Sports brand says no to mutilation of lambs

The Four Paws animal welfare organisation has welcomed a decision by sportswear brand Nike to commit to the certified Responsible Wool Standard, which excludes products made from wool from sheep that have been subject to mulesing, a practice carried out to prevent flystrike.

- Annelie Coleman 

Following the decision by Nike, Fiona Miles, the director of Four Paws South Africa, said more consumers were demanding higher animal welfare from brands, prompting a growing number of companies to take action and end the mulesing of sheep.

According to Four Paws, the process involved cutting pieces of skin from two- to 10-week-old lambs without pain relief. This resulted in fear and stress, but above all intense pain that could last for days.