Go Fake for the Bears’ Sake: Simon Pegg Stars in New PETA Campaign

After fending off zombies, outsmarting spies, and travelling through space on screen, actor, writer, and comedian Simon Pegg has a powerful new mission with PETA.

In a poster campaign shot by renowned photographer Rankin, Pegg shows off the world’s first faux bear fur and urges the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to replace the bearskins used for the Queen’s Guard’s caps with the animal-friendly material.

Simon Pegg Speaks Out

As well as appearing in the eye-catching poster campaign, Pegg has also spoken out about the tragedy and “disgrace” behind the Queen’s Guard’s caps:

“It’s a disgrace that soldiers in the Queen’s Guard are still parading around with the fur of bears who were gunned down in Canada on their heads. The caps serve no military purpose, and each one costs at least one bear their life. The ceremonial bearskins could easily be replaced with faux fur, retaining the traditional look but eliminating the cruelty. It’s time for the Ministry of Defence to drop the petty excuses and make the switch – it’s what the British public wants and what bears need.”

– Simon Pegg

Go Fake for the Bears’ Sake

Despite the MoD’s claims that the bears are killed as part of Canadian government–sanctioned “culls”, PETA has found no evidence of any Canadian province running – or having previously run – any official black bear culling programmes.

Instead, the Canadian government issues “tags” to hunting enthusiasts, who are then free to bait and kill an allotted number of bears and sell their pelts for profit.p

Bears are cruelly killed for their fur by being shot or ensnared, sometimes for days, in painful traps. During hunts, as many as one bear in seven escapes wounded after being shot only to die slowly from blood loss or starvation.

‘Petty Excuses’

When we submitted a Freedom of Information request to the MoD seeking details to back up its claim, it was forced to admit that it doesn’t have a clue about its bear-fur supply chain.

The ministry is simply spreading misinformation to conceal a grim reality: demand for bear fur is fuelling the slaughter of Canadian black bears.

Faux Fur Is the Future

PETA and luxury faux furrier ECOPEL have developed a faux bear fur that matches the exact length of real bear fur and is 100% waterproof, as confirmed by the MoD’s own accredited laboratory. The faux fur has also been offered for free until 2030, potentially saving taxpayers millions of pounds.

Help Bears: Sign the Petition

The campaign coincides with a government petition launched by Britain’s Got Talent star Alesha Dixon, which seeks 100,000 signatures in order to trigger a parliamentary debate about the MoD’s continued use of bearskin.

Bears need you to add your name now to help us reach that goal: