'Bats Would Like a Word': PETA Slammed for Praising OZZY OSBOURNE’s Animal Activism After His Death at 76
Summary
- PETA praised Ozzy Osbourne’s animal rights work, ignoring his history of biting off a bat’s head during a 1982 concert.
- Social media users mocked the tribute, with comments like ‘bats would like a word’ and memes flooding the replies.
- Ozzy had a troubled history with animals but supported anti-declawing campaigns and other causes later in life.
After Ozzy Osbourne’s death at age 76, tributes came pouring in from around the world. Fans, musicians, and public figures honored the legendary frontman of Black Sabbath. But one tribute in particular sparked confusion and criticism: a memorial from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
PETA called Osbourne a “legend and a provocateur” and praised him for “the gentle side he showed to animals.” The group highlighted his work in recent years supporting animal welfare, especially his public stance against cat declawing.
Related
Social media users quickly took issue with the tribute. Many pointed out the irony of praising Osbourne’s compassion for animals given his infamous onstage behavior, most notably biting the head off a bat in 1982 during a concert in Des Moines, Iowa.
One user joked that “bats would like a word.” Another wrote, “How dare you! He killed a bat on stage by biting off its head! How do you support such things!?!?!”
Others wondered if the post was satire, and some asked whether PETA had forgotten its own stance on animal cruelty.
The bat story
The bat incident has followed Osbourne for decades. During the 1982 concert, a fan threw a live bat onto the stage. Osbourne, believing it was a rubber toy, picked it up and bit its head off. He was rushed to a hospital afterward and treated for rabies.
Osbourne has expressed regret over the moment. In interviews, he acknowledged how the event became a permanent part of his legacy. “Whatever else I do,” he once said, “my epitaph will be: Born December 3, 1948. Died, whenever. And he bit the head off a bat.”
The bat wasn’t the only animal caught up in Osbourne’s past. In 1981, he reportedly bit the heads off two doves during a meeting with CBS Records. He had brought the birds intending to release them as a peace gesture. But after a few drinks and growing frustrated with the meeting, he acted out.
PETA’s message
Despite that history, PETA chose to highlight Osbourne’s later years. The group praised him for joining its campaign against declawing cats. In 2020, Osbourne appeared in a graphic ad where his fingertips were shown severed and bloody, paired with the tagline: “It’s an amputation. Not a manicure.”
“Amputating a cat’s toes is twisted and wrong,” Osbourne said at the time. “If your couch is more important to you than your cat’s health and happiness, you don’t deserve to have an animal! Get cats a scratching post, don’t mutilate them for life.”
PETA also credited his wife Sharon and daughter Kelly for standing up for animals. Sharon participated in anti-fur campaigns and donated her own fur coats to the organization. Kelly posed for a PETA campaign supporting seal protection.
The group’s official statement said: “Ozzy will be missed by animal advocates the world over.”
Critics push back
The online response didn’t go the way PETA might have hoped. Critics on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) responded with memes, sarcasm, and disbelief.
One person posted a photo of a bat with the caption: “Are you kidding me?” Another wrote, “I had to check this wasn’t The Onion twice.” Someone else commented, “Be more like Ozzy, bite the heads off of live bats.”
There was also pushback around Osbourne’s history with animals beyond the bat and doves. During a drug-fueled period in the early 1980s, Osbourne admitted to killing the family’s 17 cats in a violent outburst. “I was taking drugs so much I was a f***ed,” he later recalled. “The final straw came when I shot all our cats.” Sharon reportedly found him hiding under a piano in a white suit, holding a shotgun and a knife.
A long, complicated legacy
Ozzy’s relationship with animals changed over time. Later in life, he became more affectionate and protective toward pets, especially cats. His softer side was occasionally visible on his family’s reality TV show, The Osbournes.
In one viral clip, he climbs onto a dressing table to rescue a cat that had jumped up onto a mirror, yelling at his family to “shut the @#$%! up” while trying to bring it down.
He also gave up LSD after spending an hour talking to a horse while high. In the 1980s, he developed a reputation for throwing meat and animal parts into crowds during solo shows. Fans would throw things back, including live snakes, sheep testicles, and once, a large frog.
Osbourne was banned from San Antonio after urinating on the Alamo’s cenotaph in 1982, but he eventually apologized and made peace with the city in 2016.
Final days
Osbourne died surrounded by his family after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. The announcement triggered widespread tributes from fellow musicians and fans. Elton John, Ronnie Wood, and Rod Stewart were among those to express condolences.
Even the Alamo posted a message honoring him, showing just how far he’d come from his controversial past.
Got a tip for us? Email: [email protected]
Ozzy Osbourne spent his last days in the English countryside, just as he had hoped. The rock legend, who passed away at 76, died at his estate in …
