CR Fashion Book has a new issue set to hit stands on Thursday with a big spread featuring Bently, an infant chimpanzee. Bently is owned by Mike Casey, who you might remember was put in front of county commissioners in Las Vegas because he lacked a permit to house his chimpanzees. He has a record of abusing his chimps, punching them, hitting them with a rod, and throwing hot water in their face. Casey also was responsible for breeding Travis, who as an adult escaped and mauled a Connecticut woman in 2009.
In their post about Bently’s upcoming appearance, CR Fashion Book also boasts that Bently’s brother Kenzy was the star of the Speed Racer movie, which actually got an unacceptable rating from the American Humane Association due on-set abuse.
Bently, Kenzy, and others like them deserve to be in a sanctuary where they can receive lifetime quality care. By featuring Bently in their magazine alongside humans, CR Fashion Book is perpetuating the pubic misunderstanding of chimpanzee nature.
Please send a polite letter to CR Fashion Book and ask them to remove the spread from the issue before sending it to stands on Thursday, and ask them to pledge to never use primates in future publications. Your letters make a difference – just earlier this year, Great Clips pulled a commercial featuring a young chimpanzee after they heard from concerned advocates like you.
You may send your letter to the editor-in-chief, Carine Roitfeld at [email protected]
You may also submit your comments to their Facebook page, or comment on this picture they posted from “behind-the-scenes” of the shoot.
Sample Brief Facebook Comment:
Bently the young chimpanzee should not be used in this way. His trainer has a history of abuse! Chimpanzees bred for the pet and entertainment industry eventually become big and strong and it is within their nature to be aggressive. Bently and other chimpanzees simply do not belong with humans, and your magazine spread is suggesting otherwise. Please remove the spread and pledge to never use primates in future publications!
Sample Letter to the Editor-in-Chief:
Dear Ms. Roitfeld:
I was shocked and disappointed to hear that CR Fashion Book is planning to feature Bently, a young chimpanzee. You should know that chimpanzees used in entertainment are torn away from their mothers as infants, often repeatedly beaten during training, and then discarded when they become too strong to be managed. Bently’s trainer has a history of abuse.
Featuring Bently alongside humans sends the message that these amazing beings are simply props. Surely you are aware that chimpanzees are endangered species in critical need of protection? You are exploiting chimpanzees for your own profits and this is an unacceptable business practice.
Please make the compassionate decision to remove the chimpanzee spread from your magazine, and consider making a pledge to never use primates in future publications. Thank you for your consideration of my comments on this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
[Your city & state]
If you send a e-mail to CR Fashion Book, please remember to BCC Eyes on Apes at [email protected] for tracking purposes. Thank you!
Is the fact that the link to the CR Fashion site is now dead a sign that the campaign worked? I was able to access it this morning but not now. Great work on spreading the word. It’s easy to see how people would fall for the charms of Bently, but let us see him with his mom and in his natural habitat not forced to wear Armani to sell ridiculous “fashion”.
Gregg, I noticed that, too as well as the picture that was on their Facebook page of Bently “behind-the-scenes” has also been removed. I have not received an email reply from the editor nor have I seen anything posted on their Facebook page as a reply to the letters, so as of yet there hasn’t been any outward statement on the issue – but yes, I would say it’s probably the feedback from advocates that caused them to remove that page from their site 🙂 Good job. Keep spreading the word. The magazine is supposed to go to stands on Thursday!
one other thing I found in addition to what you two found , is just above my post ,someone from (forgive the spelling) Christian Lou Boutonn shoes, and Tom Ford fashion showed their approval and support of CR Fashion. That was really disappointing given all the attention they have been getting during “award season” this year.
Bently should not be used in this manner. His owner knows all about the abuse he is causing these Chimpanzees. Chimpanzees should not be bred for the pet and entertainment industry because eventually become big and strong and it is within their nature to be aggressive. Which we have seen so many times in animals that are supposed to be wild and free! Bently and all the other Chimpanzees do not belong in clothes in a magazine! This is a form of abuse for the animal even if it appears to look happy. Please remove the spread
Ginny – CR Fashion Book was horrified to learn the truth and they pulled all the material they could. Read the victory announcement here: http://action.chimpsnw.org/o/50616/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1239637