Group Suggests That Town Ban Fur Sales, Adopt 'Every Bunny Loves Raymond' Slogan 

For Immediate Release: 
October 19, 2009

Contact:
Ashley Byrne 757-622-7382 

Raymond, N.H. -- In the wake of reports that Raymond is seeking suggestions for a new town slogan, PETA has proposed that Raymond become the U.S.' first fur-free town and adopt the slogan "Every Bunny Loves Raymond."

"Banning the sale of fur will send the nation the message that Raymond does not support cruelty to animals," says PETA campaign coordinator Lindsay Rajt. "I can't think of a better way to put the town on the map and entice ethical businesses to set up shop."

For more information, visit PETA.org and PETA's blog.  

PETA's letter to Raymond Board of Selectmen Chair Frank Bourque and Raymond Business and Economic Development Council Chair Tim Louis follows. 

October 19, 2009

Frank Bourque, Chair
Raymond Board of Selectmen

Tim Louis, Chair
Raymond Business and Economic Development Council

Dear Messrs. Bourque and Louis,

On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 2 million members and supporters, I am writing to submit a suggestion for your town's new slogan: "Every Bunny Loves Raymond."

The slogan is catchy, current, and compassionate! But why would "every bunny" love Raymond? By your own admission, the town is in need of a new, unique identity, so we're asking that Raymond become the first fur-free town in the U.S. Creating a reputation of compassion and social responsibility could help attract ethical businesses--as well as more visitors and tourists--to Raymond. 

Most fur sold today is exported from China, where there are no laws protecting animals on fur farms. Practices on these farms are particularly cruel: This undercover expose (narrated by Gillian Anderson) shows rabbits at a Chinese fur farm who are painfully shocked multiple times and then hung upside-down in metal shackles; they writhe in pain long after their throats are cut. Millions of other animals killed for their fur are confined to small cages, forced to live mired in their own waste, and denied veterinary care and proper nutrition. Fur farms worldwide--including here in the U.S.--use exceedingly cruel killing methods: Most animals are anally electrocuted, gassed, or injected with poisons such as strychnine and weed killer. These crude methods are not always effective, and animals often "wake up" while the skin is being ripped off their bodies.

Put your town on the map! Let people know that "every bunny loves Raymond" by becoming America's first fur-free town. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President