Latest news with #PETA
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
French car giant to stop using animal leather - but which brands AREN'T appeasing the vegans
A major French car maker has committed to eliminating the use of animal leather interiors across its entire range by the end of the year in a move that will make vegans very happy indeed. While the decision, confirmed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), will see Renault ditch animal leather options from its global car line-up in a few months' time, it has already stopped offering leather seats and steering wheels to UK customers. 'True luxury is free from cruelty – and Renault understands that. By refusing to work with leather, Renault is helping save animal lives, reduce its environmental impact, and prove that compassion and innovation go hand in hand,' PETA's vice president of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor, said. The international animal rights organisation estimates the global leather trade is responsible for the death of one billion animals every year. It adds that three cow or bull hides are used per car cabin. But not every car manufacturer is taking this vegan-friendly direction. A PETA study carried out last year listed the brands that currently use leather-alternative materials but also highlighted those sticking with traditional hides. Find out which brands aren't appeasing the vegans below... Renault has committed to eliminating the use of animal leather interiors across its entire range of vehicles by the end of the year, PETA has confirmed The animal rights group has taken aim at the motor industry's continued use of leather, claiming it is a highly polluting part of the manufacturing process. While it suggests three cow hides are used for a typically medium-size family car, bigger luxury models can require up to 15 animal skins in total. 'Due to the thicker hides used, non-vegan car interiors tend to have an even worse environmental impact than fashion items made from animal skins,' PETA says. 'Transforming animal hides into leather requires up to 170 chemicals (including cyanide, chromium, and coal-tar derivatives), which are toxic to human tannery workers and poison waterways. One report also linked leather car interiors to illegal land clearing and biodiversity loss,' it added. The organisation noted a range of new Renault models have already axed leather. The Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, Symbioz and Rafale all feature seats made from eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled plastic waste from landfill and other recycled textiles. However, vegans in the UK will be pleased to hear that Renault has been selling new cars with sustainable alternative upholsteries for years with a selection of organic and recyclable materials coming as standard. It's only in foreign markets that the French firm still offers animal leather cabins. And Renault isn't the only brand to offer vegan-friendly cabins. New Renault models feature seats made from eco-friendly fabrics made with recycled plastic waste from landfills and other recycled textiles Abarth, BYD, Citroen, Dacia, Fiat, Jeep, Mini, Peugeot, Polestar, Smart, Vauxhall and Volvo largely offer leather-alternative interiors across the majority of their ranges, according to PETA's European Vegan Car Interior Survey last year. Tesla failed to respond to the group's request for information, but This is Money can confirm it uses synthetic, high-quality vegan leather across its vehicle line-up. Some BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz passenger cars also have non-animal leather as standard, despite being luxury brands consumers would typically associate with the premium material. That said, no new models are entirely animal product free... The rubber used in tyres and interior materials in all cars often contains tallow, while some lubricants include animal fat as an ingredient. And some brands utilise obscure animal products in ways you likely wouldn't imagine. For instance, during the painting process of Minis, each car is feather-dusted using female ostrich feathers. Mini says it only uses those that have been shed naturally (which occurs once a year) and they are a 'sustainable tool' to remove traces of dust right before the colour paint layer is applied to guarantee a perfect finish. But some brands are still sticking with leather interiors, including premium marques such as Audi, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Here's a list of brands that told PETA they don't offer vegan-friendly animal leather alternatives in the new models... yet.
GMA Network
15 hours ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
PETA urges pet owners to include animals in disaster plans during typhoon season
As the Philippines contends with heavy rains from the Southwest Monsoon, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia (PETA) calls for an urgent reminder not to leave your pets behind. PETA emphasizes that disaster preparedness must include all family members, including their animal companions. Here are PETA's safety tips and reminders for pet owners: Don't leave animals behind. If evacuation becomes necessary, pets must be brought along as. Animals are helpless against floodwaters and falling debris. Do not cage or tie up animals. Restricting their movement could prevent them from escaping in life-threatening situations. Give animals access to higher ground. If your house has a second floor, ensure your pets can freely reach it in case of flooding. Prepare animal emergency kit that should include: secure carriers for small animals, leashes for dogs, food and water, food bowls, towels, and familiar toys or blankets to reduce stress. PETA also encourages citizens to stay vigilant and compassionate toward strays and abandoned animals. If an animal is at risk, you may contact PETA at 0999 888 7382 for help. Meanwhile, for those seeking temporary shelter and parking space due to the heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), several Metro Manila malls and establishments have offered free overnight parking, WiFi, and phone charging stations to those who may need assistance. According to the 4am bulletin of PAGASA on Tuesday, July 22, there is a Low Pressure Area (LPA 07g) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) that has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours, while another LPA (LPA 7h) also inside PAR has a medium potential of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. Stay safe, mga Kapuso.
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Chimp Crazy' star arrested in ongoing saga over treatment of movie-star chimp Tonka
The star of HBO's 'Chimp Crazy' was arrested for allegedly ignoring court orders in an ongoing saga over lying to hide how she'd locked up one of her movie-star chimps in her basement, according to authorities. Tonia Haddix, 55, looked puffy-eyed and had disheveled hair and makeup in a mug shot after she was arrested by US Marshals in Missouri on Saturday. Haddix and her husband, Jerry Aswegan, are accused of failing to show at court — and also ducking more than $220,000 in legal fees accrued to dismiss a federal lawsuit filed by the animal rights group PETA, Fox2Now reported. 3 Tonia Haddix was arrested by US Marshals on Saturday afternoon after a Missouri judge accused her and her husband, Jerry Aswegan, of not paying over $220,000 in attorneys' fees and costs to PETA. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2016, accused Haddix of mistreating primates in her care, including Tonka, a chimpanzee who appeared in movies, including the 1997 comedy 'Buddy.' Haddix testified that Tonka had died and been cremated — later admitting that she lied, with the chimp among many found locked up in her basement in Lake of the Ozarks in June 2022, the feds previously said. Haddix, 55, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to a federal judge about Tonka's death. 3 The payout was to end a lawsuit over the discovery of Tonka, a chimpanzee who Haddix claimed had died but was actually locked up in her basement. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. PETA claims the pair has not participated in the agreed-upon six-figure payout, and court records filed by the St. Louis County Circuit Judge Brian May indicate the pair has failed to appear at multiple court hearings, the outlet reported. 'PETA spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to find Tonka, get him out of the cage in Tonia Haddix's basement, and move him to the spacious sanctuary where he's now thriving, and Haddix can't keep dodging the court's orders to pay back the money she owes,' PETA Foundation General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet wrote in a statement. 'PETA trusts this jail time will be just a taste of the longer sentence she'll face next month,' the group said. Haddix — the subject of 'Chimp Crazy,' the HBO docuseries about her ownership of Tonka and other chimps used in films and photoshoots — was released after posting $2,500 bail, records show. She is due back in court Aug. 5. 3 Haddix, 55, pleaded guilty in March to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to a federal judge about Tonka's death. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Her husband, Aswegan, was not initially arrested but 'is expected to be taken into custody at any time,' PETA said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
UP man held for killing dog by slamming it on road
Representative photo MEERUT: An FIR was registered against a man accused of brutally killing a community dog by repeatedly slamming it onto a hard road in Sisoli of Meerut district. The incident happened Monday but it came to light after a video of the act surfaced on social media, triggering outrage. The video purportedly shows Naresh Kumar, 40, catching a dog by its tail and repeatedly slamming it on the road. The FIR was registered at Mundali police station following a complaint by Sonia Gautam, of Sarayu Animal Welfare Society, under BNS sections 325 and sections 3, 11(1)(a), and 11(1)(l) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. Gautam told TOI, 'The accused is a repeat offender and had killed two dogs earlier. But those crimes could not be recorded, and there was no proof of his cruel acts. This time, someone recorded the brutality and shared it with us. I informed PETA about the development, and with their help a case was filed.' SP (rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra said, 'The accused was arrested Thursday and sent to jail. We are also looking into his previous crimes of similar nature.'
Auto Express
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Renault has great news for vegans, and cows!
The French might not be known for their willingness to embrace veganism, yet Renault has now signed an agreement with leading animal welfare charity, PETA, to discontinue the inclusion of leather in its car interiors by the end of the year. In a statement, PETA said that 'Renault['s] decision to go leather-free proves that compassion and innovation can go hand in hand… By choosing cruelty-free materials, the Renault brand is helping to build a future where animals are not harmed for luxury, and the planet is protected for generations.' Advertisement - Article continues below To be clear, Renault doesn't actually offer leather in the UK anymore, anyway; it's only an option in foreign markets. Over the last few years, the French maker has been pioneering the use of organic and recyclable materials as a more sustainable alternative to traditional upholstery choices. For example, through Auto Express' Find a Car service, you can specify the Renault 5 with recycled denim upholstery – a throwback to the Renault 5 Blue Jeans special edition of the 1980s – while other models in the line-up, such as the Nissan Qashqai-rivalling Renault Symbioz come with bio-sourced fabrics as an option. Renault isn't the only brand that offers vegan-friendly interiors. MINI, for example, offers its animal-free Vescin leather alternative, while the likes of Vauxhall, Tesla and Kia now all use synthetic alternatives to cowhide. Polestar, on the other hand, offers faux-leather as standard, but also sustainable Bridge of Weir Nappa leather as an option. It's also important to point out that no car is completely devoid of animal products altogether; going back to MINI, the British firm uses ostrich feathers, of all things, to help provide the correct finish for each car's paintwork. The rubber used in tyres and interior materials in all cars often contains tallow, while some lubricants include animal fat as an ingredient. Many brands, such as Rolls-Royce and Skoda don't offer vegan interiors at all – the latter does provide cloth upholstery, but its steering wheels are typically trimmed in leather. Our dealer network has 1,000s of great value new cars in stock and available now right across the UK. Find your new car…
