Lush Anti Fox Hunting Adverts Banned.

Have you ever heard of Lush? If you haven't spotted one of their stores then I bet you will have wondered "What is that delicious smell?" as you inhale some of the delicious scents wafting out of their store in which unique fresh organic handmade cosmetics that are not tested on animals are sold. I will tell you more about the glorious Lush another time but I have been shocked to read that Lush's recent anti hunting campaign adverts have been banned by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) due to a grand total of 129 complaints.

A leaflet by the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) was distributed in Lush stores alongside a postcard by Lush inviting people to forward the postcard to their local police chiefs informing them that despite the hunting ban, people are still hunting.

Lush also held a sales promotion on their website for a Mrs Fox Bubble Bar in which 100% of the proceeds were given to the HSA. (Wow, why didn't I know about this?)

The ASA commented that the complainants raised a range of issued within the campaign including that it unfairly defamed hunts and hunters as well as implying that hunts were intentionally and regularly breaking the law. Also it was argued that the campaign inferred the Hunting Act was not properly enforced and people took particular offence to a claim that "hunting hounds usually lead short lives and are often killed and fed back to the pack" as allegedly this could not be substantiated. Three specific complaints were upheld by the ASA who said there was not enough robust evidence to support the claims that hunts were intentionally and frequently breaking the law, the Hunting Act was not being properly enforced and that hunting hounds were fed back to the pack.

(Fox hunting with dogs is banned so surely if you continue to hunt you are intentionally breaking the law?)

Lush said it regularly undertook animal welfare campaigns and aimed to raise awareness of the 2004 Hunting Act and highlight alleged breaches of the act and its perceived limitations. Also the campaign did not use any graphic or shocking images, bad language or demeaning or abusive names, and believed that customers were unlikely to find the advertising offensive. For Lush's full response to the ASA please take a look here.

I know whose side I'm on. Have a look at some of Lush's gorgeous products which, I repeat, are NOT tested on animals.

Original Article.

Related Article.

Update on the repeal

Most of the action alerts appearing in my inbox over the past few weeks have been about the possible repeal of the hunting ban. It really does seem like the new Government is prioritising repealing the ban. Rumor has it that the Prime Minister has appointed Jim Paice as Minister for Agriculture and Food and made him responsible for hunting and shooting. This is a new addition to the role as none of Labour’s last Defra team was responsible for either of these things.

I had an e-mail from IFAW today asking me to contact my MP and urge to protect the Hunting Act but unfortunately my MP, Caroline Spelman has already decided that the Ban should be repealed. Maybe your MP feels differently?

More ways to help.

What will a Hung Parliament mean for the Hunting Ban?

...I honestly don't know and I don't think anyone does just yet. I used my vote for the foxes yesterday. I voted Labour in the General Election. As I stood in line to vote I thought about the three baby foxes that once sunbathed on the roof of our garden shed without a care in the world and wonder if they grew up and found themselves being chased and savaged all in the name of sport. I started to panic when the exit poll showed a hung parliament outcome and it has now been confirmed that this is in fact the case, the Conservatives have the most seats, followed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats. According to Support the Hunting Act (Ban) UK, the Hunting Ban situation will come down to who forms the Government but unfortunately some animal welfare MPs lost their seats last night which is a great blow.

If the worst case scenario does happen and the Ban is repealed I am going to contact the League Against Cruel Sports to see if there is any possibility of joining them in any action they may be taking in retaliation.

Do you know who you're voting for?

It seems impossible not to think or talk about the upcoming General Election, I listen to Radio 4 at work every day and as I type this I am listening to Gordon Brown answering questions from the general pubic on subjects like fuel prices, public services, tax etc. I haven't decided who to vote for yet but I just can't bring myself to vote for a party that will lift the current ban on hunting.

I regularly write to my very nice MP (who happens to be Conservative) about animal related issues and wrote to her recently about the Hunting Act. As I expected she echoed the Conservative policy that if they were to win the General Election they want to lift the current ban despite 75% of the public disagreeing with this and wanting the Hunting Act in force. I do agree that the ban is very difficult and sometimes impossible to enforce, however, this doesn't mean that a ban won't work and organisations such as The League Against Cruel Sports work tirelessly gathering evidence on those who flout the ban to ensure this is upheld.

Before you decide who to vote for this May please take into account your candidates policies and find out what their views on hunting and animal welfare are as well as how they will make things better for you. Find your candidate here.

Information from League Against Cruel Sports

Please have a look at the RSPCA's website which outlines animal welfare issues they hope to see the next parliament work on.