Music

Thousands petition Black Eyed Peas over chimpanzee abuse

by Ciaran Thompson

The Black Eyed Peas are about to go on hiatus after their final concert in Madrid next Thursday, but not before they have to deal with over 10,000 people asking them to end their support of a Spanish television show that animal rights activists say abuses a chimpanzee.

A petition was started by FAADA (Foundation for the Adoption, Sponsorship and Defense of Animals), an animal protection group based in Spain, who are accusing Spanish TV show Involución of forcing a chimpanzee called Noah to participate in the program using abusive training methods. The band’s upcoming show is a major sponsor of the TV show.

FAADA says that although Involución’s producers at TV network Antena3 are aware of the abuse suffered by chimpanzees used in entertainment, they continue to produce the show despite meeting with the organization and hearing protests from nearly 100 animal protection groups.

The petition is currently posted on Change.org with FAADA pleading the Black Eyed Peas to end their sponsorship of the show since they’ve previously stood up against animal cruelty and are supporters of PETA.