Is animal cruelty a new TV trend?

Indiewire

Stranger Things, The Alienist and The End of the F***ing World have all used animal deaths as plot devices in the past year. But animal-rights groups like PETA are fine with the portrayals -- as long as it's depicted in a negative light. “While gratuitous violence against animals leaves compassionate viewers shocked and sickened, Stephen King, The Alienist, and The End of the F***ing World have all accurately depicted how future serial killers often start by abusing animals,” says PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange. “As long as no live animals are involved in filming, PETA is all for realistic on-screen portrayals showing what animals endure in real life at the hands of evil humans.