PETA Calls Out 'Washed-Up' Aaron Lewis for Dead Coyote Display

Late last week, Staind frontman Aaron Lewis posted on social media a photo of himself with a few other hunters posing with the carcasses of 32 dead coyotes to spell out "Trump 24." The photo immediately started to garner some backlash, even from some of Lewis' longtime supporters, and now PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has offered their rebuke of Lewis' actions.

Lewis is an avid hunter, who had previously co-hosted the show On the Road Outdoors. In his posting, he noted, "Another incredible 3 night hunt," also commenting, "Who knew it would take exactly 32 dead coyotes to write such a poignant message to this amazing country we are all watching crumble before our eyes."

WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGERY AHEAD (NSFW)

The singer has also been vocal in recent years sharing his support of former President Donald Trump (who is currently facing 91 felony charges in court and was impeached a record number of times while serving his single four-year term in office) and calling out current President Joe Biden during concerts, so his display spelling out his support for "Trump 24" does not come as much of a surprise to most of his fans.

As stated, after his initial posting of the photo of the dead coyotes, there were many calling out the disturbing nature of using the dead animals to share his message. "I don't care if it's legal or not.... I find this very disturbing. I'm a Republican and this is horrible... it takes a very evil heart to do this... unfollowing and hopefully you loose [sic] a lot of fans... I'm definitely not giving up my money for you," wrote one apparent ex-fan.

"This is so disturbing. Sociopath shit," writes another person, while someone else comments, "You've lost me as a fan now."

"Your music helped me though [sic] some of the darkest times in my life. And now I find you hateful and disgusting. I even tattooed one of your songs on me to remind me that I'll be ok. I wish you were," another person expressed.

But what about PETA? The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals didn't hold back in their critique of Lewis' display, with PETA's senior vice president Lisa Lange issuing a statement to Billboard that read, “How vile and pathetic that a washed-up musician, desperate for relevance, terrorized and killed animals to get a brief taste of the attention he obviously craves."

She continues, “Just like the dogs who share our homes, coyotes feel pain and fear and love their families, and because they’re one of the few species found in nearly every U.S. state, they’re beloved by many as America’s ‘song dog.’ PETA encourages Aaron Lewis to seek attention through some act of kindness, rather than slaughtering individuals who are simply trying to eke out an existence in an increasingly paved-over world.”

The posting comes during a time in which Staind are making their return to the music scene. The band went on hiatus in 2012, while Lewis turned his attention to his first solo album in the country music scene. After returning for some select shows in 2014, the band again went on an extended hiatus. Over that period, Lewis continued with his solo career while guitarist Mike Mushok spent a majority of his time with the Adam Gontier-fronted Saint Asonia.

Then, in 2019, Staind announced their return for some live dates and while touring has kept them active in recent years, new music had not been part of the equation until earlier this year when they released "Lowest in Me" as the lead single from their Confessions of the Fallen album, which arrived just month.