Miss Australia costume cruel and Ugg-ly

Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell has been urged to abandon her plans to wear a
sheepskin shrug and Ugg boots as part of her national costume in the 2010 Miss
Universe Pageant.
In a letter to the 18-year-old model, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) says the costume is cruel and unethical because it uses Australian wool
sourced from mulesed sheep.
Mulesing is commonly practised by Australian farmers in an attempt to reduce
flystrike - a disease caused by flies - but PETA Australia says the experience is
"agonising" for the animals.
"In light of the cruelty involved in mulesing, we're sure that you, like any ethical
person, would no more want to have wool as part of your outfit than you would want
to parade around on stage wearing the skins of other victims of cruelty," PETA
director of campaigns Jason Baker says in a letter.
"Mulesing puts the `ugly' in Uggs."
PETA also gave Campbell a pair of mulesing shears to carry "as a gesture of protest".
Campbell, who was born and raised on the Gold Coast but now lives in Sydney, will
compete alongside contestants from more than 80 countries with the hope of becoming
the first Australian since Jennifer Hawkins in 2004 to claim the title of Miss
Universe.
Contestants compete in three categories - swimsuit, evening gown and interview - as
well as a national costume segment.
Campbell's outfit by Sydney designer Natasha Dwyer was inspired by the outback and
includes a one-piece swimsuit with a hand-painted design by an indigenous artist, a
multi-layered silk skirt, a lambs wool shrug and high-heeled ugg boots.
She's been quoted as saying the outfit is "incredible" and "something that I am
really proud to wear".
"I feel magnificent in it," she told the Herald Sun last month.
Rocker-turned-reality TV star Bret Michaels will host the pageant in Las Vegas,
alongside judges Melania Trump, wife of millionaire US real estate mogul Donald, and
Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir.
The Miss Universe Pageant will air live on the digital channel 7TWO on Tuesday,
August 24 at 7pm.



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