Lacoste Joins 340+ Brands in Banning Mohair After Shocking PETA Exposé

After hearing from PETA France that goats are violently mutilated and killed for mohair, Lacoste agreed to stop using the cruelly obtained fiber, stating that the company is “very concerned with animal welfare.”

Famous for its crocodile logo, Lacoste boasts 1,200 shops and 10,600 outlets spread across 120 countries. It initiated its mohair ban after seeing our first-of-its-kind video exposé of the mohair industry in South Africa, where more than 50 percent of the world’s mohair comes from. The French clothing company previously committed to banning angora and fur following discussions with PETA.

As revealed in the exposé, sensitive baby goats cried out in fear and pain as they were sheared for mohair sweaters and scarves.

The exposé shows that shearers—who are paid by volume, not by the hour—worked quickly and carelessly, leaving angora goats with gaping wounds. Workers then roughly stitched the animals up without giving them any pain relief.

Unwanted goats died in agonizing ways: One worker slowly cut their throats with a dull knife while they were fully conscious and then broke their necks, hacking one animal’s head off. Others were hauled to a slaughterhouse, where they were electrically shocked, hung upside down, and slashed across the throat.

PETA’s exposé pulled back the curtain on the violent mohair industry, and now over 340 brands have implemented bans.

Lacoste has joined the growing list of fashion brands that recognize that today’s shoppers don’t support cruelty to animals. Other brands that have banned mohair include Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg, Gap, Banana Republic, H&M, Topshop, UNIQLO, Overstock.com, and Zara.

Let’s Keep Pushing: Urge Free People to Ban Mohair

It’s undeniable that when you speak up for animals—who, like anyone, only want to live free from torment—companies listen! Keep the pressure on: Use our form to encourage Free People to ban mohair now.

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More Mohair Wins! Williams-Sonoma, zulily, Others Pledge to Save Goats

Make that 341! Retail giants Williams-Sonoma, Inc., Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.,  and Qurate Retail Group have banned mohair across their brands. Fast Retailing is one of the largest global apparel retailers, with brands that include Theory, Helmut Lang, and J Brand. Qurate owns QVC, HSN, zulily, Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, Grandin Road, and Improvements, bringing the total to 341 clothing companies and retailers that have pledged to stop selling mohair after working with PETA.

©iStock.com/Byronsdad 

It hasn’t taken long. In May, The Washington Post broke PETA Asia’s disturbing investigation of the abusive mohair industry, and companies immediately stopped sourcing the material. They now know that hair was crudely shorn off goats who were punctured with pliers and cut open during shearing and whose gaping wounds were roughly sewn up with no pain killers. After all this, the animals were barbarically slaughtered on a farm or they were electrically shocked and their throats were cut at a slaughterhouse.

Goats don’t deserve this. No one does.

Let’s make it 342. Keep telling the market that you don’t want cruelly obtained mohair: Urge Free People to join compassionate retailers around the world in banning it.

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For proving how powerful eating vegan can be – and encouraging people around the world to save the planet by ditching meat, eggs, and other animal-derived foods – newly crowned five-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has yet another title to add to his list of stellar accomplishments: PETA’s 2018 Person of the Year.

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk, a lifelong F1 fan, recognised Lewis’ commitment to animals:

Lewis Hamilton has proved to be not only a fantastic driver but also a force for good and a powerful ally of animals used for food. PETA is honouring him for inspiring his legions of fans to follow his lead, jump-start their own energy levels, and spare animals’ lives by going vegan.

Lewis, who often speaks about his vegan diet to the international media, has been open about his motivation for making the switch:

[T]he pollution [from greenhouse-gas emissions] coming from the amount of cows that are being produced is incredible. They say it is more than what we produce with our flights and our cars, which is kind of crazy to think. The cruelty is horrible and I don’t necessarily want to support that and I want to live a healthier life.

The F1 champion also regularly shares animal rights messages and photos of protein-packed vegan meals with his 8.7 million followers on Instagram, where his official bio reads, “[Plant] Based Diet. Love Animals.”

His social media posts are also packed with pleas for compassionate eating, such as “Please find it in your heart to not support this horrific cruelty and go plant-based!”

What You Can Do
Inspired by Lewis? Try vegan for 30 days. We’ll send you plenty of information about delicious vegan products you can buy and easy recipes to make at home. We’ll be on hand to answer your questions, too.

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Wildfire Heroes are All PETA’s 2018 Person of the Year

PETA is recognizing the efforts of countless fire departments, organizations, agencies, and individuals who helped rescue animals during the unprecedented 2018 California wildfires. Many lost their homes, sustained burns, and dropped everything to save the lives of humans and other animals—for those selfless actions, 2018 is dedicated to them.

PETA's 2018 Person of the YearSan Mateo Fire Department
Bernie was rescued by the San Mateo Fire Department from behind a home in Magalia. One fire fighter said, “The home and the entire neighborhood had burned to the ground. We are very fortunate Bernie survived.”

 

PETA’s awardees also include the numerous animal shelters that worked tirelessly to make room for companion animals and reunite them with their families.

California endured its most destructive wildfire season on record in 2018 as 7,983 wildfires charred over 1.8 million acres across the state.

PETA's 2018 Person of the Year

Sacramento Community Emergency Response Team 

The Northern California Camp fire stands as the single most deadly and destructive fire in California history, with a death toll of at least 88 humans. Meanwhile, the Woolsey fire in Southern California claimed at least three lives. We can only imagine how many animals—both wild and domesticated—were killed.

PETA is adding a leaf to our Tree of Life memorial dedicated to those who died during the California fires.

PETA's 2018 Person of the Year, Tree of Life

No matter the size of the rescue effort, PETA’s 2018 Person of the Year award is dedicated to everyone who helped save lives in California’s roaring inferno.

Click on the dropdown lists below to see the numerous entities we’ve recognized with this award, and of course, so many others deserve recognition as well:

The Camp Fire

Fire Departments and Other Agencies:

Veterinary and Animal Organizations:

  • Butte County Animal Control and the North Valley Animal Disaster Group housed at least 1,601 animals.
  • The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association) donated $20,000 to help California’s animals and the veterinarians treating them.
  • The Butte Humane Society set up a pet food and supply pantry and offered free microchipping and core vaccines for animals whose families were displaced.
  • The California Veterinary Medical Association deployed nine coordinators to manage field operations and 313 volunteers to assist nine animal shelters providing 2,700 animals with care. Thirty veterinary hospitals received sick and injured animals for care, more than 400 of whom received extensive and/or ongoing treatment for burns, illness, or other severe conditions.
  • The Henry Schein Disaster Relief Hotline helps veterinarians who have been affected by the California wildfires reopen their practices as soon as possible.
  • The Marin Humane Society took in homeless animals—including four dogs, 16 cats, and two potbellied pigs—from other shelters so that they could make room for lost and evacuated animals. The organization also sent staff members to relieve those who’d been working around the clock at animal shelters surrounding the fire zone.
  • Muttville Senior Dog Rescue sent a veterinary team to assist at an animal-evacuation site near Butte County and is taking in adoptable senior dogs from Butte County shelters so that those facilities can make room for displaced and injured animals.
  • Working with law enforcement, the North Valley Animal Disaster Group has fielded more than 3,000 phone calls, has helped people with animals at three temporary rescue facilities, and is currently caring for more than 1,400 animals. The group’s vigorously trained evacuation volunteers help animals in disaster areas, and volunteers who lost their own homes, including Jon Trojanowski, continue to help reunite families with their animal companions.
  • The San Diego Humane Society deployed an emergency response team made up of six humane law enforcement officers with FEMA training to Butte County to assist in animal rescues.
  • San Francisco Animal Care and Control has assisted overburdened shelters in Butte County by taking in injured animals for care, attempting to reunite lost animals with their guardians, and finding foster homes for those whose families are still missing.
  • The SPCA for Monterey County took in homeless animals—including 21 cats and kittens, five dogs, and one puppy—from other shelters so that they could make room for lost and evacuated animals. The organization is providing veterinary treatment, vaccinations, and spay or neuter surgeries before putting the animals up for adoption.
  • The University of California–Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team (consisting of veterinary students and staff) rescued and tended to injured horses, cats, koi fish, goats, dogs, and other animals—all free of charge to their guardians.
Individuals:

  • Douglas Thron filmed Shannon Jay rescuing a cat who was stuck between parts under a burned-out truck. Jay jacked up the truck, pulled the animal out, and put her into a carrier. He also saved numerous other cats during the fires.
  • Daniel Sauvageau filmed three days’ worth of animal rescues and helped save 17 dogs, 12 cats, six goats, and a donkey named Waffles in Magalia.
  • Sam Johnson(of The Bachelorette) shared several videos of himself attempting to save baby animals before the flames reached Calabasas.
  • Lashay Wesley and Rik Peavyhouse of KATU Portland helped rescue a cat.
  • Jerry Kirk posted a message on Facebook and received more than 500 calls from Butte County residents asking for help rescuing cats, dogs, llamas, goats, and horses. He led a group of cowboys who worked with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to rescue eight horses—whose owner said that she had to flee without them—from a home in Paradise. Two had burns and needed veterinary care.
  • Justin Jones created Cowboy 911 on Facebook for people to both ask for and provide help. Since the fires, it’s grown to more than 19,000 members, who’ve rescued thousands of animals. Cowboy 911 volunteer Cassie Porter has sifted through countless burned carcasses in her quest to save one cat, two miniature donkeys, and six goats from the rubble in Paradise.
  • Jeff Hill and Geoff Sheldon rescued a mule who was trapped in a backyard swimming pool.
  • Chrissy Morin, Michelle Hurst, and Marilyn Litt created California Wildfires Pets on Facebook and Twitter to reunite companion animals and their guardians

The Woolsey Fire

Fire Departments, Agencies, Animal Organizations, and Individuals:

Be Ready When Disaster Strikes

Remember: The question isn’t whether a disaster will strike—it’s when. Animals must never be left behind. Just like us, our animal family members are terrified when natural disasters hit. It’s up to animals’ guardians to make sure that they’re evacuated safely. Anyone who evacuates and intentionally abandons animals to fend for themselves may be prosecuted.

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Top 4 Reasons to Add ‘Mowgli’ to Your Netflix Queue

Netflix’s Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle shows audiences that wild animals can wow on-screen—without ever being on set—thanks to the magic of computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Actor Andy Serkis takes the lead behind the scenes as the director of Mowgli, which, in addition to CGI stunners, also features powerful anti-hunting and anti-captivity messaging. Audiences may recognize Serkis for his onscreen work in epic films like Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes. He’s most famous for his brilliant motion-capture performances playing Gollum and Caesar.

‘Tis the season of lists, so here are four reasons why animal lovers should check out Mowgli when it drops on Netflix on December 7:

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

1. CGI Is Better Than Using Live Animals—Always

Mowgli‘s Shere Khan—the tiger who stalks the film’s protagonist—is no villain compared to the trainers who force real tigers to perform on camera. Wild animals are often torn away from their mothers shortly after birth, only to be sentenced to a life of captivity for which they’re deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them. Big cats are typically confined to extremely small cages and are known to have been trained through food deprivation, fear, and punishment with whips.

More and more filmmakers are getting wise to the various ways in which they can tell their stories without abusing animals. Mowgli features stunning motion-capture performances and uses CGI to portray all animals of the jungle, from adorable wolf cubs to majestic elephants. This means that audiences can enjoy watching wild animals in action without worrying about any abuse that may have occurred behind the scenes.

With voices supplied by big names like Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, and PETA’s 2018 Most Beautiful Vegan winner, Benedict Cumberbatch, the animals in Mowgli are expressive, are convincing, and—best of all—weren’t bred, raised in captivity, and forced to perform tricks for the camera.

peta review netflix mowgli 2018

Netflix, Inc 

Binge-watch with a clear conscience—avoid films and TV shows that use real wild animals.

2. Andy Serkis: Ally to Animals

As a pioneer in motion-capture and computer-generated special effects, Serkis proves that using real animals isn’t only cruel and outdated but also unnecessary. He even won a PETA Oscat for his motion-capture performance in War for the Planet of the Apes and has said that using real great apes for a film would be “intolerable and cruel.”

Hear more from Serkis about effective and humane alternatives to using real wild animals on-screen.

peta review netflix mowgli 2018

Netflix, Inc 

3. The Most Dangerous Animal of All? Us.

Mowgli shines a light on the horrors of hunting and the revolting practice of taxidermy as our hero begins to explore the human world.

As a friend to animals, Mowgli takes immediate action when he learns of human cruelty—and let’s just say that PETA isn’t too upset about the way things turn out.

There are plenty of real-life villains who find pleasure in killing animals for “sport.” Idaho Fish and Game Commissioner Blake Fischer recently lost his job after posting horrific photos of at least 14 animals he killed in Namibia, including an entire family of baboons. Zimbabwe’s beloved Cecil the lion was savagely murdered by dentist Walter Palmer in 2015, sparking a sea of outrage around the globe.

Help spare other animals Cecil’s fate by telling UPS to stop supporting trophy hunts.

peta review netflix mowgli 2018

Netflix, Inc 

4. Animals Want to Be Free

Audiences are used to seeing Bagheera—the panther who acts as Mowgli’s guide throughout the film—on the prowl. But in Mowgli, we learn that he was previously held prisoner in a palace before escaping into the jungle. Like real animals forced to spend their lives inside cages or bound by chains at animal training compounds, roadside zoos, abusement parks, or circuses, he bears the scars from his former life in confinement.

Captivity can be so stressful to animals that there’s a condition called “zoochosis” that causes animals to sway, pace, and even resort to hurting themselves by chewing on their limbs or ripping out their fur or feathers.

Learn more about animals used for film on The PETA Podcast:

Listen to more episodes on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify! Subscribe for new episodes.

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