Michael Keaton Criticizes Photo Opportunities with Bear Cubs

Just in time for the holiday season, Golden Globe winner Michael Keaton is the star of a new PETA US spot. In it, he urges tourists not to visit establishments where animals are exploited — for example, where bears are used as photo props for visitors. Keaton's latest film Dumbo is likewise a clear statement against the captivity of animals.

«In the wild, bear cubs stay with their mothers for up to two years», Keaton explains. «Yet across the country, many young animals are taken from their mothers at a very early age, simply so they can be exploited as photo props by profit-hungry exhibitors. For these defenseless young animals, this means lifelong psychological suffering. And since their immune systems are not yet fully developed, any contact with the public can be life-threatening.»

The star of Birdman also explains to viewers that many bears are kept behind the scenes in cramped cages where they can do nothing but pace back and forth and cry out. In an exclusive interview with PETA US, he adds: «There's nothing wrong with taking photos of yourself — you just shouldn't drag animals into it. It's a matter of respect. These are living beings, and I don't like seeing their dignity stripped away or being made to look ridiculous like that.»

Part of PETA's motto is: animals are not here for our entertainment. The organization points out that bears and other animals exploited for photo opportunities and human contact are often separated from their mothers at a very young age. Most are subjected to violent “training” designed to break their spirit. They are frequently kept in cramped, bare cages or concrete pits, denied any opportunity to engage in natural behaviors such as digging, foraging, or roaming large territories.

Keaton thus joins a long list of prominent figures who have already stood up for bears alongside PETA US — including Alec Baldwin, Joan Jett, Mark Rylance, Casey Affleck, Sam Simon, and Bob Barker.