Viva! Save the kangaroo campaign . . .
On Saturday 31st August, we will be taking our kangaroo campaign to the high street with a new target - Adidas.
Each year, millions of kangaroos are killed in what is widely regarded as the largest wildlife massacre on the planet.
Shockingly, the number one supporters of this barbaric trade are sports shoe manufacturers, who purchase the pelts and turn them into football boots.
Adidas in particular is a major driving force behind the industry - encouraging the slaughter of millions of kangaroos all for the sake of a sports shoe!
In July Viva! was leaked an email being circulated by John Kelly, spokesperson for the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, in which he states "This (soccer boot) industry is vital to the kangaroo industry. Without it underpinning kangaroo skin prices the entire industry would be at risk.
Adidas have received to date over 10,000 emails complaining about their use of kangaroo leather ... and are obviously concerned about damage to their image."
Mr Kelly could not have given us better evidence that our campaign is having an amazing effect on the kangaroo industry. They are running scared! We must keep up the pressure on Adidas!
Please join us on Saturday 31st August for an international day of action against Adidas! The day of action on Saturday 31st August is shaping up to be a truly international event, with demos already planned in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, the USA and all across England.
Want to organise one in your area? We will send you all the campaign materials you will need including leaflets to distribute, posters to display, petitions for the public to sign, postcards for people to send to Adidas HQ and postcards to hand in to the shop manager asking him not to stock Adidas products.
We will also send you a sample press release for your local media, and if you don't want to speak to the press yourself, we'll liaise with them on your behalf. To attract attention from the media and the public, we suggest you get someone to dress up in a football strip and kick around a kangaroo - you can order an inflatable one from Viva!
Even if you can't organise a demo on the day of action, perhaps you can organise a street stall in your town centre to publicise the campaign, or distribute leaflets in your neighbourhood and pin up posters near local sports centres. Any support you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
URGENT ACTION ALERT!!!
We’re fast approaching August 31st, the international day of action against Adidas - one of the biggest buyers of kangaroo leather in the world. In the run up to the day of action, please contact Adidas to register your complaint about their use of kangaroo skin. The Managing Director of Adidas UK, Gordon Baird, is on holiday until August 12th. Why not take this opportunity to let him know why you want Adidas to ditch the ‘roo skin, so that when he comes back he can see just how many compassionate consumers there are who are horrified by the bloodshed?
PLEASE BE POLITE! IT DOES NOT HELP VIVA! OR THE ANIMALS IF YOU ARE RUDE! WE HAVE SCIENCE, MORALS AND COMPASSION ON OUR SIDE. PLEASE BEAR THAT IN MIND.
Phone Adidas UK on 0161 419 2500. Fax
them on 0161 419 2603.
E-mail the MD of Adidas UK at [email protected]
Write to him at Adidas (UK) Ltd, The Adidas Centre, Pepper Road,
Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 5SA.
Also e-mail Adidas global
HQ at [email protected]
Thanks very much to all of you have already agreed to organise a demo to coincide with our international day of action against Adidas, on Saturday 31st August. We’ve had a great response, with demos planned all over the UK and as far afield as Zimbabwe, the USA and Australia! But - we do need to put as much pressure on Adidas as possible so we’re hoping that a few more of you out there will plan demos in your area.
We will be urging shoppers to boycott all Adidas products until they stop supporting the largest wildlife massacre in the world and agree to stop using kangaroo skin.
We need you to choose a sports shop in you area, one that stocks Adidas products, outside which you can hold a demo or even just hand out leaflets or run a stall highlighting Adidas's support for the slaughter. (Choose a shop in a busy area, but preferably not in a shopping centre - they are private property.)
We will send you leaflets, posters, petitions, cards to send to Adidas HQ and post cards for shoppers to hand in to the shop manager urging him/her to pledge to not stock kangaroo products in his shop.
If you are happy to talk to journalists we can send you a press release for local media or we will liaise with them on your behalf. Any support - whether handing out leaflets on your own or holding a demo with others - will help.
For further information on the kangaroo slaughter go to: www.savethekangaroo.com
To print out an order form for Adidas day of action campaign materials go to: http://www.savethekangaroo.com/FootballBoots/orderform.htm
Thanks everyone, we couldn’t do it without you! Together we can make Adidas listen. Together we can save the kangaroos!
For further information please visit www.savethekangaroo.com and www.viva.org.uk
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The following letter of protest was sent to Adidas by e-mail from a lady in London:
Why don't you send a similar letter to Adidas yourself ?
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request that you make the compassionate decision to set a corporate policy against the manufacturing of kangaroo leather football boots.
Most kangaroos are shot by hunters at night in the vast outback, away from public scrutiny. When the mothers are killed, the baby in the pouch has to die as well. Some kangaroos are still alive when their legs are sliced and they are hauled up onto the truck by a large hook through the gash.
A massacre of this magnitude could wipe out these beautiful animals in a matter of years. Please implement a permanent policy against the manufacturing of kangaroo leather football boots and instead use state of the art synthetic materials.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mrs. J. Ross, London, UK
. . . and the reply:
Adidas-Salomon has a policy of openness and engagement with our many stakeholders. We listen to all views. We have therefore studied Viva!'s concerns very closely.
Kangaroo leather is used by manufacturers globally to make a wide range of products; from handbags, watch straps, wallets, shoes and even furniture. Like Viva, Adidas is opposed to kangaroos being killed in an inhumane or cruel manner. This is why we insist that our suppliers fully comply with the Australian government's strict rules on kangaroo culling.
These rules require those involved in culling to obtain a license or permit to operate from the government. Licensed operators must also comply with a code of practice that requires kangaroos to be culled humanely. All the kangaroo leather that Adidas buys is from licensed operators.
Furthermore, if our suppliers fail to comply with the law, they will be refused an export permit for the leather by the Australian government.
If you would like to receive more information please visit the following web site: www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/publications/kangaroo/humane-culling.html
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