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From Homeless Cats to Caged Chickens, Pope Benedict Urged Compassion
As Christians around the world mourn the loss of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, PETA’s Christian Outreach Division, PETA LAMBS, is remembering a man of great faith who truly cared for “the least of these.”
Pope Benedict spoke movingly about the industrialized abuse of animals, particularly those farmed for food. When asked about animals’ rights in a 2002 interview, His Holiness—then a Cardinal—replied, “That is a very serious question. At any rate, we can see that they are given into our care, that we cannot just do whatever we want with them. Animals, too, are God’s creatures . . . . Certainly, a sort of industrial use of creatures, so that geese are fed in such a way as to produce as large a liver as possible, or hens live so packed together that they become just caricatures of birds, this degrading of living creatures to a commodity seems to me in fact to contradict the relationship of mutuality that comes across in the Bible.”
He seemed to have taken note of the teachings laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, “Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory. Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals. . . . It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly.”
And of course, since humans can meet all of our own needs without harming animals, all suffering and death is needless. The Pontiff shared a similar sentiment years later, releasing a statement for the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2010, calling on the faithful to embrace a more “sober lifestyle” and to move “beyond a purely consumerist mentality.”
He promoted compassion for homeless animals, personally caring for homeless cats. And he was one of many theologians to point out that not a single animal was present at the birth of Christ, helping PETA LAMBS encourage churches and communities to spare real animals from being exploited in live nativity scenes.
Pope Benedict knew that God intended for humans to be good stewards, protecting and respecting the beings with whom we share the gift of Creation. PETA LAMBS urges everyone to honor his legacy by doing just that.
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Punk Pioneer Vivienne Westwood Was an Animal Rights Trailblazer
Dame Vivienne Westwood famously defined the fashion aesthetic of London’s punk movement in the 1970s—think safety pins, studs, and tartan—and helped to create the Sex Pistols’ iconic look. But long after punk’s heyday, the edgy British designer continued to push fashion forward. In 2007, before vegan couture had become mainstream, Westwood banned fur from her lines after meeting with representatives of PETA U.K. and learning about the suffering that animals endure before they’re used for fur coats, collars, and cuffs. The last of Westwood’s fur items were eight rabbit fur handbags, which her company allowed PETA U.K. to donate to a wildlife sanctuary to be used to for orphaned baby animals to snuggle up to.
Westwood’s fur ban went hand in hand with her commitment to environmental issues and her call for true sustainability in the fashion industry. Most animals killed for fur today are raised on factory farms, which produce tens of thousands of tons of waste every year, and fur garments are treated with a stew of toxic chemicals to keep them from decomposing—making fur neither kind nor sustainable.
Westwood’s innovative, animal-friendly accessories—such as the skin-free Derby Bag and Jungle Crocodile Bag—also scored multiple wins in PETA U.K.’s annual Vegan Fashion Awards.
Several years after stripping fur from her collections, Dame Vivienne stripped down to a shower cap for a provocative PETA video about the meat industry’s depletion of world water supplies. “I am an eco-warrior, but I take long showers with a clean conscience because I’m vegetarian,” she said in the spot, which launched in 2014. As a piece in The New York Times pointed out at the time, it takes 4 million gallons of water to produce 1 ton of beef but just 85,000 gallons to produce a ton of vegetables. “By avoiding meat, you do more for the environment than recycling or driving a hybrid car,” Westwood said.
Speaking out against disposable “fast fashion,” Westwood once urged consumers, “[I]nvest in the world. Don’t invest in fashion, but invest in the world.” Her quintessential, animal-friendly clothing and accessories prove that we can do both.
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PETA statement re passing of Dame Vivienne Westwood
Please see the following statement from PETA President Ingrid Newkirk regarding the passing of fashion icon Vivienne Westwood:
An icon, a rebel, and a self-described “eco-warrior,” Dame Vivienne Westwood spent decades as a designer daring the rest of the fashion world to start a revolution for animals and the planet. She was an early adopter of PETA’s fur-free ethos, choosing to donate her brand’s remaining rabbit fur bags to a wildlife sanctuary, and shed exotic skins from her collections years ago. She also took part in a viral PETA campaign, asking everyone to go vegetarian to save water and lives. The world has lost a true original and animals a true friend, but we’re sure her legacy of creativity over cruelty will inspire designers for years to come.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview that fosters violence against other animals. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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See What Made PETA’s List of What’s ‘In’ and What’s ‘Out’ for 2023
The end of another big year for animals is here: Among our accomplishments in 2022 are the transfer of 4,000 dogs, who were imprisoned at the beagle-breeding hellhole Envigo, into safe and loving homes, and the debut of our new virtual reality experience, “Abduction,” to college campuses around the U.S. 2023 will start off on the right foot with the California fur ban, which goes into effect on January 1, and PETA will make sure the year keeps going strong.
2022 brought a lot of changes, and we’re here to mark them with our annual tradition. PETA’s list of what’s “in” and what’s “out” in 2023 will make sure you know what’s up:
| OUT | IN |
| Elon Musk as Twitter’s head? | Experiments on himself instead |
| adidas shoes by Kanye West | Vegan styles to look your best |
| Monkey labor for HelloFresh | Primate sanctuaries, where monkeys rest |
| Animals on movie sets | CGI, visual effects |
| Lindsay Lohan advocating for “pilk” | Urging Starbucks to drop the charge for plant-based milk |
| Buying a brand’s “Responsible Down Standard” lie | Warm feather-free bedding for restful shut-eye |
| Sharing AI selfies with strangers online | Sharing AR leaflets, flyers, and signs |
| Bitcoin, crypto, and NFTs | Investing in nature, protecting the bees |
| Buying “purebred” dogs who cannot breathe | Adopting a mutt, supporting shelters in need |
| The pope blessing meat-heavy COP27 | Catholics go vegan to get into heaven |
| Horse-drawn carriages on packed city streets | More restaurants offering vegan eats |
| Dreaming of humanity’s future on Mars | Respecting Earthlings of species other than ours |
| Donkeys at tourist sites used as a fleet | Using a tram or your own two feet |
| Monkeys used in experiments, nabbed from a tree | Research that pertains to you and me |
| Dolphins held in tiny pools | Releasing them to swim in schools |
You’ve Got 2023 in the Bag!
You’re going to crush it for animals this year. In 2023, be sure to buy from cruelty-free businesses, eat vegan, wear vegan, refuse to support establishments that exploit animals for entertainment, and spread the animal-friendly spirit by encouraging others to do so as well. To start the year off right, order our free vegan starter kit now!
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