PETA Urges Nintendo to Modify This Mario Kart World Character And It Sounds Kind of Ridiculous
The animal rights organization PETA has issued an open letter asking Nintendo to remove the nose ring from the Cow character in Mario Kart World, arguing that the current design promotes animal cruelty and contrasts with the playful tone of the game.
PETA Wants Nintendo to Remove Noise Ring from Moo Moo in Mario Kart World
In the letter addressed to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, PETA claims the nose ring shown on the Moo Moo character reflects real-life practices in industrial farming, where cattle are allegedly subjected to painful treatment. According to the organization, nose rings are often used to control animals by yanking their heads via the septum, which can cause chronic pain, discomfort, and emotional stress.
PETA senior vice president Joel Bartlett said the Moo Moo character’s cheerful expression masks the reality of how cattle are treated and may unintentionally glamorize animal cruelty in a family-friendly game. The group maintains that including such design elements risks undermining empathy for livestock, especially among younger players for whom the game is intended.
The organization has also initiated a campaign through its youth-focused division, Peta2, encouraging supporters to urge Nintendo to redesign the character. PETA argues that removing the nose ring would better align with the whimsical and lighthearted aesthetic of Mario Kart World, while providing Nintendo with an opportunity to make a positive statement with little effort.
It’s Not PETA’s First Time Against Nintendo
This latest effort follows a series of campaigns targeting Nintendo titles over more than a decade. Previous actions include criticisms of fur-wearing in Super Mario 3D Land, a protest against in-game fishing and bug catching in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and calls to depict dairy farming more realistically in the 1-2-Switch mini games.
Although Nintendo has not responded to the letter, PETA’s campaigns against high-profile game releases suggest the organization aims to raise awareness about real-world agricultural practices through media attention rather than expecting immediate action from the gaming company.
Personally for me, the nose ring adds a bit of flair to the character, which would otherwise look like a regular bland cow in a game filled with colorful characters. We shouldn’t read too deeply into things in games and if we start taking every element too seriously, then we’re going to start having a whole lot of issues. There’s Mario abusing Yoshi by hitting him in the head to stick his tongue out or Princess Peach having to constantly be around her serial kidnapper, Bowser.
At the time of writing, Mario Kart World continues to feature the nose ring on the Moo Moo character, and Nintendo has made no public comment on the request.
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