Celebrities who are accustomed to being in the public eye recently used their combined star wattage to open the eyes of the public to an annual event so heartbreaking that it makes many dog and cat lovers turn and look the other way.
Gathering at the Chinese Embassy in London, Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher (and her beloved canine companion, Gary) joined with British stars Victoria Stilwell (dog trainer of It’s Me or the Dog fame), celebrity vet/Pup Aid founder Marc Abraham, actress/animal rights activist Jenny Seagrove, singer Sandi Thom, Made in Chelsea cast member Lucy Watson and TV presenter/K-9 Angels co-founder Anneka Svenska to present officials with the largest petition ever calling for an end to the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China.
Helping the effort to write a new chapter for the estimated 10 million dogs who will otherwise lose their lives during the festival, 11 million compassionate souls from around the globe signed the Humane Society International petition.
Speaking out for those who cannot speak for themselves, Carrie Fisher stated: “These poor dogs need us to fight for them. Every single one of them is as precious as my dear Gary, every one of them is someone’s best friend.”
Along with the celebrity supporters, the crowd of animal lovers at London’s Chinese Embassy also included MPs and members of Avaaz, Care2, Duo Duo Project and RaiseUrPaw.
The animal-loving luminaries who took part in the presentation at the Chinese Embassy in London are the latest in a long list of celebrities who have shown their support for Humane Society International‘s ongoing efforts to end the Yulin Dog Meat Festival. Several stars stepped in front of the camera with canines for a HSI selfie campaign to raise awareness of the paws cause, among them Ricky Gervais, actor Brian Blessed, TV presenter/author Chris Packham and Emmerdale star Gemma Atkinson. British singers Will Young, Alesha Dixon and Professor Green also recently spoke out on behalf of the voiceless in a HSI #StopYulin video.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/ Humane Society International
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