Members of Jet, The Vines Call for End to Seal Hunt

Aussie Bands Join peta2's Campaign Against Bloody Canadian Massacre

The worldwide campaign against Canada's annual slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby harp seals for their skin has just gotten a big boost from the international rock scene. Members of the high-flying Australian bands Jet and The Vines have teamed up with peta2—the world's largest youth animal rights organization—by signing a petition at Australia's Big Day Out Festival calling for an end to the hunt, which is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on Earth. This year's hunt is over, but the petition—which will be sent to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper—calls on the Canadian government to put a permanent end to the bloody slaughter.

Jet—whose members Nic Cester, Mark Wilson, and Cameron Muncey signed the petition and whose debut album Get Born has sold 3.5 million copies—is touring the U.S. through the end of May. The Melbourne band's hit single "Falling Star" is on the new Spider-Man 3 soundtrack. Known for their distinct hybrid of '60s rock and '90s alternative, Sydney-based The Vines first hit pay dirt with the 2004 release Winning Days and are currently working on a new album. Members Craig Nicholls, Ryan Griffiths, and Brad Heald added their names to the petition.

The world has looked on in horror for years as the Canadian government has permitted the annual slaughter of as many as 335,000 baby harp seals. The terrified seals are beaten with clubs, shot, and impaled on hooks, and as many as 42 percent are skinned alive. This year, the hunt continued—despite the fact that thousands of baby harp seals who haven't yet learned how to swim are drowning because the ice floes on which they live are melting. The seal hunt is fueled by the fur industry—demand for any fur is responsible for this bloody massacre.

"The harp seal hunt is the largest massacre of marine mammals on Earth and is a bloody stain on Canada's reputation," says peta2 Youth Marketing Coordinator Lara Sanders. "It's time for Prime Minister Harper to put an end to this disgrace and make this year's slaughter the last."

Jet and The Vines join an ever-growing list of musicians—including Hawthorne Heights, Pink, The Darkness, and Good Charlotte—who have teamed up with peta2 in speaking out against cruelty to animals. Also featured on peta2.com are celebrity interviews, message boards, merchandise, downloadable voice-mail recordings, and chances to win great prizes like free concert tickets, iPods, and more.

For more information and to sign the petition, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Garbage Singer Trashes Fur in Dramatic peta2 Ad, First of its Kind

Shirley Manson Gives Exclusive Interview, Sponsors Big Giveaway at peta2.com

Stunning Shirley Manson is dressed to kill in her new ad for peta2. But the Garbage singer is holding a gruesome accessory—the dead body of a skinned fox—beside the caption “Here’s the Rest of Your Fur Coat.” The ad is a dramatic bid to show people that every fur coat, collar, and cuff is made from many animals who endured tremendous suffering. The campaign debuts in Manson’s hometown of Edinburgh this week, where hundreds of copies of the hard-hitting ad are being posted throughout the city. Manson is also sponsoring a “Fur Is Garbage” giveaway at peta2.com, where visitors can register to win posters of the ad, a signed copy of Garbage’s hit album Bleed Like Me, and a T-shirt autographed by Manson. Manson also talked about her career and her disdain for fur in an exclusive interview with peta2, the world’s largest youth animal rights organization.

Manson declares, “I believe very strongly in the ethical treatment of animals.” She credits her young fans with fostering her awareness of animal suffering. “A lot of my fans are very pro-animal rights, and have often, when I have been wearing fake fur … said, ‘Is that real?’ and really gotten upset, and I have had to reassure them, ‘No, it’s cool, it’s fake, don’t worry.’ They have made me very conscious of it, and I am really grateful that they have made me pay attention.”

Animals on fur farms are killed by poisoning, electrocution, or neck-breaking. Animals trapped in the wild for fur are often left to suffer for day in steel-jaw traps before they are bludgeoned or drowned. PETA has obtained undercover video footage of a fur farm in China—now the world’s leading fur exporter—in which animals are shown being smashed on the ground and skinned alive. Fur from China is sold in virtually every mall in the U.S.

Manson joins an ever-growing list of musicians—including Trent Reznor, Le Tigre, Fall Out Boy, Peaches, Morrissey, and Pink—who have teamed up with peta2 to inspire kids to challenge outdated, cruel attitudes about animals.

Manson’s dress was designed by Stella McCartney, and the ad was shot by top photographer Frank W. Ockenfels. To register for the giveaway and read more of Manson’s interview, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Mates of State Bare All in New Anti-Fur PSA for peta2

Husband and wife indie rock duo Mates of State have teamed up with peta2—the world's largest youth animal rights organization--to create a brand new anti-fur PSA, currently featured on peta2.com along with behind-the-scenes footage of the photo shoot with the pair.

In the PSA, Kori Gardner (vocals and electric organ/keyboard/piano) and Jason Hammel (vocals and drum set) bare it all in a sensual embrace to make an inspirational statement to fans: "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur."

Why have Mates of State teamed up with peta2 to ask people to stop wearing real fur? Animals killed for fur are poisoned, gassed, anally or vaginally electrocuted, have their necks broken, and many are skinned alive. Millions of dogs and cats are killed in China for the international fur trade—their fur can wind up anywhere in the world, because it is often intentionally mislabeled as fur from other species. Kori and Jason jumped at the chance to shoot a PSA for peta2 urging their fans to shun fur. Kori explains, "Anti-Fur is something I have always believed in…I've always just felt really at odds with people wearing fur, so of course we'd want to be a part of an anti-fur campaign." She continues, "Every time I see someone wearing fur, I…really just cringe."
Mates of State join an ever-growing list of musicians—including The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, and Tegan and Sara—who have teamed up with peta2 to inspire fans to challenge outdated, cruel attitudes about animals.

For a direct link to the peta2 web feature, please click here.

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Harley Sears
Brooklyn Vegan