Irish horse owner and trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon has rejected claims from animal rights organisation PETA that his decision to bring a horse into a bar was a publicity stunt.
On Monday, Mr Hanlon posted a video on Twitter of himself leading the American Grand National Winning horse ‘Hewick’ into a pub. The seven-year-old was paraded around 'The Pint Depot' pub in Carlow as part of his homecoming after winning over €160,000 for his connections with his victory on US soil.
Today, PETA, which is a not-for-profit organisation that stands for 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,' claimed that Hanlon’s decision to bring Hewick into a pub was a ‘publicity stunt’ that was done for a ‘cheap laugh’.