Pam's making demands
2005-11-03 09:05
Los Angeles - Baywatch babe and outspoken animal rights activist Pamela Anderson is demanding that carmaker Daimler-Benz supply her with a new luxury Mercedes-Benz without leather seats and trimmings.
The Canadian-born blonde bombshell has written to the German-US firm to demand that it make good on a promise to produce a hide-free version of its Mercedes G-55 sport utility vehicle, which sells for around $105 000.
The actress, who has lent her fame to press the cause of the US animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), wrote to Daimler-Chrysler executives to make her point.
"Animals used for their skin suffer from confinement, fear, painful mutilations, deprivation of all that is natural and important to them, and cruel treatment during transport and slaughter," Anderson wrote.
"I want no part of that, but I would like a Mercedes," added the actress in a letter released by Peta.
Peta said that Mercedes-Benz had informed the group that all future car models will be available with an entirely leather-free option in all markets either directly at the dealership or via special order.
But Anderson claims she recently inquired about buying a Mercedes G55, she was told that it is not yet available leather-free.
In her letter, she writes, "May I ask that you please make all Benz models available without animal skin? Nowadays, people see leather less as a luxury and more as smelly, dead skin."
Ironically, the gas-guzzling and powerful Mercedes G-55 that ethical-vegetarian Anderson wants was named by a French ecological group as the "world's most polluting vehicle" in 2004, while several US surveys said it is one of the least environmentally friendly vehicles on the US market.