Turtle races at popular L.A. pub face growing opposition from activists

For almost 50 years, Brennan's bar in Marina Del Rey has drawn crowds with a rather unusual and polarizing form of entertainment—turtle races. Every other Thursday night, people pack into the venue, whooping and hollering for their favorite red-eared slider turtles as the little guys crawl out of a circular area, with an announcer providing an enthusiastic play-by-play. Animal rights organizations are currently putting pressure on Brennan's to permanently end these races, claiming that they violate the instincts and habits of the turtles.

The charity organization In Defense of Animals is leading the effort to end Brennan's turtle racing. Around 12,000 signatures have been added to the group's petition this year, and protesters have assembled just outside the bar. Former Baywatch star and well-known animal activist Alexandra Paul is among the most prominent opponents of the races. 

"We really feel that 49 years is enough," Paul stated. "It would be wonderful if Brennan's decided to stop this really outdated form of entertainment for humans."

The protesters contend that forcing turtles to race goes against their inherent behavior patterns and subjects them to undue stress and distress. They assert that the races constitute a form of animal abuse, despite Brennan's claims that the turtles are well-tended to.

Brennan's owners have defended their treatment of the turtles in a formal statement. They say a veterinary technician is on staff to care for the animals. The turtles only leave their habitat for around 10 minutes on race nights and are never forced to race if they don't want to.

"None of them are required to race, as sometimes they prefer to nap or socialize while the others compete," the owners wrote.

They also noted that money raised from bets on the turtle races, potentially up to $30,000 annually, goes to charitable causes like fighting homelessness in Los Angeles. However, activists say raising funds for good causes does not justify exploiting animals.

"It's great that they're raising money for charity, but it shouldn't be at the expense of animals who are being used against their will," said Brittany Michelson, leading the In Defense of Animals campaign.

Videos of the races show Brennan's staff holding the turtles up to the crowd before setting them in the center of a circle to race out. The first one to fully emerge from the circle is declared the winner.

Turtle races are not unique to Brennan's—they are featured at various bars, restaurants, and county fairs nationwide. However, In Defense of Animals is currently focusing on the Marina Del Rey establishment after a resident alerted it to the long-running event.

Alexandra Paul said she initially got involved in the campaign from an intellectual standpoint, extending humane treatment to all animals, including reptiles like turtles, which are often perceived as lacking feelings or emotions.

"They're not usually pets, and when they are, they're not that cuddly," Paul explained. "They don't have expressions on their face. So people regard them as sort of being without feelings."

However, Paul says her research has shown that turtles are indeed sentient creatures with the ability to feel stress and distress. She believes they deserve the same ethical considerations as dogs, cats, and other animals.

For their part, Brennan's owners say they are committed to animal welfare, including offering vegan menu options and donating to animal organizations. They say when they took over seven years ago, they rehabilitated the turtles' habitat to give them ample space.  

However, activists remain steadfast in saying that making turtles engage in unnatural racing for human entertainment crosses an ethical line that Brennan's should leave behind as it approaches 50 years of the controversial tradition.