A People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) activist dressed as a snake was “skinned” alive outside a Gucci store in Tsui Sha Tsui on Wednesday, as part of a performance to urge the retailer’s owner to halt the use of cruel animal practices.
A PETA investigation into the Thai exotic-skins industry showed that thousands of snakes were confined, bludgeoned over the head with hammers and impaled on hooks whilst still moving to supply fashion conglomerate Kering with material for bags, shoes, belts, and other accessories.
“PETA Asia also visited a facility in which crocodiles are stabbed with a metal blade and continue to move while workers peel off their skin,” the investigation report said.
France-based luxury fashion conglomerate Kering owns Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and other brands.
“These snakes spend their short lives confined to tiny, filthy boxes before being bashed with a hammer, pierced through the skull, and skinned,” PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker in a press release on Tuesday. “PETA is calling on Kering to stop selling anything produced from the slaughter of pythons or other wild animals and switch to the cruelty-free vegan materials that compassionate consumers demand.”
‘Meaningless’ ethical standards
Activists on Wednesday – which was World Environment Day – held placards reading “Bashing with hammers and inflating with water, snakeskin is inhumane,” and “Gucci’s snakeskin handbags fills your hands with blood,” whilst a person in a red-splattered coat ripped snake-patterned leggings from a wriggling activist.
Kering referred HKFP’s enquiry to Gucci, who did not respond.
Kering’s own Animal Welfare Standards specify that animals must have “room to move around freely” and be “managed to promote good health and treated immediately should disease or injury be discovered.” However, the PETA report said Kering has been aware of “indisputable documentation” since 2021, calling its policy “meaningless.”
“Claims of upholding these standards were proved false by PETA Asia’s investigations,” it said, as it urged people to complain to the brand.
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