Strictly embargoed until 00.01 Friday 16 February 2024

Chris Packham announced as Animal Aid's new patron

National animal rights campaigning group, Animal Aid, is delighted to announce that naturalist, TV presenter and campaigner, Chris Packham has become our latest patron. He has recorded a short video for Animal Aid where he speaks passionately about our work and why he believes that Animal Aid can make a difference for animals.

The video will be available to view from 13.00 Thursday 15 February atwww.animalaid.org.uk/CP-but the embargo on reporting remains at 00.01 Friday 16 February.

Chris has supported the work of Animal Aid for thirty years, starting back in 1994, on his birthday, when he stopped eating meat to launch Animal Aid's Go Veggie Week. In 2019, Chris spoke at Animal Aid's Christmas Fair at Kensington Town Hall, and stayed for the remainder of the day, chatting with visitors and stall holders. Support from Chris for our Government Petition to ban snares was instrumental in its success in reaching 100,000 signatures and securing a Westminster debate. We have now seen a ban on snares in Wales, with Scotland currently progressing similar legislation and Westminster consulting on the issue.

Says Chris Packham:"As a long-time supporter of Animal Aid, I'm very pleased to become a patron and I'm very much looking forward to working with them to put an end to animal suffering and abuse as quickly as possible.

"I have been involved with Animal Aid's work for a number of years now and I am pleased to support their extensive range of campaigns - from ending the use of cruel and archaic snares; to opposing the mass release and killing of millions of purpose bred pheasants and partridges every year - through to their funding of modern, cutting edge tests which will replace horrific toxicity tests on animals, as well as helping to nurture compassion and understanding in young people through their pioneering Education Department which provides hundreds of talks to thousands of students every year.

"Animal Aid works hard to expose animal cruelty whilst providing alternatives to end animal suffering and create a kinder, more compassionate world.

"Sadly, whilst we claim that we are a nation of animal lovers, in the 21st century animals still face appalling cruelty. And that's why Animal Aid exists."

Chris regularly speaks out for animals on social media and in the press condemning the shocking use of animals in laboratories for testing and research; the dreadful treatment of animals on farms who are then slaughtered for their meat; and the cruelty shown to captive-bred birds, as well as native wildlife, by those who want to hunt or shoot them for ‘sport'. Chris has himself become the target of threats and hate, but refuses to be silenced. At the end of last year, he spoke out against the awful abuse of animals on ‘I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here' advocating for animals as sentient individuals not commodities.

Says Iain Green, Director of Animal Aid: "It's an absolute honour to have Chris join our other Animal Aid patrons. He has been involved with our work for so many years and is a conscientious, genuine, compassionate and intelligent advocate for all animals. His understanding of the issues that affect animals and his absolute passion to tirelessly defend their rights made him the natural choice for Animal Aid - and we are just so delighted that he has agreed to become a patron."

Chris Packham joins Peter Egan, Sara Pascoe, Carol Royle, Peter Tatchell and Wendy Turner-Webster in championing the work of Animal Aid and enabling us to speak even louder for animals.

Notes to Editors:

• For interviews, contact Animal Aid's Director, Iain Green on 07552 755462

• Animal Aid is one of the world's longest established animal rights groups, having been founded in 1977. We campaign peacefully against all forms of animal abuse and promote cruelty-free living. Our vision is a world in which animals are no longer harmed and exploited for human gain, but allowed to live out their lives in peace.
  

• Read more about Animal Aid's history and our work here:https://www.animalaid.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are-what-we-do/