 Guest Column by Joshua Marquis
Bend Bulletin July 4, 2022 When we think of kangaroos in the United States, the last thing we would imagine is the savage butchering of a mother kangaroo and the subsequent abandonment, starvation, or killing of her “joey” or dependent young kangaroo she famously carries in a pouch. Most of us, even those involved in animal protection, had little idea that an iconic, and often beloved Oregon-based company (Nike) was keeping alive a gruesome niche market where these animals are butchered for high-end running shoes. You may be hearing for the first time the popular purveyor of athletic gear supports the inhumane and unnecessary destruction of native wildlife overseas. When you hear the ugly details of how these shoes are made, you will likely want to join me at the next protest — as Oregonians did earlier this month in Portland — or do something else to help. Mother kangaroos are shot with joeys growing inside their pouches or standing by their sides for protection. The Australian government with its National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes instructs shooters to either decapitate or bludgeon to death the surviving young. If that’s humane, then what is inhumane? California is the only state that bans sales of shoes made from kangaroo skins, including soccer cleats by Nike, as well as athletic shoes by Puma and Adidas. Yet Nike and these other companies are still selling shoes made from kangaroo skins with impunity, because nobody is enforcing the law. Based on two years’ worth of investigation, the Center for a Humane Economy published a report, “Skin in the Game: An Investigation into the Illegal Trade of Kangaroo Parts in California” showing that many soccer shoe retailers continue to sell kangaroo cleats from companies like Nike, Adidas, and Puma. This is despite our efforts at encouraging enforcement of the law by reaching out to countless law enforcement officials and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mindful of that inaction, recently, the Center for a Humane Economy and its affiliate Animal Wellness Action, sued Soccer Wearhouse, a California retailer with three locations in Southern California, to permanently enjoin their sale of kangaroo cleats. Mindful of that inaction, recently, the Center for a Humane Economy and its affiliate Animal Wellness Action, sued Soccer Wearhouse, a California retailer with three locations in Southern California, to permanently enjoin their sale of kangaroo cleats. We don’t slaughter our dogs, cats, or horses for meat in this country; we have stopped buying fur from trapped or farmed animals. Now it is time to apply those same evolved ethical standards to help save the kangaroos in Australia from a cruel and callous industry that elevates profits above compassion and conservation. ####END Guest column: Stop slaughter of kangaroos for shoes | Opinion | bendbulletin.com Comments are closed.
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