P!nk Tells Circus, ‘Pack Your Trunks!’

We hate to regurgitate the obvious, yet … we’re so good at it. With that said, P!nk rules! When she’s not busy creating endless chart-topping hits, she’s helping PETA stop animal abuse. Recently, P!nk sent a letter to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in support of an elephant-protection ordinance that would eliminate the use of elephants in Chicago’s circuses by banning the use of bullhooks and electric prods.

The ordinance, which will be discussed at an upcoming committee hearing, was introduced after three elephants mysteriously died at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. P!nk learned about the abuse of captive elephants when a trainer brought one onto the set of her “Just Like a Pill” video. She immediately knew that something was not quite right and called PETA to learn more about the issue. Shortly thereafter, P!nk wrote to Siegfried & Roy, asking them to retire an elderly elephant named Gildah who lives at a Las Vegas casino.

And while it’s true that P!nk has a soft spot for pachyderms, she never misses a chance to speak out for all animals, even if it means not performing at a swanky event … like, oh, say at the birthday party of the future king of England. It’s true! Prince William asked P!nk to perform at his 21st birthday party, but she refused when she found out that he hunts. While that alone gave us immense satisfaction—and a hearty guffaw—she surprised us once again by posing for an anti-fur ad that helped promote the “no-fur” policy at New York’s Centro-Fly. Why’d she go and do that? We chatted her up and asked her that very same question.

When did you first become concerned about animals and about killing animals for fur?
I’ve always felt that animals are the purest spirits in the world. They don’t fake or hide their feelings, and they are the most loyal creatures on Earth. And somehow we humans think we’re smarter—what a joke. Every time I had to do a report or a debate in school, I would research the topic of animal rights. I was horrified to find the cruelty and pain that they were forced to endure at our hands. How we used them in our race for “evolution” (i.e., better products, more expensive hair dyes, better-tasting toothpaste, prettier jackets). I wish every person was forced to know and learn and experience the horrors that these animals go through at the cost of our trends.

Did you wear fur at one time, or have you always been fur-free?
I would like to say I’ve always been fur-free so I could be proud of myself. Unfortunately, I went through a selfish phase and wore fur on a couple of occasions. But since then, I’ve wised up and now boycott fur completely.

Do you have any animal companions? Can you tell us any stories about them?
I currently have two dogs and two rats. … I love them very much. I aspire to have a lot of land one day, where I will rescue and board many animals.

Finally, check out some sassy photos of P!nk and her main squeeze, Carey Hart, at PETA's star-studded 25th Anniversary Gala, where she walked away with a Humanitarian Award because (why?) she rules. When you're done gawking, come on back to get some free DVDs and stickers.