Canada's black bears,
the source of fur for Britain's Royal Guards' caps
It can take the entire hide of one Canadian black bear to make just one cap
Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has unveiled new video footage from an undercover investigation into the slaughter of black bears in Canada – the source of fur for Britain's Royal Guards' caps.
The footage shows hungry mother bears as they are lured to bait sites, only to be gunned down for their fur, leaving their cubs orphaned. The shocking video, which Ms Widdecombe showed at the Houses of Parliament to a room full of media and other governmental figures, shows the baiting, shooting and skinning of bears by hunters who make crude sexist comments as they work.
Ms Widdecombe and PETA are calling on the Ministry of Defence and HRH Queen Elizabeth to end the use of bear fur for The Queen's Guards' caps. The Ministry of Defence has spent more than £321,000 on bearskin caps in the past five years alone. More than 200 MPs signed an Early Day Motion calling on the government to switch to a modern and humane synthetic fabric. Celebrities including Sir Roger Moore, Mary McCartney and Sadie Frost have also called on the government to "go faux".
Please sign the petition in support of bears - click here to sign!
On 14 July, PETA will be holding a 5k fun run through some of central London's most famous locations, and they need YOU and your teddy bear to join them.
PETA aims to get as many people as possible to shed their clothes, and run naked through the streets of London for PETA's Run Bare to Spare Bears event. The dress code for the run is "as bare as you dare", so even if you are shy, they'd still love to have your support – all they ask is that you keep any underwear flesh coloured.
Click here to find out more and to register!
PETA aims to get as many people as possible to shed their clothes, and run naked through the streets of London for PETA's Run Bare to Spare Bears event. The dress code for the run is "as bare as you dare", so even if you are shy, they'd still love to have your support – all they ask is that you keep any underwear flesh coloured.
Click here to find out more and to register!