Over the last 48 hours a campaign has sparked into life on Twitter and in the blogosphere against the London toy store Hamleys. Why should an apparently innocent organisation be marked out for such opprobrium, you may ask, especially when they sell things that make kids so happy?
It has come to light that Hamleys has been using live reindeer – specifically, a doe and her fawn – in-store this week to promote its Christmas push. Furthermore, the store intends to use live penguins next Monday for the same purpose.
Now, you would think for an organisation formed in 1760 that its approach to soft, cuddly animals may have actually moved on since that time, but sadly, it would appear not. As a result, the Shame Hamleys (#sHamleys) hashtag on Twitter was born, and the last 24 hours have seen a positive explosion in support, horror and distress at what the store is doing. The response from Hamleys has effectively been non-response. Total lockdown. Thousands of people are posting messages, calling and emailing them, and receiving absolutely no reply. The Sun has picked up the story, in which it states that the stunts will go ahead, but beyond that, Hamleys declined to comment.
@annholman has written a very incisive post regarding the social media and PR implications of this lockdown, and since she has already covered this so eloquently, I would like to focus on the animal protection side of the equation, and the reasons why people like myself feel that this campaign is so important.
Before I go any further, @WildlifePhotog, @jamesmb, @louisehector, @appleblossombea and the Born Free Foundation (@BFFoundation) in particular must receive credit for campaigning so vigorously on the hashtag and for showing such generosity in their time and commitment to it.
I am a passionate advocate for penguin conservation and protection, and am proud to support the Penguin Foundation based at Phillip Island, just outside Melbourne, Australia.
The Foundation is sited on the only conservation area on the planet that has actually removed human beings in order to protect the Little Penguins and all the other species that live there, completely in the wild. It is a truly inspiring place, run by a dedicated team of biologists, researchers, conservationists, wardens and veterinary carers. You may have seen a documentary about it on the BBC earlier this year (Penguin Island), which gave a fascinating insight into the private world of the Little Penguins who have made the island their home, as well as the day-to-day work of all those committed to their preservation and care.
Little Penguins are intrepid: they’re feisty and brave, despite being so diminutive. With dwindling fish stocks, harsh Antipodean weather and a host of predators that could claim them and their young at any time, in no way could it be said that the life of a Little Penguin is remotely dull or easy.
These little creatures have both my affection and my admiration – and I’m not alone. The Foundation receives global support, from those who “adopt” a penguin to ensure its protection, to centenarian knitters who send tiny wool jackets to protect the animals from cleaning their feathers and ingesting oil when they have been caught up in tanker spills, as this can kill them. Apparently, Phillip Island receives somewhere in the order of 50 jackets a month from all over the world, which are stored carefully and used whenever they’re needed.
So, what of Hamleys? Well, in view of the fact the fact that penguins already have a pretty hard time just to stay alive, when we encounter a situation like this, where innocent animals are exposed to a dreadful situation purely for commercial gain, both in terms of the actual venue and the transportation to get them there, we must take responsibility for their welfare and act.
@WildlifePhotog learned from a Hamleys employee yesterday that the reindeer were stuck on a motorway for six hours, and since their appearance was cancelled, it is quite reasonable to assume that they may have been exposed to a similar journey home if they could not be stabled overnight in London. That’s 12 hours on the road, in horribly wintry conditions.
Do you think that this is right? I, and everyone else on the #sHamleys campaign, do not.
Anyone who has been to Hamleys at Christmastime will be well aware of what a hellish experience it can be. We feel stressed simply being there, and can’t wait to leave. We must not forget that animals are equally sensitive and can be stressed by exposure to a crowded, noisy situation which resembles nothing they are used to either in captivity or in the wild, and over which they have absolutely no control. They cannot get away – so we must try to save them from it.
I urge you to join this campaign and to post your support on the #sHamleys hashtag. Keep following it, as there are updates virtually by the minute. Email or call Hamleys (customerservices@hamleys.co.uk; 020 7479 7317). Better still, contact Hamleys’ PR company, 77, on 020 7492 0977, and state your concern politely. Let them know how you feel, and get them to stop this cruelty now. It’ll be by far the best thing you did today.
Hi Rose, thanks for mentioning my post. As you quite rightly point out my post is very much about the social media angle and their inadequate response to peoples concerns!
However, in terms of the animal welfare side, which is more important and fundamental, I congratulate you on your clear expression of how so many of us feel about the exploitation on both these seabirds and animals. The fact it is in the name of marketing as well makes it equally distasteful!
Thank you so much for putting across the other side of the story!
Ann