Fashion label facing boycott
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A boycott of the fashion label Dolce & Gabbana is being urged by animal campaigners in protest at the use of a chimpanzee in its advertising.
The campaign group Animal Defenders International (ADI) has criticised the ads, which show the chimpanzee wearing a Seiko watch. Professor Roger Fouts, a primatologist at Central Washington University, spoke of his "shock", describing the creatureas "noticeably unhappy".
The campaign comes at a crucial time for primates in the UK. The 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals (DWA) Act is currently under review, and Defra is considering the "delisting" of several species of small primate. Animal sanctuaries fear this will make it easier and cheaper to buy them as pets. An early day motion tabled by Labour's Eric Martlew and signed by 88 MPs last week warned of "a significant increase in the trade" in primates. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) released its own report last week supporting this warning.
A long-term IFAW investigation into the trade in primates as pets found that between 1999 and 2002 more than 320 primates, including endangered cotton-top tamarinds, were advertised for sale in Cage & Aviary magazine. In one week in January 2005, 146 primates were for sale on 24 websites - including chimpanzees, a gibbon and a gorilla. Of 750 pet shops questioned, one in 15 was willing to source a "pet" primate, including endangered species. Many retailers did not ask to see the DWA licence required.
"Primates are cute as babies, but that changes enormously when they reach adolescence," said Gill Maltby of the Monkey Sanctuary Trust.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments