PETA’S Angry ‘Bear’ Makes One Last Visit To Buck Palace Before Packing Bags For Canada

‘Bear’ to Hound the Queen During Her Upcoming Visit to Canada Over Cruel Killing of Canadian Bears for Guards’ Hats

For Immediate Release:
3 May 2005

Contact:
Andrew Butler 020 7357 9229, ext. 230
Dawn Carr 020 7357 9229, ext. 224

London − Disguised as a bear and wearing a sign reading, “Save My Skin”, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will attempt to march alongside the Queen’s Guards as the Queen hosts a reception for young Canadians at Buckingham Palace. The “bear’s” visit to the Queen is part of PETA’s international campaign to urge HRH and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to switch to faux fur for the Guards’ bearskin hats, and it comes just ahead of the Queen’s trip to Canada:

Date: Tuesday, 3 May
Time: 11:30 am during the changing of the guard
Place: Buckingham Gate, Buckingham Palace

PETA’s ‘bear’ will then follow the Queen to each of her public engagements during her visit to Canada, from 17 to 25 May, to remind the monarch that animals are not fabric. It can take the entire hide of one bear to make just one Guard’s headpiece. The skins come from bears killed in Canada, many of whom are shot several times before they die, while some escape the hunters and bleed to death. When mother bears are killed, they leave behind orphaned cubs who cannot survive on their own.

After months of campaigning, PETA reached the negotiating table with the MoD and provided its clothing team with a beautiful faux-fur sample, which is currently undergoing trials. While PETA sees this as a step in the right direction, it is not acceptable that the MoD continues to allow bears to be killed for these hats while the trials are underway.

“It is outrageous that bears continue to be killed in Canada for a ceremonial hat in Britain”, says PETA Campaign Coordinator Andrew Butler. “Our bear will follow the Queen to demand an immediate ceasefire for the bears while the modern synthetic bearskins are being tested.”

Among those supporting PETA’s campaign for a ban on bear fur in the Household Guards’ headwear are Sir Roger Moore, Morrissey, Julian Clary, Pamela Anderson, Twiggy, Imogen Bailey, Amanda Holden and Hayley Mills.

For more information, please visit UnbearableCruelty.com.

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