Airline Bans Shark Fins, Animal Trophies, and Animals Bound for Laboratories

For Immediate Release:

02 November 2015

Contact:

Harriet Barclay +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext. 264; [email protected]

AIRLINE BANS SHARK FINS, ANIMAL TROPHIES, AND ANIMALS BOUND FOR LABORATORIES

TAP Portugal Confirms End to the Shipment of Animals Destined for Experiments and Body Parts of Endangered Animals

Lisbon — Following talks with TAP Portugal—Portugal’s leading airline—PETA US has just confirmed a company-wide ban on all shipments of shark fins, animals bound for laboratories, and animal trophies. As the number one airline between Europe and Brazil, TAP has connections to 84 destinations in 35 countries, and operates 2500 flights every week.

“By ending the shipment of shark fins, animal trophies, and animals bound for laboratories, TAP Portugal has taken a stand against industries that kill and exploit animals around the world,” says PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi. “PETA is urging other airlines to follow in their forward-thinking footsteps now.”

As noted by PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way,” TAP Portugal joins most major airlines in the world—including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, TAM Airlines, El Al Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, and dozens of others—in banning the transport of primates to laboratories. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have also banned the shipment of the body parts of endangered animals. By refusing to ship shark fins, TAP has also struck a blow to the shark finning industry, which kills nearly 100 million sharks and billions of other sea animals

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.