Ingrid E Newkirk to the Two Princes – Don’t Kill Birds for Sport

PETA’s founder and managing director, Ingrid E Newkirk, has just sent a letter to Princes William and Harry pleading with them to refrain from killing birds for sport after hearing that William has purchased 250 pheasants, ducks and partridges for a shoot at Sandringham Estate in honour of Harry’s birthday.

“You are in the unique position of being able to wield considerable influence on whether people everywhere view animals and their place in our world with kindness or blithely ignore their suffering”, writes Newkirk. “Please open your hearts to the suffering of birds casually used as skeet, and make the compassionate decision not to kill for fun.”

Ingrid has also appealed to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, to use her influence with the Princes to urge him to reconsider this gift. Hunting and shooting are cruel activities that breed insensitivity towards the suffering of others. They disturb animal populations and damage ecosystems. A YouGov poll taken in late 2010 showed that Britons are overwhelmingly opposed to this kind of violence.