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Max Mara Fashion Group, the Italian fashion house, finally goes fur-free

- Italy -

 

Max Mara Fashion Group, the Italian fashion house, has finally announced what thousands of people have been waiting to hear for a very long time!

 

Following countless global campaigns, protests, emails, petitions, phone calls, media posts, and street actions in front of Max Mara stores all over Europe, in an internal memo to staff, Max Mara said, “The Company does not sell, online nor in any of its physical retail locations, any products made with fur, nor is there the intention to introduce any products made with fur into any upcoming collections of Max Mara Fashion Group brands.”

 

Fur Free Alliance reports that this was confirmed by a Max Mara executive, who added:

“Max Mara, including the MMFG and any subsidiaries, has adopted a fur-free policy and has no intention of introducing fur into any upcoming collection for any of the MMFG brands.”

 

As reported by FOUR PAWS, the Fur Free Alliance and a coalition of more than fifty animal protection organizations from over thirty-five countries, “launched a global campaign during fashion weeks in February 2024 in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris urging the Italian fashion giant to adopt a fur-free policy. The campaign also saw more than 270,000 emails, 5,000 phone calls and countless social media posts delivering a clear message asking Max Mara to take the leap into a fur-free future.”

 

Many brands, such as Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, Versace and many others, take a clear stance against real fur. Max Mara, however, kept selling products with real fur.

 

In February 2024, Humane Society International/Europe and LAV flew a hot-air balloon over Max Mara’s headquarters in the city of Reggio Emilia during Milan Fashion Week, displaying a fur-free message.

 

Together with Fur Free Alliance, FOUR PAWS joined a global campaign during fashion week season from February to March 2024 to convince Max Mara to move toward a fur-free future.

FOUR PAWS and other NGOs protested in front of Max Mara stores in more than twenty European cities. Max Mara has always refused to even discuss the issue.

 

Following the #FurFreeMaxMara campaign, the company removed fur items from Max Mara Fashion Group’s websites but remained silent on ending its support for fur cruelty. The group even disabled all comments on its Instagram channels.

 

Humane Society International reported some alarming fur facts which I have copied below:

 

·         Tens of millions of animals suffer and die each year in the global fur trade. The majority of the animals killed for fur are reared in barren battery cages on fur farms.

·         Fur farming has been banned in 21 European countries – the 15 Member States of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia plus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guernsey, Norway, United Kingdom, North Macedonia and Serbia. In addition, two countries (Switzerland and Germany) have implemented strict regulations which have effectively brought fur farming to an end and three countries (Denmark, Sweden, Hungary) have imposed measures that have ended the farming of certain species.  Mink farming has also been banned in the Canadian province of British Colombia. Political discussion of a ban is underway in Bulgaria, Romania and Sweden.

·         Israel became the first country to ban fur sales, in 2021. In the United States, fur sales are banned in the state of California as well as ins 16 towns or cities. Political discussion on a fur import ban is underway in Switzerland

·         Mink on almost 488 fur farms across 13 countries in Europe and North America have been found to be infected with COVID-19. Millions of farmed mink, in countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands, were ordered to be killed on public health grounds. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) has been found on 72 fur farms (one in Spain, 71 in Finland) to date. Around 500,000 animals, including mink, arctic fox, red fox, raccoon dogs and sable, have been ordered to be killed on public health grounds.

  

P.J Smith, director of fashion policy at Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Congratulations to Max Mara for joining so many other fashion brands and retailers that have already taken a stand against the cruel fur trade. Activists around the world came together to ask Max Mara to do the right thing, and they listened, making it clear fur has no place in fashion. Let’s celebrate this win for animals and a fur-free future!” 

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

 




 
 
 

Family of late French actor Alain Delon refuse to put down his dog

- France -

 

How many of you have watched his movies and how many ladies among you found him handsome?

 

88-year-old French actor Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon, simply known by his stage name Alain Delon, passed away on August 18, 2024.

 

A request expressed by Mr. Delon regarding his dog, a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois named Loubo whom he adopted in 2014 from a shelter, sparked an outcry from animal rights activists.

 

In a 2018 interview with Paris Match, Mr. Delon said he wanted Loubo euthanized and buried with him in the cemetery of his home in the village of Douchy in the Loiret. He said: “He’s my end of life dog … I love him like a child. He misses me when I’m not there.” He then explained: “I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a particular relationship with this one. If I die before him, I’ll ask the veterinarian for us to leave together. ... I’d prefer that to knowing that he would let himself die on my tomb amid so much suffering.”

 

Mr. Delon created a chapel in the cemetery of his home containing the remains of at least thirty-five (35) of his dogs.

 

After Mr. Delon’s death, animal rights activists and concerned citizens raised the alarm about Loubo’s fate.

 

Following criticism from animal welfare groups, Mr. Delon’s family confirmed on August 20, 2024, that they would not be granting Mr. Delon’s controversial dying wish.

 

On the same day, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, a prominent French animal rights group founded by the famed French film star, who was close with Mr. Delon, said in a post on X that Mr. Delon’s relatives had confirmed that Loubo “has his home and his family” and will not be euthanized.

 

France’s Society for the Protection of Animals welcomed the family’s decision.

 

According to The Associated Press, SPA President Guillaume Sanchez told the news agency: “ ‘Our phone lines were saturated’ with calls by people worried about the dog.”

He also said that while Loubo “will probably be very sad to have lost the affection of Mr. Delon,” “…we are totally against the idea that anyone euthanizes an animal for this reason, Delon or no Delon. ... Organizations that work to protect animals want society to develop awareness that an animal is an individual, separate being.”

 

Mr. Delon was a longtime friend of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and helped raise money for its causes.

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

 




 
 
 

Pope Francis refuses to bless a dog and brags about it at a conference on Italy's birth rate

- Rome, Italy -


Oh boy, I am so furious that for the first time, my usual personal opinion that I add to the end of each article is going to be longer than the story itself!


On Friday, May 12, 2023, Pope Francis was at St. Peter’s Square in Rome to attend the third edition of Stati Generali della Natalità (a conference discussing Italy’s declining birth rate). The Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, was also present at the conference.


At one point during his speech, the pope recounted two episodes that he described as “photographs”. The first anecdote he mentioned happened in Saint Peter’s Square where his secretary walked toward a woman who was pushing a stroller and was surprised to see a puppy inside of it instead of a child. The second happened during a regular papal audience on a Wednesday two weeks before the conference. A woman, approximately in her fifties, approached him holding a bag asking him to bless her baby. The pope said that the woman opened the bag to reveal a puppy. He then admitted to losing his temper, impatiently rebuking her by saying; “Many children are dying of hunger and you bring me a dog?” The pontiff proudly relayed the episode while laughing as if he was describing a scene from a funny movie!


The pope explained that, given the cost of living and inadequate childcare, some couples are opting to have cats and dogs rather than children. He accused those who do not have children of “selfishness” and went on to say that, since for many Italians starting a family is a monumental effort, he fears that the two episodes he described could become “the habit of the future”.


I cannot begin to tell you how that triggered animal rescue organizations to react!


This is not the first time that Pope Francis has harped on this issue, having previously slammed what he described as “selfish, egotistical” people who chose to not have children. As reported by Perizona, on International Dog Day in 2022 (August 26) he made similar remarks.

As reported by CNN earlier that year, on January 5, during one of his regular Wednesday papal audiences, whilst praising Saint Joseph’s decision to bring up Jesus as “among the highest forms of love”, he turned his focus to couples that chose to have animals instead of children, saying: “We see that people do not want to have children, or just one and no more. And many, many couples do not have children because they do not want to, or they have just one – but they have two dogs, two cats … Yes, dogs and cats take the place of children.” He then added: “Yes, it’s funny, I understand, but it is the reality. And this denial of fatherhood or motherhood diminishes us, it takes away our humanity. And in this way civilization becomes aged and without humanity, because it loses the richness of fatherhood and motherhood. And our homeland suffers, as it does not have children.”


First of all, I want to say that growing up in Italy, I have seen a lot of priests blessing cars, houses, engagement rings and so on. I remember as a little girl, my own mother asked a priest from our local church to come to the house to bless it. So, I truly do not understand why the pope refused to bless a LIFE! For that, I am deeply disappointed! Secondly, I would expect the pope to profess love for all beings. I strongly believe that he has the responsibility to send a clear message that all humans should love, respect, and appreciate all of God’s creations and that includes animals. I may be mistaken, but I have never heard the pope dedicate a prayer to innocent animal victims of natural disasters or abuse etc. It appears as though he professes selective love! I would expect the pope to support messages that unite all living beings without stressing the needs of some over others! It’s not just children who die of hunger, a lot of innocent animals out there are experiencing the EXACT same tragedy! Both humans and animals suffer and there should not be prioritization of the needs of humans over animals!


Moreover, on April 6, 2023, Pope Francis visited the chapel of the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention center where, during a Mass of the Lord’s Supper, he washed and kissed the feet of twelve young criminals. According to Catholic News Agency, “During his time as pope — and as a bishop before that — Francis has made it a regular tradition to celebrate Holy Thursday Mass with the imprisoned.” Francis, however, has never visited an animal rescue center to recognize, praise, and appreciate the enormous sacrifices volunteers endure in order to save lives! Many of us know all too well that the lives of animals are constantly ignored and underestimated by the authorities and institutions, despite the fact that the law and regulations require them to take charge!


Lastly, after he was elected pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio chose the name Francis after St. Francis of Assisi. Well, here’s a major contradiction: St. Francis of Assisi is associated with patronage of animals and the environment. It became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of 4 October. It’s not a coincidence that the Voice For Us Facebook page was created and launched on October 4, 2018, to honor St. Francis.


A famous Italian journalist, Selvaggia Lucarelli, made an important observation in her recent Instagram story regarding the pope’s refusal to bless the puppy. She said: “What should a 50-year-old woman do, if perhaps she has a dog and an older child? Going around with your 25-year-old son in the stroller, so the pope is reassured and knows that she has given birth?” Selvaggia then went on to indirectly ask: “Why the f*ck doesn’t he tolerate animals?”


Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.

Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.



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