PETA slams Sabrina Carpenter For Performing With A Live Dove At The Grammys
Last month, some of today's biggest stars gathered in Los Angeles for the 2026 Grammy Awards, where there were several noteworthy performers. One of whom was Sabrina Carpenter, who was up for several major awards during the night.
For her big solo performance, she sang one of her latest hit songs, "Manchild," and danced around in a setup meant to emulate an airport. She sang in an all-white pilot's costume as she danced and sang amongst male dancers dressed like various airport employees. At the end of her performance, as she climbed some steps up to a model plane, she sat on stage with a live, white dove in her hands. The dove flapped its wings as it sat in her hand before the cameras cut, and the song was over.
Although fans got a kick out of the jam-packed show, after the Grammys aired, the animal rights organization, PETA, sent out a scathing message to the "Espresso" singer, and called her "childlike" in their social media post caption.
"Hey Sabrina, bringing a live bird onto the Grammys stage is stupid, slow, useless, and cruel!" they wrote in an Instagram post, referencing her song lyrics. "Bright lights, loud noise, and handling cause fear and distress for a bird [that] belongs flying free in the open sky."
Fans React To Sabrina's Performance & PETA's Statement
The reaction from the famous organization ended causing an online debate following the Grammy Awards, and suddenly, the few seconds the bird was on stage with Sabrina were suddenly one of the most examined moments of the evening.
On social media platforms like Instagram, there were mixed reactions to what PETA had to say about Sabrina's performance, and there were numerous users who agreed with them.
"I love Sabrina, but I saw the bird, and I was like, ' Why?" commented a user.
"She doesn't respect animals," added another.
One user commented that the use of the bird was "just wrong," as another wrote that "animals are not for human entertainment."
There were a few users who felt the organization was being "dramatic," and that the use of the bird "wasn't that bad." We'll be curious to see if Sabrina addresses the backlash she's received, but for now, it sounds like the fans defending her are bringing her some relief.