INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION - AUGUST 31

Animal activists standing in protest

In defense of our kangaroos

Melbourne Sports Depot Boycott Adidas Demo

30 Animal activists stood in protest outside the Melbourne Sports Depot on Saturday in the center of Melbourne's busiest shopping district and handed out hundreds of leaflets (thanks to Viva!) and made non-stop appeals to the public (via megaphone and chanting) to stop supporting Adidas while they were part of killing kangaroos. Romeo Gadze, our media spokesperson did several radio interviews, but there was no tv coverage.

Thanks to all who attended.

"Adidas have received to date over 10,000 emails complaining about their use of kangaroo leather...and are obviously concerned about damage to their image." - keep them coming and attend a demo near you!

The Kangaroo Industry is running scared... keep them on the hop!

The World League for Protection of Animals has recently been leaked a copy of an e-mail sent out by John Kelly, Executive Office, Kangaroo Industries Association of Australia. The e-mail is titled "The Kangaroo Industry is under attack and needs your help".

In it Kelly explains "A United Kingdom based radical animal liberation organisation... has launched a campaign targeting Adidas." He goes on to say that "This (soccer boot) industry is vital to the kangaroo industry. Without it underpinning kangaroo skin prices the entire industry would be at risk."

"Adidas have received to date over 10,000 emails complaining about their use of kangaroo leather... and are obviously concerned about damage to their image."

This campaign is well and truly on track and it is more important than ever to keep up the pressure on Adidas and join in a demo on the International Day of Action (August 31) near you!

AUSTRALIAN SUPPORTERS

Please spare a moment to email the Managing Director of Adidas Australia, Robin Berry, to let him know why Australian people and the international community alike are opposed to the slaughter of millions of beautiful, gentle, unique kangaroos.

His email address is robin.berry@adidas.com. Robin Berry can also be reached by phone on (03) 9263 5299.

Please also continue to send emails to Adidas HQ (sustainability@adidas.de)

The kangaroo killing industry supplies leather for soccer cleats, handbags and baseball mitts, which is fueling the slaughter of millions of kangaroos and their babies every year. 6.9 million kangaroos will be shot this year - it is the biggest wildlife massacre in the world and it must be stopped.

Animal Liberation Victoria is joining in VIVA!'s (a UK animal rights group) call for an international boycott of Adidas. The campaign will be targeting companies using kangaroo skin one at a time, which was the successful tactic used by Viva! in the UK to get supermarkets to stop stocking kangaroo meat. So the first target is Adidas and their ‘Predator’ shoe. Adidas is far and away the leader in ‘premier’ soccer cleats, with 70 percent of the market worldwide.

Viva! in England wrote to Adidas outlining the grave concerns about their use of kangaroo skin and received a nauseating standard letter claiming to care about ‘humane harvesting’ which regurgitated the Kangaroo Industry Association’s propaganda about population control. Viva! wrote back to Adidas contesting the points made in their letter and requested a meeting with them, but so far they have not replied. It’s time for us to step up the campaign and make them take notice!

Animal Liberation Victoria is taking this issue to the streets and urging shoppers not to buy Adidas products until they cease their part in the largest wildlife massacre in the world. Details of our Melbourne Protest on August 31 are listed above. Supporters are then invited to attend an Animal Liberation Victoria members meeting and raffle draw at the Gabrielle Pizzi Gallery in 141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne at 2:00 that afternoon. Video footage of recent undercover rescues will be shown.

Photo credits: Ink Spot Calendar Cover photo: Barbara von Hoffmann

OVERSEAS DAY OF ACTION ON AUGUST 31

In the USA and the UK, activists will hold protests outside malls and stores which stock Adidas soccer cleats and urge shoppers to boycott all Adidas products as long as they use kangaroo skin. Events will also take place in Australia, Poland and other European countries.

It is vital to the survival of kangaroos that we stop the trade in their skins, especially for the manufacturing of soccer cleats. According to Australia’s leading tanners of kangaroo leather, Parker Tanning, manufacturers prefer to use the largest skins to make athletic footwear. These skins come from the large red males who take 10 years to reach alpha status and are being continually massacred so few survive to pass on their superior genes to the next generation. This means that smaller, weaker and younger males are left to breed with the females, producing offspring who are less likely to survive a major drought or other natural disasters. We must reverse this trend before a major disaster strikes and Australian kangaroos are wiped out! It is frightening that leather suppliers are complaining that there are few large red males left in Australia. Skins are getting smaller and smaller as they now shoot juveniles.

MICROFIBRE (SYNTHETIC) FOOTBALL BOOTS

Many top manufacturers now make hi-tech, hi-performance synthetic soccer cleats for professionals without the use of any animal products. Please help us show Adidas that we won’t allow them to kick the kangaroo into extinction. Following is a list of some microfibre football boots.

These are professional quality boots in the $100.00 price range:

• Fila Tornado ii tx
• Asics Gel Lethal V

There are also many less expensive football boots which are synthetic, including:

• Umbro Stadio MSR
• Umbro Iridium AST
• Reebok Strikezone Baleni TD HG
• Reebok Enigma TD
• Mizuno Objectibo Si, Objectivo MD, Objectivo AS, Objectivo IN

If in doubt, ask the sales staff or check for the leather symbol on the boot.

For more information on this campaign, please see www.savethekangaroo.com<%=createExternalLinkImage("..")%>.

YOU CAN HELP!

Please email Adidas now!

Adidas-Salmon AG
Social & Environmental Affairs
PO Box 1120
91074 Herzogenaurach
GERMANY
Email: sustainability@adidas.de

Richard Wright, Director of International Footwear
Umbro International Ltd
Umbro House, Lakeside
Teedle Royal Business Park
SK8 3GQ
Email: customerservices@umbro.com

Mauro Zamprogno, Product Department
Lotto Sport Italia Spa
Via San Gaetano, 200
31044 Montebelluna (TV)
Italy
Email: email@lotto.it