People are appalled to learn that the UK’s royal guards’ caps are not made of faux fur but that of slaughtered Canadian black bears.
PETA is calling on the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to stop using real bear fur for the ornamental headpieces worn by the King’s Guard and make the ceremonial caps out of modern, high-quality faux fur instead. Please help put pressure on the MoD by urging the UK prime minister to call for a switch to faux fur.
Bears Baited With Cookies, Shot With Crossbows
A shocking new PETA exposé shows hunters setting out drums of cookies, bread, and sticky, greasy food before shooting hungry bears, who are lured by the smell, with crossbows. Animals who have been shot often run for their lives. As many as one bear in seven will escape wounded and endure a slow, painful death from blood loss or starvation.
In some provinces of Canada, a springtime hunt of bears is permitted. Mother bears seeking food for their cubs may be among those killed, leading to the death of entire families. Hunters are allowed to kill bears using a variety of weapons, from guns to high-powered crossbows. In some parts of the country, even using spears is legal – which cause bears a hideously slow and painful death.
Living, Feeling Beings Turned Into Ornamental Headpieces
Once hunters have slaughtered the bears, they often keep parts of their bodies, such as the head and claws, as trophies they imagine to be “macho” and sell or auction off the bear fur. The MoD’s capmakers buy the fur from these auctions and use them to make the headgear worn by the King’s Guard.
The MoD has frequently and entirely disingenuously claimed that the bear pelts are a byproduct of a “cull” overseen by Canadian authorities. Yet federal and provincial Canadian governments have confirmed that no such culls exist. The Canadian government issues “tags” to hunting enthusiasts – such as those seen in the footage – who are then free to bait and kill an allotted number of bears for recreation and sell their skins. It’s a blood sport effectively subsidised by the MoD.
In a desperate attempt to defend the indefensible, the MoD has now aligned itself with Furmark, a misleading certification scheme set up by the commercial fur industry that exists solely to protect the interests of fur farmers and hunters and promote the (rapidly declining) use of fur in fashion. Even former British Fur Trade Association CEO Mike Moser called Furmark a “meaningless” scheme that seeks to “sugar-coat the truth behind this … cruel trade”.
The MoD Offers Judgement – But Not Solutions
PETA UK and ECOPEL have developed a faux bear fur that meets all the requirements specified by the MoD for a bearskin replacement. It is the same length, 100% waterproof, and performs in a remarkably similar way to real bear fur in water shedding tests. To the naked eye, the two fabrics look virtually identical. Yet, despite being presented with a high-quality, high-performing fabric, the MoD claims – falsely – that the fabric is not a “viable alternative”.
The MoD’s tired excuses are unacceptable. ECOPEL has offered to meet and work with its capmakers to accommodate any necessary adjustments to the fabric free of charge. Yet the ministry has refused the request, blocking any chance of progress while deceitfully telling the public it would be willing to change if a suitable alternative were provided.
Take Action Now
Instead of buying caps that are the product of the shameful slaughter of black bears, the UK must set a compassionate example and switch to high-tech, luxurious faux fur. Please tell the UK prime minister to use their influence to help replace bearskin with faux fur for the King’s Guard’s caps.
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