PETA Warns ‘Fear Factor’: Your Old Animal-Abusing Schtick Would Break the Law

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2025

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7381

Because Canadian animal welfare laws explicitly forbid causing an animal unnecessary suffering and distress, PETA has sent a letter to the executive producers of Fear Factor: The Next Chapter—which is currently filming in British Columbia—urging them to follow the law by using only willing human contestants in the show’s revival. Fear Factor, which first premiered more than 20 years ago, is infamous for pushing contestants to wrangle ostriches, grab alligators by their tails, ride bulls, eat live worms and arachnids, and otherwise harass, harm, and exploit animals—and as PETA notes, modern audiences are increasingly opposed to mistreating animals for entertainment.

“Fear Factor may have gotten away with chasing, yanking on, and eating live animals in the past, but times have changed, and that abuse won’t fly today, especially in British Columbia,” says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “PETA is urging Fear Factor’s executive producers to get with the times and stay on the right side of the law by leaving fearful, unconsenting animals out of the production.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Executive Producer, Sharon Levy, follows.

Dear Ms. Levy,

I’m writing on behalf of PETA’s 10.4 million members worldwide and everyone who cares about animal welfare, about Fear Factor: The Next Chapter. Given the show’s history of exploiting and harming animals, we’re asking you to allow only willing human participants to compete and leave animals out of the reboot.

Since Fear Factor’s original run over twenty years ago, audiences have become overwhelmingly opposed to mistreating animals for a television show. Some of the situations that Fear Factor has put animals through in the past—such as bull riding, yanking alligators by their tails, and wrangling ostriches—are contrary to the letter and spirit of Canadian law.

British Columbia’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, RSBC 1996, c 372, explicitly forbids causing an animal distress, including mental suffering caused by anxiety. In past segments, frenzied competitors—ignorant and uninformed of standards, regulations, or practices regarding animal handling—corral, chase, and grapple animals, inflicting significant psychological and emotional distress.

No preparation or precautions on set can spare animals from suffering fear and experiencing long-term ill effects when contestants scream in their faces, grab and pull their limbs, and stuff them into their mouths.

Animals in these types of “challenges” fear for their lives—they can’t know that it’s part of a show. We urge you to reflect on the societal changes that have occurred since the early days of Fear Factor and commit to using only consenting human contestants.

May we please hear from you right away?

Thank you for your attention. I can set up a meeting with one of our experts to discuss this issue further if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kevin Cody

Assistant Manager, Animals in Film and Television