Stella McCartney and PETA Launch the First Worldwide Virtual Anti-fur Protest
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

From People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) July 2007

ar-stellapetalaunchfirst-1

Stella McCartney and PETA launched the first worldwide virtual anti-fur protest with an outdoor celebration on a dedicated island within Second Life. The launch will be followed by a series of exciting activities that will run from July 12th, through July 29th, including a special virtual appearance by Pamela Anderson on July 17, 2007. As a lifelong supporter of animal rights, Stella McCartney has teamed up with PETA, the largest animal rights organization in the world, to bring awareness to the cause in a peaceful, innovative way.

The Stella McCartney/PETA Island is inspired by the English countryside with hills, fields, trees, an orchard and bee hives. The island features roller skates and bicycles that can be rented from stables to go along the island's path, rowing boats you can take on a lake, and a topiary maze where guests can receive massages and discover CARE by Stella McCartney--the first luxury organic skincare line, containing 100 per cent organic active ingredients. Entertainment will be provided by live DJ sets, and guests can taste Linda McCartney veggie burgers around camp fires--all in order for residents to have a compelling and fun yet educational experience.

Both Stella McCartney and PETA will have dedicated tree houses. Informative and fun, the Stella McCartney tree house has a display of T-shirts featuring the best anti-fur slogans. Guests can view her latest fashion shows. The PETA tree house has a display of recent anti-fur ad campaign images, anti-fur videos and a PETA 25th anniversary birthday cake. Guests can have personalized messages carved into the trees in each house.

Schedule of Events and Activities Daily protest marches take place at 13.00 and 18.00 (GMT).

Thursday, 12 July: 17.00 (GMT): Opening of the island 18.00 (GMT): Launch of a competition for guests to create the best anti-fur slogan based on the iconic PETA slogan "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" 19.00-23.00 (GMT): Outdoor celebration and picnic to celebrate the island launch

Tuesday, 17 July 19.00 (GMT): Pamela Anderson will make a guest appearance on the island for one hour. Anderson will pose naked for a photo op behind a "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" banner and then visit the PETA tree house to introduce her PETA Kentucky Fried Cruelty video.

Thursday, 19 July 19.00 (GMT): Screening of the new Sir Paul McCartney video for "Dance Tonight"

Saturday, 21 July 19.00 (GMT): Wheelbarrow race

Sunday, 22 July 19.00 (GMT): The winner of the anti-fur slogan competition will be announced. The best three slogans will win Stella McCartney prizes. The first prize is two tickets to the Spring/Summer 2008 fashion show in Paris in October. The second prize is a Fall/Winter Appaloosa bag. The third prize is a full set of CARE by Stella McCartney, the first luxury organic skincare line, containing 100 per cent organic active ingredients.

Monday, 23 July 14.00 (GMT): The winning anti-fur slogans will be uploaded in the main island areas.

Friday, 27 July 19.00 (GMT): Sack race

Sunday, 29 July 12.00 (GMT): The final protest will take place, and the island will close with a celebratory wrap party featuring a live DJ.

Stella McCartney comments, "Sometimes it's nice to have a bit of humour on serious subjects."

"We are always looking for new ways to raise awareness about the extreme suffering that animals endure on fur farms and in cruel leg-hold traps in the wild, so when Stella came up with this idea, we were on board from the beginning", says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. "Stella's Second Life fur protest is a light-hearted way to draw attention to a very serious issue."

The Stella McCartney/PETA Island will be open on Second Life from 12 to 29 July. To access Second Life, go to www.secondlife.com.

About Stella McCartney A lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any leather or fur in her designs. The brand's luxury ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, fragrances, eyewear, accessories, organic skincare ranges and performance range with Adidas are available through its acclaimed flagship stores in London, New York and Los Angeles and around 300 luxury stores in key cities worldwide. Further information is available at www.stellamccartney.com.

About PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 1.6 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: factory farms, laboratories, the clothing trade and the entertainment industry. For more information, please visit www.peta.org.

About Second Life Second Life is a 3-D online world with a rapidly growing population from more than 100 countries across the globe, in which the residents themselves create and build the world, which includes homes, vehicles, nightclubs, stores, landscapes, clothing and games. The Second Life Grid is a sophisticated development platform created by Linden Lab, a company founded in 1999 by Philip Rosedale, to create a revolutionary new form of shared 3-D experience.


Go on to Swedish ex-fur farmer reveals truth about fur industry
Return to Stop Wearing Fur
Return to Campaigns
Return to Animal Rights Activism