End This Cruel Tradition And Protect Bears from Slaughter
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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site
Bears are brutally killed for outdated military caps. Help us end to this unnecessary cruelty before more innocent animals suffer.
For centuries, the King’s Guard in England has worn towering bearskin caps as part of their iconic red-uniformed ceremonial duties. But these caps come at a terrible cost. Each bearskin cap, worn during state events like the Changing of the Guard and Trooping the Colour, is made from the pelt of a black bear hunted in Canada. In a world that increasingly values compassion, this tradition is no longer sustainable.
The High Cost of Tradition
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to defend this practice, claiming the pelts come from “legal and licensed hunts” and that bears are not hunted specifically for military use. However, this justification ignores the cruelty involved. Animal rights groups have reported that bears can suffer for hours or even days after being shot, enduring tremendous pain before their deaths. Each bearskin cap requires the life of one bear1.
Faux Fur Alternatives Exist
While the MoD has expressed openness to faux fur alternatives, they claim no synthetic substitute has met the standards for durability, water resistance, and appearance necessary for ceremonial use2. But organizations like PETA have already offered high-quality faux fur options, even committing to supply free faux bear fur for the next decade3. Other nations, such as Italy and Sweden, have transitioned their military ceremonial uniforms to cruelty-free synthetic materials without issue. Britain, too, can make this compassionate shift.
Taxpayer Money Funds Cruelty
The financial cost of maintaining this tradition is as troubling as the ethical concerns. The price of each cap has now surpassed £2,000, with the UK spending over £1 million in the past decade to replace aging bearskin caps4. This expense is funded by taxpayer money, effectively supporting cruelty through government contracts. Meanwhile, animal rights advocates and public figures, including Stephen Fry, have publicly urged the UK government to stop purchasing real bear fur and adopt faux alternatives that are both humane and cost-effective5.
Time for Compassion and Progress
It’s time for Britain to let go of this outdated tradition. We need to embrace a future where our national symbols reflect the values of kindness, respect, and progress. Ending the use of real bear fur in the King’s Guard uniforms will show that Britain stands for the protection of wildlife and the rejection of unnecessary cruelty.
Sign the petition below to call on the British Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence to stop using real fur bearskin caps and to end the sanctioned bear hunts that supply this outdated tradition. Together, we can end this unnecessary suffering and embrace a more ethical future.
- Francine Wolfisz, Daily Mail (12 September 2024), "End the King's Guards' bearskin caps? Campaigners demand change as cost of real fur headwear hits £2,000 each."
- Emma Gatten, The Telegraph (12 September 2024), "Cost of King’s Guard bearskin caps surges 30%.”
- Brian Melley, ABC News (12 September 2024), "Animal rights groups object to Buckingham Palace guard's distinctive bearskin caps."
- Sean Coughlan, BBC (12 September 2024), "Soaring cost of King’s Guards' real fur bearskin caps revealed."
- Xenia Zubova, Forces News (10 January 2024), "Stephen Fry campaigns against use of real fur in King's Guard bearskin caps."
The Petition:
To the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Defence of Great Britain,
We, the undersigned, call for an immediate end to the use of real fur bearskin caps worn by the King’s Guard, and an end to the sanctioned bear hunts in Canada used to supply these caps. This longstanding tradition is no longer justifiable in a world that values compassion, conservation, and ethical responsibility.
The procurement of each bearskin cap, requiring the pelt of one black bear, contributes to the ongoing suffering and death of wildlife. Despite claims that these hunts are legally sanctioned and part of population management, the cruel methods used, such as crossbow hunting, often leave bears to suffer for extended periods. It is widely recognized that bears are intelligent and sensitive animals, and the trauma they experience in these hunts is unacceptable.
As a society that prides itself on progress and empathy, we must ask ourselves: is it truly necessary to cling to a tradition that results in such cruelty? Faux fur alternatives exist that can replicate the aesthetic and durability of real fur without causing harm to animals. PETA and other organizations have even offered to supply faux fur to the military, at no cost, for the next decade. The time has come to make this humane and practical shift.
Furthermore, continuing to procure bearskin caps not only perpetuates the suffering of wildlife but also contradicts global conservation efforts. Preserving our planet’s wildlife is a responsibility we all share. Reducing the demand for bear pelts will encourage better protection for these magnificent animals, allowing their populations to thrive in the wild where they belong.
By ending the use of real fur bearskin caps and discontinuing these sanctioned bear hunts, we will take a meaningful step towards a more ethical and compassionate future. Tradition must evolve with the times, and in this case, the right choice is clear.
Together, we can ensure a future where compassion and conservation are prioritized, reflecting the values of a more just and humane society.
Sincerely,
