Miss Australia Goes Faux

For any of you who caught the Miss Universe pageant last night, you’ll be relieved to know that it was faux sheepskin that Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell was wearing. After PETA Australia alerted Campbell to the cruelty of mulesing—a crude mutilation that involves cutting large chunks of flesh from the backsides of Australian lambs with instruments resembling gardening shears—Campbell decided to wear faux sheepskin instead of the real thing as part of her national costume.

“I am confirming that Jesinta Campbell Miss Universe Australia will be wearing only synthetic sheepskin on her national costume,” Deborah Miller, national director of Miss Universe Australia, told PETA Australia.

As thanks, PETA sent Campbell a box of vegan chocolate sheep. Her kindness was rewarded again when she placed second runner-up and won the pageant’s “Miss Congeniality” award. Who says nice girls finish last?

Written by Alisa Mullins