`Sgt. Pepper's Magical Mystery Board´

[AnyRoad69]

http://www.entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,16125672-7484,00.html


Under fire ... Paul McCartney / Reuters PAUL McCartney has been drawn into a row alongside Hollywood actors and pop stars from Gillian Anderson to Moby over their support for an animal rights charity.

McCartney was named as one of 50 celebrities who were instructed to "fire your publicist" in a $US11,000 ($14,400) advertisement in the Hollywood magazine Variety because of his support for the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The advertisement, placed by a pro-animal-testing organisation, was designed to embarrass PETA supporters after two of the organisation's employees were charged with animal cruelty in North Carolina.

The PETA activists were arrested after they allegedly collected dogs and puppies from animal shelters, killed them and threw the bodies into a rubbish bin. Adria Hinkle and Andrew Cook are accused of disposing of 31 animals in this way as part of PETA's program of animal euthanasia for pets that end up in shelters.

The advertisement lists celebrities from Oliver Stone to John McEnroe who, it says, should be ashamed of supporting PETA.

"The alleged discovery of 31 dead dogs and puppies in a dumpster, allegedly killed in a van and tossed by two trusted employees of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, casts serious doubt upon the legitimacy of this ubiquitous animal rights organisation," the advertisement says.


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The Foundation for Biomedical Research, which paid for the ad, said there would be a series attacking those who publicly supported PETA.
McCartney's publicist said he was not yet aware of the singer's response.

Ally Sheedy, the actor best known for her performance in The Breakfast Club, said she was not ashamed to have been named in the ad.

"I don't know anything about the case," she told the New York Daily News. "But it's one of those things where this is an organisation that has done so much good for so long."

A spokesman for PETA said that although it advocated euthanasia for neglected dogs and cats in rural US, it did not approve of the methods allegedly used by Ms Hinkle, who has been suspended from PETA, and Mr Cook.

Michael McGraw, director of communications for PETA, said: "Rural America is awash with more dogs and cats than it can handle, and the standard of care is appalling.

"They have mange covering their bodies that causes them to lose their hair, they have parvovirus, they're left tied to trees for months or years on end."

In Virginia last year, PETA killed 2278 animals, sterilised 7641 and found homes for 361.

The foundation said it hoped to show celebrities that their opposition to the use of animals in research contradicted their support for medical charities.

"While these celebrities are well-meaning, their support of PETA is in direct conflict with charities such as AIDS and cancer research charities. Many celebrities on this list also support AIDS charities."