Celebrities Use Fame to Save the Animals

Rock stars are lending their famous faces to support a range of causes and charity groups promoting everything from breast cancer to saving animals and lap band surgery.

Fame has become a valuable marketing commodity for charities and special interest groups. One of the most successful is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA as it is known. PETA boasts a cavalcade of stars that has elevated its profile to a position usually reserved for leading consumer brands.
Pink, Good Charlotte and Sir Paul McCartney for PETA

PETA’s cache of celebrity supporters includes high profile musicians like Sir Paul McCartney, Pink and Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden.

But sometimes supporters can get into hot water trying to fulfill their obligations. In 2007 Pink came under fire for supporting an anti-Australian wool campaign based on inaccurate information about the practice of mulesing – a procedure undertaken by farmers to prevent maggot infestation in sheep.

An apologetic Pink told the BBC “I was speaking without thinking …I have nothing against farmers. …I don't want to hurt anyone I just want the animals to hurt less."

And The Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde, a long time vegetarian, has been arrested in her bid to save the animals.

At an exclusive club in London Chrissie reportedly became enraged at the use of an elephant’s leg as an umbrella stand. The activist supposedly threatened to throw the offending item from the premises and was given the choice; leave quietly or face the constabulary.

And there was the incident in New York at GAP in 2000 where Chrissie and other PETA supporters slashed leather clothing in protest of the company’s importation of leather goods. This time Chrissie was carted off by the police.


Read more: "Celebrities Use Fame to Save the Animals: Popular Celebrity Causes PETA, Breast Cancer Awareness & Weight Loss" - http://pop-music.suite101.com/article.cfm/celebrity_causes#ixzz09h9yJkUx