January 17, 2007 14:20

Pink backs down over animal cruelty claims

The star admits she didn’t do enough research

Pink has backed down from comments she made calling for a boycott of Australian wool organised by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

The singer angered Australian farmers in December when she called the process of sheep mulesing "sadistic" in a video for PETA. The process involves cutting slices of flesh from lambs’ rumps to prevent maggot infestation.

However, Pink told Australia’s Nine Network that she received a letter from sheep farmers saying they would phase out mulesing by 2010.

She said: “I probably could have been a lot more researched on my own... My message was, in my mind, boycott animal cruelty - not an entire industry, not Australia, obviously, because it’s my favourite country.

“Then going back, I was speaking without thinking and I actually did say ban Australia. It’s not something that I can agree with. I have nothing against farmers. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania. I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just want the animals to hurt less.”

The singer said she was prepared to meet farmers and wool industry representatives.