Beyoncé: Heartless Toward Animals

One of the world's foremost authorities on reptile biology is snapping back at Beyoncé following her recent remarks about taping a baby alligator's mouth shut at a photo shoot for her new album, B'Day. The former Destiny's Child singer told the September issue of Arena magazine, ”There was a shot where I held an alligator. [He] had [his] mouth taped-that was my bright idea. � He was really cute, but since his mouth was taped, he didn't have any way to defend himself. He was upset, so he peed on me. That was an experience!”

On behalf of PETA, British biologist Clifford Warwick, an esteemed fellow at the Institute of Biology, wrote to Beyoncé, “As a specialist in reptile biology and welfare, I'm concerned about your posing with a terrified baby alligator for your new album cover. Humans and alligators are not natural bedfellows, and the two should not mix at events such as photo-shoots. In my view, doing so is arguably abusive to an animal.”

“Humans have historically treated alligators badly,” continues Warwick. “Skin and meat traders in the U.S. continue to do so by ranching them and slaughtering them via slices through their spinal cords or bludgeoning them with hammers. … The alligator you handled probably faces this same end, after a life of confinement in captivity. It seems a great pity that this animal's problems should be added to in the course of promoting your own work.”

Read Warwick’s complete letter to Beyoncé.

Surprised by Beyoncé’s total disregard for animal welfare? Don't be. Despite PETA’s pleas and the fact that many fashionable, comfortable alternatives are available, the heartless singer continues to use and promote fur in her House of Dereon fashion line.

PETA has faxed polite letters to Beyoncé, mailed her videos, held lively rallies outside her concerts, and even run a full-page open letter to her in Billboard magazine. We recently had an unusual opportunity to talk to Beyoncé directly about the animals who spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages on fur farms simply to satisfy the vanity of cruel people. Despite the fact that fur farmers use the cheapest and cruelest killing methods available—including suffocation, electrocution, gassing, and poisoning—Beyoncé continues to use the skins of tortured animals in her designs.

Please write polite letters encouraging Beyoncé to change her tune when it comes to animals:

Beyoncé Knowles
c/o Yvette Noel-Schure
Columbia Records
550 Madison Ave., 26th Fl.
New York, NY 10022
212-833-4483
212-833-8536 (fax)

Please also sign our pledge to go fur-free.