Hiding the Bloody Reality! PETA Advert Urging MoD to Drop Bearskin Rejected
Hiding the Bloody Reality! PETA Advert Urging MoD to Drop Bearskin Rejected
Windsor – An advertising firm in Windsor has rejected a proposal by PETA to run adverts on buses and bus stops in the town exposing the “bloody reality” of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) bearskin caps – notably that it takes the skin of at least one bear to make a single cap – and urging the Ministry to replace the bearskin with a humane and indistinguishable faux fur. In its justification for the rejection, the ad agency cited a conflict due to the association with the monarchy – but PETA notes that this is an illogical conclusion given that the late Queen was fur-free and King Charles is open about prioritising sustainability and environmental endeavours.
The MoD long ago committed to ending the use of real bear fur for the caps once a suitable alternative was found, and recent laboratory tests confirm that luxury faux furrier ECOPEL’s faux bear fur performs as well as or better than real bear fur against five criteria set by the ministry. The company has even offered to supply an unlimited amount of the faux fur free of charge until 2030, yet the MoD continues to resist making the switch. This inaction left King Charles with no option but to wear bearskin at last weekend’s Trooping the Colour parade, making him appear out of touch with the values of 21st century Britain.
“Making ceremonial caps from real fur goes against public opinion, ignores the values of a nation of animal-lovers, and undermines the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, who rejected fur in her later years,” says PETA Senior Campaigns Manager Kate Werner. “The unjustifiable rejection of this ad won’t stop PETA from continuing to demand that the MoD honour its commitment and embrace modern, humane faux fur.”
Over 90% of the UK public rejects wearing animal fur, and 75% consider the bearskin caps to be a poor use of taxpayer money. In Canada, hunters are granted tags to kill bears for fun – and some even use bows and arrows. The bears are often shot several times before they die, while others escape only to bleed to death. Nursing mothers may also be killed, leaving behind cubs who starve without them.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow the group on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.
Contact:
Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]
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