Variety.

According to Deadline, among the animals used in the series to depict Patterson's story about wildlife attacking humanity are an 800-pound grizzly bear and a lion, which PETA was most notably concerned about in its statement.

LA Times says that during the advocacy group's talk with CBS, PETA's Senior Vice President, Lisa Lange, said that the "Zoo" team agreed not to use chimpanzees or elephants, but the network out-and-out ignored what they said about using lions for the series adaptation.

"Lions belong in the wild, not confined to tiny cages and forced to perform tricks, often under the threat of beatings. Lions never lose their instinct to be predators," Lange explained, as quoted by LA Times. "They don't thrive in captivity. They need to be among their own," she continues.

During Times Picayune's set interview with "Zoo" showrunner Michael Katleman, he assured that "everyone is extremely concerned about the safety of the animals, our trainers are really safe," which actor James Wolk, who stars as Jackson Oz in the series, seconded during an interview with the Los Angeles Press as stated by Variety.

However, what PETA is after is that CBS won't use any live animals, which the network, as the group points out, failed to comply with. KTIC Radio quotes the organization, who suggested that "CBS should employ only humane and versatile computer-generated imagery, as so many other productions have done. PETA hopes Zoo will be one of this summer's first cancellations."

CBS is yet to respond to PETA's statements but "Zoo" actors, as well as its co-executive producer, said beforehand via Boston Herald that they "love animals and nobody wants to create an environment that's anti-animal."

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