Colts Safety Antoine Bethea Signs With PETA’s No-Fur Team

Strong Athlete Sports His Tattoos in ‘Ink, Not Mink’ Campaign

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2013

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

Strong safeties in the NFL learn how to shake off bumps and bruises or they don’t last very long. Just ask Antoine Bethea of the Indianapolis Colts, and he’ll tell you that being tough is a big part of the game. But when it comes to animals killed for fur, Bethea has a softer side. That’s why he chose to show off his amply tattooed torso in a brand-new PETA ad that carries the caption “Play Hard and Make Kind Choices—Mine Is Ink, Not Mink.” The stunning ad, which was shot by top celebrity photographer Sabin Orr, can be viewed here.

“[I]t was important for me to get involved with ‘Ink, Not Mink’ just because of what it’s about. It’s about really talking about the cruelty to animals, what they have to go through,” Bethea told PETA in an exclusive interview. “I’m most definitely a big fan of ink, as you can see, and … I would rather wear ink than mink any day.”

PETA and Bethea want shoppers to know that every year, millions of animals, including foxes, minks, raccoons, rabbits, chinchillas, and even cats and dogs, are electrocuted, beaten, drowned, strangled, and skinned alive for their fur. For every piece of fur—whether it’s a full-length coat or a bit of trim on a collar or cuff—animals suffered immensely.

Bethea joins a growing list of top athletes—including Terrell Suggs, Willis McGahee, Maurice Jones-Drew, Tony Gonzalez, Aaron Curry, Amar’e Stoudemire, Michael Strahan, Gilbert Arenas, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, and Tito Ortiz—who have teamed up with PETA to fight cruelty to animals.

Broadcast-quality footage of Bethea’s interview can be downloaded here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.