Boston, MA, March 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arguably the most famous sock puppet in the world, Lamb Chop, and ‘sister’ Mallory Lewis, are lending their voices on behalf of lambs. FOUR PAWS has appointed the ventriloquist duo as “Lamb Ambassadors” harnessing Lamb Chop’s lovable spirit and global fan base to expose the inherent cruelty of the Australian Merino wool industry.
The partnership between FOUR PAWS and their new Lamb Ambassadors aims to raise awareness to the particularly cruel farming practice called “live lamb cutting” (also known as mulesing), which has been used for over a century in Australia. It involves a substantial cutting off of young lambs’ buttocks skin without adequate pain management. FOUR PAWS’ ultimate goal with this campaign is a ban on live lamb cutting in Australia by 2030, accomplished by public awareness and pressure, fashion brand commitments and policymaker engagement.
“When I first heard about live lamb cutting, I thought it sounded scary and mean, so I wanted to speak up for all the other lambs who don’t have a voice like I do,” said Lamb Chop.
In 2021, FOUR PAWS launched its appeal to fashion brands to help stop live lamb cutting. This week, the effort celebrates not only Lamb Chop and Mallory Lewis, but its 100th signature of support. One hundred international fashion brands, including leading names such as Zara, Patagonia, and Hugo Boss, have publicly committed to excluding wool sourced from live lamb cutting by signing FOUR PAWS’ Brand Letter of Intent, a clear signal for more animal welfare in the industry. The growing number of international companies will increasingly urge the Australian wool industry to stop the brutal practice and transition to industry -proven alternatives that are kinder to animals.
Mallory Lewis is the daughter of legendary Shari Lewis, who entertained children from the 1950s through the 1990s with the beloved Lamb Chop. After her mother’s passing, Mallory took over the act, continuing the legacy and keeping their charm and humor alive. Today, they perform on TV and in live shows and continue to gain a new generation of fans on TikTok and Instagram. Now, the duo uses their global platform to “Be Their Voice” and help FOUR PAWS save lambs.
Following last year´s launch of FOUR PAWS’ star-studded animated film with support from Hollywood actors Danielle Macdonald and Scott Evans – the organization teamed up with LA production company Pollution Studios to create a series of emotionally charged reaction videos. Volunteering their time, celebrities sat in pairs in front of a monitor that played actual footage of the cruel live lamb cutting practice that over ten million lambs endure every year on Australian farms. Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chop also took part and bravely watched the footage in order to witness what lambs go through.
“This is footage of lambs that look like they’ve been butchered, but they're actually…alive? Horrible," Lewis exclaimed as she watched the cruel footage.
80 per cent of the fine merino wool for the global fashion market comes from Australia - the only country in the world where live lamb cutting is legally and commonly practiced. This mutilation of lambs is used as a quick and cheap method of preventing fly infestation (flystrike). However, there are alternative methods available such as breeding plain-bodied sheep who are naturally resistant to fly infestation and proper management of the animals. This can eliminate both flystrike and lamb cutting. Additionally, industry research and farmers’ accounts reportedly associate plain-bodied sheep with higher lamb survival rates. Brands that have signed the Brand Letter of Intent have either fully excluded live lamb cut wool from their product range or are committed to do so by latest 2030. By signing the letter, brands are urging the Australian wool industry to transition to available and proven alternatives by 2030.
"I'm a lucky lamb, I've always had a voice," Lamb Chop said in a video on Instagram announcing the partnership with FOUR PAWS. She continued "And I need to be the voice for the little lambs that don't."
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Claire LaFrance FOUR PAWS International 6179421233 claire.lafrance@four-paws.org
