PETA India’s ‘Grim Reapers’ Proclaim ‘Leather Is Dead’ Ahead of Halloween
On Friday, a trio of PETA India supporters dressed in Grim Reaper costumes rose from the underworld in time for Halloween (31 October). They congregated at the Mandovi River Promenade in Panaji, Goa, to “sentence leather to death” – dragging leather boots, bags, belts, and jackets by a chain and carrying scythes emblazoned with the message “Leather Is Dead”.
Cows, buffaloes, and other animals used for leather are often crammed into vehicles in such large numbers that their bones break. Slaughterhouse workers cut the throats of those who survive this ordeal in full view of other animals before dismembering and skinning them, often while they’re still conscious. Run-off from leather tanneries contaminates rivers and streams, harming all life there. Working in tanneries has also been linked to cancer, respiratory infections, and other illnesses in humans.
Vegan leather and other animal-friendly options are available nationwide in nearly all major shoe and clothing shops. worldwide are using the “PETA-Approved Vegan” logo to enable socially conscious consumers in India and elsewhere to identify vegan products at a glance while shopping.