No more Pets in Race Season!!?!??

Was there a reason behind this decision? As a Race Season streamer, it's important to look cool while speed-running. It also helps advertise micro-transactions. These are two awesome benefits. I just don't understand why this element of the Race Season was removed. And I would like it returned.

I just purchased the crowned red frog from the daily deal thinking I would get to use him in Race 1 of Season 5...how disappointed I am.

my gold kiwi has almost died from not getting enough fresh air.
so i went back to standart and got him out of the pokeball

What? This means I can't have a tiny rhoa mocking my corpse postmortem.

All jokes aside, this is an important issue. Is there no valid reason for this unannounced change?

I agree. This is very serious problem indeed. No longer can my faithful weta pet follow me through races. I feel lonely, for I mostly race solo.

Pets were useful as desync detectors during races. Why the change?

^

please give them back, we care for the little bastards !!

Bump! There are players out there who only/mostly play PoE for the races. You must want us to be happy purchasers of micro transactions right!?

^