Would You Wear Your Dog’s Skin? PETA’s Horror Short Shows the Consequences of a Family’s Hypocritical Purchase
“You wouldn’t turn your dog into a pair of shoes, so why wear another animal?” That’s the chilling question posed by PETA’s new video, which reminds consumers about the gruesome reality of leather: that it is someone’s skin.
In the video, a couple sits comfortably at home, mindlessly scrolling for shoes with their beloved dog curled up beside them—a scene we all know too well. But when the man clicks “Buy Now” on a pair of leather shoes, the ordinary moment turns into a nightmare: his new footwear arrives stitched from his own dog’s skin, as screams erupt and blood splatters across the room. The message is clear: Animal skins are stolen from feeling individuals who experience love, pain, and fear. So why do we treat some animals like family, while reducing other animals to accessories?
The Double Standard
PETA’s video challenges consumers to confront their double standards—and start questioning the cruelty behind every purchase of animal skins. Just as dogs bond deeply with their families, cows form lifelong friendships and grieve when they’re separated from loved ones. They have unique personalities: Some are bold and adventurous, while others are shy and timid. Some are playful and considerate, others are bossy. Most importantly, like all of our fellow animals, they want to live—yet the animal skins industry kills over a billion cows and other animals every year.
Animal skins are one of the most economically important coproducts of the meat industry, which means buying animal-based leather directly fuels factory farming and slaughter.
The animal skins industry doesn’t just kill animals—it kills the planet, too, contributing to land devastation, deforestation, air and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.
Be a Compassionate Consumer
The next time you’re online shopping, remember: Every animal is someone who doesn’t want to be turned into a pair of shoes or a handbag. Plus, it’s easier than ever to stock your closet with compassionate clothing. Vegan leathers are chic, stylish, more sustainable, and kind to animals. Innovative materials like pineapple leaves, cork, apple peels, fruit waste, and recycled plastic are already being transformed into accessories that put animal skins to shame. With so many options at your fingertips, there’s no excuse for wearing someone else’s skin.
Check out PETA’s guide to vegan clothing and pledge to leave animal skin behind.
