American Eagle Takes a Stand Against Cruelty to Australian Lambs

The retailer-led movement to reform the Australian wool industry is rapidly gaining momentum, with retail giant American Eagle Outfitters pledging to not purchase Australian merino wool until mulesing mutilations of lambs and live sheep exports end. With more than 850 stores in the U.S. and 2005 sales totaling nearly $1.9 billion, American Eagle is proving that truly stylish clothing doesn’t come from abused animals. American Eagle’s compassionate decision to not use Australian merino wool until mulesing and live exports end sends a powerful message to the Australian wool industry that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.

Mulesing is a painful mutilation in which Australian farmers use gardening shears to slice chunks of skin and flesh from lambs’ backsides—without any painkillers—in a crude attempt to reduce maggot infestation, even though effective, humane alternatives exist. Every year, millions of Australian sheep are shipped on long voyages to the Middle East in open-decked ships through all weather extremes, mired in their own waste. Treated as cargo, sick and injured sheep are thrown overboard to the sharks or ground up alive in mincing machines. Conditions aboard these “death ships” are so bad that hundreds, sometimes thousands, of sheep die during every voyage. When the survivors reach the Middle East, their throats are slit while they are still conscious.

American Eagle joins a fast-growing list of retailers and fashion designers—including Abercrombie & Fitch, Timberland, Indigenous Designs,and Limited Brands in the U.S. and New Look and George in the U.K.—that have pledged to not use Australian merino wool until mulesing and live exports end. India’s Mohini Knitwares and seven top designers in India—a major importer of Australian wool—as well as Pakistan’s Bonanza Garments, have also pledged not to use the cruelly obtained product.

PETA is celebrating American Eagle’s pledge to take a stand against cruelty to animals by saying “no” to cruelly obtained Australian merino wool. American Eagle soars above the competition by refusing to buy wool that comes from mutilated and abused Australian sheep. Please write to American Eagle to thank the company for its compassionate decision:

Jay L. Schottenstein, Chair
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
150 Thorn Hill Dr.
Warrendale, PA 15086-7528 
724-779-5585 (fax)
http://www.ae.com/contact/feedback_stores.htm (Web form)

Join American Eagle in taking a stand against cruelty to animals by refusing to buy garments made from merino wool, most of which comes from Australia. Order a free “Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing” to learn how you can help animals when you shop for clothing.

Find out how you can help save sheep by telling your community about the cruelty of Australian wool.

Watch PETA's video "Australia's Secret Shame" to see for yourself what happens to sheep down under.