Joaquin Phoenix is the host of a new PETA US undercover exposé of the exotic-animal skin trade, and the actor is sending the video to Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin.
Phoenix, who appears on camera in the PETA US video short, is also sending letters urging the designers to join H&M, Nike, Cole Haan and Overstock.com in implementing policies that ban the sale of exotic-animal skins.
In the letters, Phoenix writes, “I think that you will find it hard to continue to sell exotic-animal skins after seeing just how much cruelty goes into making a single alligator or snakeskin shoe or bag. Animal welfare is simply not a consideration at all for those who hunt, poach, factory-farm and often skin alive animals such as these”.
In Africa, Asia and the US, exotic animals – including snakes, lizards, alligators and crocodiles – are hunted or raised and killed specifically for their skins. PETA US’ undercover video documents the following atrocities against exotic animals who are killed for their skins:
· A lizard is seen caught in a noose by his tail, upside down, in the wild. Other lizards are decapitated, and some of the animals writhe in agony as they are skinned alive.
· A live snake is nailed to a tree by her head, and her body is cut open from one end to the other before she is skinned alive.
· A snake’s head is shown writhing for several moments after it is severed, and a worker demonstrates how a snake’s heart beats for up to 40 minutes after it is removed.
· A worker clubs alligators on a crowded, filthy factory farm until they stop moving, but some animals remain alive. An alligator is seen writhing in pain.
For more information and to view the video, please visit PETA.org.uk or click here.