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Published online 20 February 2008 | Nature 451, 875 (2008) | doi:10.1038/451875b

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  • I find it irritating that Pamela Anderson is an avid PETA supporter, yet this is rarely mentioned when she grabs headlines. This is disingenuous given PETAs support for the Animal Liberation Front, and their stance against all animal testing...given that Ms. Anderson has HepC and is likely eagerly waiting the arrival of medicines for her condition...

    • 20 Feb, 2008
    • Posted by: Ian Brooks
  • I find it irritating that someone would insult a person who gives much of her time trying to end the horrific, senseless killing of baby seals. Also, PETA does not support the ALF, although they do not condemn their actions as long as no animals (including people) are hurt.

    • 20 Feb, 2008
    • Posted by: Candace Moore
  • First off - the harvest of white coat seals has been illegal for over twenty years - so posing with a picture of one is false advertising. It is always remarkable that these celebrities who protest various issues usually pick one extremely remote from their own life so nothing has to change for them. Ms. Anderson is a professional actress and does not dedicate her life to saving baby seals, which I point out again, are not harvested. The seal fishery is no more or less horrific or senseless than what goes on in any abbatoir, and anyone who protests this while eating meat or wearing leather is a hypocrite. Those who are vegetarians I can only point out that this fishery puts much needed money in the pockets of the rural poor and does not threaten in any way the ten million seals that are themselves contributiig to the extinction of the northern cod population. What is threatened with extinction is rural life on the Canadian east coast, and it this sort misleading use of these obsolete images that plays on peoples emotions and assist in fundraising. I would instead invite Ms. Anderson to pose with a cod and an outport child - the really threatened species at issue here.

    • 21 Feb, 2008
    • Posted by: Bruce Parsons
  • Ms. Moore, I was not insulting Ms. Anderson. I was merely pointing out an apparent incongruety. As to PETA "not condemning" an outlawed terrorist organisation, I have no comment.

    • 21 Feb, 2008
    • Posted by: Ian Brooks