Animal Rights Organisation PETA has called for Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show to be investigated for animal cruelty, after various celebrities, including Steve Irwin’s son Robert Irwin, Jacob Anderson, and Kate Beckinsale have brought animals onto the show for entertainment purposes.
PETA is allegedly livid with the show, after they hired Grant Kemmerer, for Wild World of Animals, having him produce a segment where celebrities interact with wild animals, including physically touching them, with Beckinsale even poking an African Bullfrog.
Jacob Anderson, who plays the beloved Greyworm on HBO’s Game of Thrones, was even once locked into a phonebooth with Kemmerer, Jimmy Fallon… and a python snake.
On various occasions, the Australian Wildlife ambassador for Australia Zoo – Bob Irwin – has brought on an alligator, a millipede, a miniature horse, and a mandrill.
WATCH: Bob Irwin plays with wild animals on Jimmy Fallon
The investigation from PETA, whose aim involves wildlife conservation, was initiated with a letter to the New York City Health Department, claiming that Grant Kemmerer hasn’t gained permission to let any person aside from himself and his own employees touch or interact with the wildlife and exotic animals.
However, Kemmerer has insisted that his involvement in the Hollywood NBC show creates an exception.
“Fallon or Robert Irwin are not the public,” Kemmerer told Page Six. “It was deemed even people in the audience are not looked at as the public— in the eyes of the USDA — because they’re paying for an entertainment show and expect this type of show. … You’re not going to pull out a random animal and hope it goes OK.”
“We are alleviating any potential risk, and for Jimmy Fallon, he’s not going into this unknowing,” he added. “He is a participating person in this. They’re having Robert on there to bring the animals.”
The Department of Health has confirmed to Page Six that it’s currently reviewing PETA’s official letter and their allegations, though they couldn’t provide the permits.
“Animals suffer every time they’re exposed to the chaos of a television set and passed around like props,” PETA’s Senior Vice President Lisa Lange released in a statement. “PETA is calling on authorities to throw the book at this hack for brazenly violating—on camera—the clear conditions of his exhibitor permits.”
PETA’s letter is calling for Kemmerer to have The Tonight Show to cut ties with him. They also want to cease any and all use of animals on the show.
A source close to The Tonight Show told the publication that, “The safety of animals is important to everyone at the show and we take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety.”
There has been no word from the Irwin family about the claims from PETA, being people for the ethical treatment of animals, we can only imagine that their stance would be to keep animals in their natural habitats and ensure the conservation of animals.
WATCH: Rob Irwin appears on Jimmy Fallon
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