Peta: Save the ostrich from crimes of fashion

Carrying life-size ostrich standees, four members of an animal rights group on Thursday held a protest action in front of a Hermes store in Greenbelt, Makati City, denouncing the killing of the giant, flightless birds to have their skin turned into bags and other products.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) vice president of International Campaigns Jason Baker said that the group was standing by its motto that “animals are not ours to wear.”

He also tagged Hermes as an “accessory to the murder” of ostriches because of its continuous production and sale of bags made from their skin.

“Every ostrich leather bag in Hermes’ stores represents smart, sensitive and curious young birds who were shocked, slaughtered, plucked and skinned,” Baker said. “Peta is calling on shoppers to steer clear of Hermes pockmarked purses and instead choose from the many stylish cruelty-free accessories available from kinder retailers.”

A first in PH

The demonstration marked the group’s first protest in the Philippines against the luxury brand famous for its pricey  bags. Peta campaigner Jana Sevilla told the Inquirer that Peta had conducted numerous protests in other Hermes stores worldwide.

The Inquirer tried to get a comment from the management of the Hermes store but they declined to be interviewed.

“We want to send out a very clear message that we are against the selling of products such as bags, handbags, shoes, belts and wallets made from skins of animals like ostriches,” Sevilla explained. She noted that although Hermes was not the only store selling ostrich-leather bags, it was one of the biggest sellers of such items.

The protest was cut short by security guards who confiscated the standees and asked the Peta campaigners to leave, citing their lack of a permit to stage a rally.

Sevilla admitted that they did not have a permit but said they had informed Hermes Philippines through a letter about the demonstration.

“They have not sent out any statement to us,” she added.

OSTRICH standees in tow, Peta members head for the Hermes store in Makati City to protest the killing of the flightless birds. The animals right group claims that 1-year-old ostriches are slaughtered for their skin which the luxury brand uses for its much sought-after bags. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Throats slit

The group expressed concern over the industrial-scale slaughter of ostriches, where 1-year-old birds are slit in the throat and their feathers plucked out to have the “bumpy-textured” skin for Hermes bags.

Sevilla explained that this practice was “not right” as the birds were not allowed to live in their natural habitat. “In the wild, ostriches can live up to 40 years or more but in a farm, they only live up to a year old,” she added.

Peta said it would continue its protests until Hermes stops using ostrich skin for handbags.