Will Ralphie VII Be a Bionic Buffalo? PETA Offers Animatronic Replacement for CU Boulder’s Live Bison Mascots

For Immediate Release:
August 29, 2025

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Here comes…Robo-Ralphie? Following the news that the University of Colorado Boulder will retire its live bison mascot, Ralphie VI, who made it clear that she hated being forced to sprint around a packed football stadium, PETA is calling on the school to scrap plans to replace her with another suffering bison and instead switch to an animatronic buffalo—and offering to help cover the costs. In a letter sent today to the university’s Chancellor, Dr. Justin Schwartz, PETA staffer and recent CU Boulder graduate Audrey Endres points out that Ralphie VI’s preference for roaming and grazing in peace is true for all bison.

“Ralphie VI’s Folsom Field blues should be a wake-up call that no animal wants to be subjected to the chaos and confusion of a crowded stadium full of bright lights and screaming fans,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is calling on CU Boulder to put these cruel sideline spectacles out to pasture and dazzle fans with a state-of-the-art robotic ruminant instead.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out thatEvery 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 Schwartz follows.

August 29, 2025

Dr. Justin Schwartz

Chancellor

University of Colorado Boulder

Dear Chancellor Schwartz:

I hope you’re having a great start to the school year. I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 10 million members and supporters globally, and as a 2024 CU Boulder alum. We were happy to hear that CU decided to honor Ralphie VI’s wishes and retire her to relax on the pasture instead of making her run across football fields.  Now is a prime time to consider what’s in the best interest of all bison and end the use of live mascots entirely. To help with the transition, PETA will help cover the cost of an animatronic animal to use instead. Please consider the following.

Using live animals as mascots is often a recipe for disaster. Bevo, the longhorn steer used by the University of Texas, once broke out of an enclosure and charged the University of Georgia’s bulldog mascot, Uga, nearly trampling him. Mascots from falcons to big cats have sustained physical injuries because they were being used as living props. Even if animals aren’t physically harmed, they would never choose to be paraded in front of raucous crowds and treated as spectacles rather than living, feeling beings with interests, personalities, and needs. Ralphie VI clearly demonstrated that she would prefer to roam and graze peacefully, and this is true for all bison.

In their natural habitat, bison are free-roaming social animals who thrive in vast, open spaces in herds with other members of their species. They’ll never thrive in a stadium where they’re made to sprint for screaming sports fans. However, an animatronic bison would be built for these scenarios. She could pump up the team and ignite school spirit, and no live bison would be forced to run when she’d rather be grazing.

Nothing says “Sko Buffs!” less than an unhappy buffalo. We hope to hear that you’ll continue to lead with compassion by not using any more live mascots.  Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Audrey Endres
Animals in Entertainment Campaign Coordinator