By Elizabeth Snead
January 16, 2010 12:45 PM ET
GBK has released the following statement: In addressing animal activist concerns, GBK assures that no pigs were actually given out at the suite and any further interested parties need to be vetted and complete an in-home visit and training session. GBK supports many animal organizations and looks forward to continuing to growing those relationships. Furthermore, GBK will send out organizational materials from SPCLA, Best Friends and PETA to any interested parties.
It is very disappointing to hear that GBK was party to the giving out of vouchers for pigs. Regardless of what training you offer people, the vast majority of these pigs will end up being euthanized or dumped when they grow to their full size (which is 100+ pounds) if not before then. Animals are live beings which require a great deal of care. They shouldn't be handed out as door prizes. Sooner or later, they will be discarded like other door prizes/gifts people tire of.
I don't give a damn that the animals were not actually handed out at the awards; I would expect that as a minimal standard of human decency. And it doesn't matter that people have to be "vetted" and "take a class" on how to care for a pig. YOU DON'T GIVE ANIMALS AS GIFTS!!!! Animals are not fashion accessories or playthings. This was a really stupid idea, and the people who conceived it should never work in promotions again.
I've been on the rescuing end of pot bellied pigs for over a decade. GBK should be ashamed of themselves, and should recall every damned one of those certificates. Best Friends, named above, mentioned in another article how the piglets are born to juvenile parents, hence the small size of the piglets. What also happens is that those piglets are pulled off their mother's at 10 days old, when they should be allowed to nurse until 3 months or more. Weaning at such a tender age creates a myriad of health issues, most of these piglets DO NOT LIVE to their first birthday. The ones that do end up with neurological, and other, issues. THE RESCUES end up having to pay huge amounts for veterinary care, to provide quality of life to our abandoned, neglected charges. GBK should revoke those certificates and instead donate a significant sum to each and every legitimate (501(c)(3)) pig rescue across the country.
GBK needs to contact the US Dept. of Ag. and make good by complaining that they have caused way too many invasive species to get loose by allowing the importing of alien species. At some point our government needs to be held accountable and this kind of pet fad idiocy needs to stop. People who take on a pet should be cited and/or go to jail when they mistreat them or "change their minds" and give them up. GBK should be shamed for such a bad idea.
There is not much I can truly say. A promotions Company doing a thing such as this is just utterly stupid, selfish and immature. I bet they all sat around, had a giggle, "OH YEAH, WHAT AN IDEA." Not to consider for a second about another living beings welfare or future. One for the shame file guys. While the rest of the World is trying to stop acts such as this, you continue on your merry way and place even more tarnished, unprofessional stature to that of the Entertainment Industry. I would close my Company if I did something like that. Maybe you should do the same. You are not a promotions company, more like a wannabe circus act. Get with the program... Seriously!!
Personal pleasure must not be based on the suffering of animals. Animals should not be used as entertainment. Too many people follow the celebrity fad craze; this action could result in many pigs being stranded after their cuteness wears off. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary reports that these are actually piglets born to very young pig parents that are not fully grown, in order to give a false appearance of being smaller than normal. They will eventually grow up to be normal sized animals. That in itself is cruelty.
I agree with VeggieTart & pig rescue: REVOKE the certificates, on the basis that it's not only the future lives of the piglets of high concern, but of the immature PARENTS, who have probably ALREADY suffered...just for a 'cute' but incredible anal and human-centric stunt! Why didn't they just give out vouchers for either homeless animals or for donations to no-kill shelters?
The fact that NONE of the 'stars' protested speaks to their OWN lack of social conscious, ethics & therefore responsibility re: animals' worth. On that basis ALONE, none of them would likely be good enough animal guardians, regardless.
Animals should NEVER be USED in any way as marketing gimmicks!
This is why I don't waste time with award shows if they have to bribe celebs to attend why on earth would I waste my time watching that crap or why would anyone for that matter?
This shows how out of touch so many in Hollywood are with the REAL issues concerning America, in this case pet overpopulation. Why not encourage celebs to visit their local kill shelter to consider adopting a dog or cat who's on death row, about to be killed, instead of breeding these pigs who will only add to the problem of too many pets and not enough adopters? Hollywood PR people and the actors they rep need to read a book or newspaper once in a while. There's a whole world out there beyond Silicone Valley that they need to learn about in order to stop perpetuating the air-headed stereotype of actors and their equally moronic entourage who have earned the disdain of middle America. Bottom line, animals aren't gifts and 500,000 pets in CA are being killed in shelters each year, costing taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars. Steer celebs to those animals and you'll earn props from all of us.
GBK has released the following statement:
In addressing animal activist concerns, GBK assures that no pigs were actually given out at the suite and any further interested parties need to be vetted and complete an in-home visit and training session. GBK supports many animal organizations and looks forward to continuing to growing those relationships. Furthermore, GBK will send out organizational materials from SPCLA, Best Friends and PETA to any interested parties.
It is very disappointing to hear that GBK was party to the giving out of vouchers for pigs. Regardless of what training you offer people, the vast majority of these pigs will end up being euthanized or dumped when they grow to their full size (which is 100+ pounds) if not before then. Animals are live beings which require a great deal of care. They shouldn't be handed out as door prizes. Sooner or later, they will be discarded like other door prizes/gifts people tire of.
I don't give a damn that the animals were not actually handed out at the awards; I would expect that as a minimal standard of human decency. And it doesn't matter that people have to be "vetted" and "take a class" on how to care for a pig. YOU DON'T GIVE ANIMALS AS GIFTS!!!! Animals are not fashion accessories or playthings. This was a really stupid idea, and the people who conceived it should never work in promotions again.
I've been on the rescuing end of pot bellied pigs for over a decade. GBK should be ashamed of themselves, and should recall every damned one of those certificates. Best Friends, named above, mentioned in another article how the piglets are born to juvenile parents, hence the small size of the piglets. What also happens is that those piglets are pulled off their mother's at 10 days old, when they should be allowed to nurse until 3 months or more. Weaning at such a tender age creates a myriad of health issues, most of these piglets DO NOT LIVE to their first birthday. The ones that do end up with neurological, and other, issues. THE RESCUES end up having to pay huge amounts for veterinary care, to provide quality of life to our abandoned, neglected charges.
GBK should revoke those certificates and instead donate a significant sum to each and every legitimate (501(c)(3)) pig rescue across the country.
GBK needs to contact the US Dept. of Ag. and make good by complaining that they have caused way too many invasive species to get loose by allowing the importing of alien species. At some point our government needs to be held accountable and this kind of pet fad idiocy needs to stop. People who take on a pet should be cited and/or go to jail when they mistreat them or "change their minds" and give them up. GBK should be shamed for such a bad idea.
There is not much I can truly say. A promotions Company doing a thing such as this is just utterly stupid, selfish and immature. I bet they all sat around, had a giggle, "OH YEAH, WHAT AN IDEA." Not to consider for a second about another living beings welfare or future. One for the shame file guys. While the rest of the World is trying to stop acts such as this, you continue on your merry way and place even more tarnished, unprofessional stature to that of the Entertainment Industry. I would close my Company if I did something like that. Maybe you should do the same. You are not a promotions company, more like a wannabe circus act. Get with the program... Seriously!!
Personal pleasure must not be based on the suffering of animals. Animals should not be used as entertainment. Too many people follow the celebrity fad craze; this action could result in many pigs being stranded after their cuteness wears off. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary reports that these are actually piglets born to very young pig parents that are not fully grown, in order to give a false appearance of being smaller than normal. They will eventually grow up to be normal sized animals. That in itself is cruelty.
I agree with VeggieTart & pig rescue:
REVOKE the certificates, on the basis that it's not only the future lives of the piglets of high concern, but of the immature PARENTS, who have probably ALREADY suffered...just for a 'cute' but incredible anal and human-centric stunt! Why didn't they just give out vouchers for either homeless animals or for donations to no-kill shelters?
The fact that NONE of the 'stars' protested speaks to their OWN lack of social conscious, ethics & therefore responsibility re: animals' worth. On that basis ALONE, none of them would likely be good enough animal guardians, regardless.
Animals should NEVER be USED in any way as marketing gimmicks!
This is why I don't waste time with award shows if they have to bribe celebs to attend why on earth would I waste my time watching that crap or why would anyone for that matter?
This shows how out of touch so many in Hollywood are with the REAL issues concerning America, in this case pet overpopulation. Why not encourage celebs to visit their local kill shelter to consider adopting a dog or cat who's on death row, about to be killed, instead of breeding these pigs who will only add to the problem of too many pets and not enough adopters? Hollywood PR people and the actors they rep need to read a book or newspaper once in a while. There's a whole world out there beyond Silicone Valley that they need to learn about in order to stop perpetuating the air-headed stereotype of actors and their equally moronic entourage who have earned the disdain of middle America. Bottom line, animals aren't gifts and 500,000 pets in CA are being killed in shelters each year, costing taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars. Steer celebs to those animals and you'll earn props from all of us.