Share

Brian May named PETA's Person of the Year

Los Angeles - Brian May has been named PETA UK's Person of the Year.

The legendary Queen guitarist has been honoured by animal rights group People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for his efforts to stop badgers from being killed.

A spokesperson for the organisation, Mimi Bekhechi, said: "In his fight to save Britain's badgers, Brian May never backed down. He spread his message of compassion for animals through everything he said, wrote and even wore until the world sat up and paid attention.

"His tenacity and boldness are an inspiration to kind people everywhere."

'Unfair situation'

The 65-year-old rocker's charity Save Me, launched the Team Badger campaign earlier this year, along with PETA and other animal welfare charities, to put an end to the slaughter of badgers by farmers, who are given license to shoot the furry creatures in order to prevent tuberculosis in their cattle.

Speaking about the campaign, Brain said: "The disease comes from cows, it doesn't come from badgers. It's a very unfair situation. Badgers have been the scapegoat for years and years and farmers have been killing badgers for many, many years now.

"All the scientific evidence that's been done - 11,000 badgers were killed in the ISG (Independent Scientific Group)'s experiment...and their conclusion was that killing badgers cannot meaningfully contribute to the problem of bovine TB in cattle. It's completely unequivocal."
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE