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10 February 2002
David Beckham Urged to Drop Cruel Football Boots
International animal campaigns group, Viva!, has written
to David Beckham urging him to stop wearing and promoting
Adidas’ Predator football boots which are made from kangaroo
leather.
In her letter to England’s football hero, Juliet Gellatley,
Viva’s Director, writes:
“Seven million kangaroos and their babies are to be
brutally slaughtered this year in Australia - the largest
wildlife massacre in the world! Adult kangaroos are shot,
often hit in the throat or neck, and dragged to the trucks
struggling and still conscious. Some are still alive when
their leg is sliced open and they are hauled up onto the truck
by a large hook through the gash. Their throat is then slit
and they bleed to death. Young joeys who are still inside
their mother’s pouch suffer a more grisly death. They
are pulled from the pouch and stamped on, clubbed to death
or simply left to die of starvation - worthless by-products
of a callous but lucrative industry.”
Video footage documenting this cruelty, as well as Viva!’s
report on the killing of kangaroos for meat and skin, have
also been sent to Mr Beckham.
The kangaroo industry’s justification for the slaughter
is scientifically invalid. For example, it claims that claims
that kangaroos are major wheat crop pests, yet a four-year
study of grey kangaroos in Western Australia found that 95
per cent of wheat crops are never visited by kangaroos. The
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO), who carried out the research, found that they have
virtually no impact on crops and even recommended that farmers
encourage natural bush land on their property to help keep
kangaroos fed.
Viva!’s expose of the barbaric kangaroo slaughter caused
huge public outcry and their high profile campaigns against
all the major supermarkets ended the sale of kangaroo meat
in Britain. They are now turning their attention to the kangaroo
leather industry which shares equal responsibility for this
sickening massacre.
Letters have also been sent to David’s team-mate Fabian
Barthez who likewise wears Adidas Predator, as well as Michael
Owen and Robert Pires who wear Umbro’s XA1, which is
also made from kangaroo leather.
For more information contact Juliet Gellatley on tel: 0117
944 1000.
The Viva! Report "Under Fire" and video can also
be viewed on-line at: www.savethekangaroo.com
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