Group Appeals to New Winner to Donate the Coat She Received to the Needy
For Immediate Release:
July 6, 2011
Contact:
Robbyn Brooks 202-483-7382
Hagerstown, MD -- PETA director and Hagerstown native Colleen O'Brien has sent a letter to Sherry Rush, executive director of the Miss Maryland pageant, urging her to adopt a policy ending the practice of awarding a fur coat to the contest winner. In the letter, O'Brien points out that after learning about how animals have their necks broken or are drowned or electrocuted for their fur, several top designers and a growing number of celebrities have gone fur-free. In a separate letter, O'Brien asks the newly crowned Miss Maryland, Carlie Colella, to donate the fox-fur coat that she was given to PETA's program that distributes donated furs to homeless people to help them stay warm in the winter.
"Pageants celebrate beauty, and there's nothing beautiful about an industry that rips the skins off animals while they're still alive and able to feel pain," says O'Brien. "With so many stylish alternatives available, there's no excuse for buying or wearing fur."
Just last week, the Miss Florida pageant—after receiving appeals from animal rights groups, members of the public, and TV icon Bob Barker as well as a personal appeal from fashion guru Tim Gunn on behalf of PETA—announced that it would no longer award contestants fur coats as prizes.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA's letters to the Miss Maryland pageant director, Sherry Rush, and this year's pageant winner, Carlie Colella, follow.
July 6, 2011
Sherry Rush
Executive Director
Miss Maryland
Dear Ms. Rush,
Greetings from PETA. As a Hagerstown native, I was disappointed to learn that a full-length fox coat was among the prizes awarded to winner of the recent Miss Maryland pageant. On behalf of PETA and kind people across Maryland, I'm writing to ask you to set an example of compassion by pledging not to give away fur prizes in your future pageants.
As you can see in this brief video narrated by Eva Mendes, animals live their lives in cramped, filthy conditions before they are killed by electrocution, neck-breaking, or gassing. I am sure that many people in our community would be horrified to learn that animals are even skinned alive—just to produce fur coats, collars, and cuffs.
The Miss Florida competition just announced that it would no longer give away fur prizes, and many top designers—including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney—and retailers such as J.Crew and Forever 21 now refuse to use or sell any fur products, in part because young consumers are largely opposed to the cruelty of fur. More and more public figures are shunning fur—and not just actors and models. Michelle Obama recently announced that she, too, is officially fur-free.
We would be happy to help secure a designer faux-fur coat as a prize in future pageants. I look forward to hearing that you support kindness toward animals and will pledge not to give away real fur in the future. I can be reached at 757-943-0150 with any questions. Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours,
Colleen O'Brien
Director
PETA
July 6, 2011
Carlie Colella
Miss Maryland
Dear Ms. Colella,
Greetings from PETA, and congratulations on being crowned Miss Maryland! In light of the recent news that you were awarded a fox-fur coat, I am writing to ask that you please donate it to PETA for our anti-fur campaign. The fur would provide warmth for the homeless, and it would send the message that it's important to be kind to animals.
PETA receives piles of fur and fur-trimmed items from people who bought or accepted them before realizing that animals are beaten, electrocuted, and even skinned alive for their fur, as shown in this video, narrated by Eva Mendes. Although we can't give animals back their lives, your fur coat can help the destitute. Every year, PETA holds "fur kitchens" at homeless shelters across the country.
We hope to hear that you will make this compassionate donation and join beauty queen former Miss World USA Natasha Allas, who turned down her $50,000 fur prize, along with the many public figures who have sworn off fur, including Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and first lady Michelle Obama. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Colleen O'Brien
Director
PETA