Katie O'Malley Joins List of Fur-Free First Ladies

Wife of Maryland's Governor Shows That Faux Is the Only Way to Go 

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2010

Contact:
Amanda Schinke 757-622-7382

Annapolis, Md. -- Maryland might be buried in snow, but one thing you'll never catch first lady Katie O'Malley in is a real fur coat, no matter how low the mercury drops. PETA recently sent surveys to first ladies across the country, and after mentioning that first ladies Michelle Obama of the U.S. and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy of France had issued statements that they are fur-free, the organization simply asked, "Do you wear fur?" O'Malley was among the first to respond: A representative for the governor's wife stated, "Our First Lady, Katie O'Malley, does not wear fur." The representative also thanked PETA for its "hard work."

Says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews, "We're thrilled that Katie O'Malley is among the world-class first ladies who are setting a wonderful example by respecting animals. Compassionate women around the world know that fur is dated and cruel."

Among those who have responded (so far) that their closets are fur-free are the first ladies of Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin. So far, no first lady has declared to PETA that she does wear fur.

Going fur-free spares animals the pain of being trapped, drowned, and factory-farmed. It can even spare them the agony of being skinned alive--an abuse that undercover investigators documented on Chinese fur farms.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.