PETA’S Benetton World Protest Tour Arrives In Athens

Company Continues to Support Australian Wool Industry’s Abuses of Sheep

For Immediate Release:
7 June 2005

Contact:
Jodi Ruckley +44 20 7357 9229, ext. 234
 
Athens – Mimicking a gruesome procedure used by the Australian wool industry called “mulesing” (live flaying), a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Europe – wearing a sheep costume and exposing his “bloody” rump – will lead a protest outside Benetton’s store in Athens on Wednesday. Led by Australian Jodi Ruckley, Italian Simona Stefani and a local resident, the action is part of a world tour of protests against Benetton over its use of cruelly obtained Australian wool:

Date: Wednesday, June 8
Time: 12 noon sharp
Place: Benetton Ermou 52

During the “mulesing” demonstration, demonstrators will encourage consumers to boycott Benetton by displaying posters with graphic images of mutilated Australian lambs. PETA Europe wants Benetton to join the retailer-led movement to reform the Australian wool industry by pledging not to sell garments made with Australian wool until mulesing and live sheep exports are ended.

Mulesing is a painful mutilation in which Australian farmers use gardening shears to cut skin and flesh from lambs’ backsides – without painkillers – in a crude attempt to reduce maggot infestation, even though humane control methods exist. Every year, millions of sheep are shipped to the Middle East through all weather extremes, mired in their own waste aboard open-decked ships. Sick and injured sheep are thrown overboard to the sharks or ground up alive in mincing machines. When the survivors reach the Middle East, their throats are slit while they are still conscious.

PETA U.S. declared an international boycott of Australian wool in October 2004 and has already won the positive response of prestigious US retailers Abercrombie & Fitch, J.Crew, Timberland, Limited Brands, and UK-based mega-chains New Look and George, but Benetton refuses to follow their lead.

“The ‘united colours’ of Benetton are turning blood red”, says PETA Europe Campaign Coordinator Jodi Ruckley. “If Benetton doesn’t want to have the blood of millions of lambs and their mothers on its hands, it should refuse to sell clothes made from Australian wool.”

The tour includes protests in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. For more information and to view a video of mulesing and live export, please visit UnitedCrueltyOfBenetton.com.

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