She might be young, but Billie Eilish’s advocacy for animal welfare is already well-known. When Thanksgiving rolls out around, she’s posting about how sweet and gentle turkeys are, and she’s already pleaded with fans to stop eating meat all together. In 2021, PETA named her their person of the year, and now another animal rights organization is thrilled that Billie has gotten on board with one of their causes.
The organization In Defense Of Animals has teamed with another org, Panda Voices, to take up the cause of two giant pandas, YaYa and LeLe who are being kept at the Memphis Zoo. Activists argue they’re being abused and malnourished. According to IDA, the pandas were shipped to the zoo 18 years ago, in 2003. Since then, they are being “mistreated” and according to IDA are “visibly distressed, suffering from insufficient bamboo, malnourishment, excessive caging time (10+ hours), skin mite disease, dental problems and zoochosis — a distressed state of mental health shown through abnormal, repetitive ‘stereotypical’ behaviors.”
The pop star showed her support by retweeting something the organization posted last week. Billie retweeted @IDAUSA’s tweet that explained their stance. “We are working with @PandaVoicesOrg to free 2 pandas suffering devastating mental & physical diseases. Urge @MemphisZoo to return YaYa & LeLe to China for qualified veterinary care, quality bamboo & a more suitable environment!”
#AnimalAbuse! We are working with @PandaVoicesOrg to free 2 pandas suffering devastating mental & physical diseases. Urge @MemphisZoo to return YaYa & LeLe to China for qualified veterinary care, quality bamboo & a more suitable environment!
Act now: https://t.co/ZZPRDb8rhS
RT pic.twitter.com/GIwncP3g33— In Defense Of Animals (@IDAUSA) February 2, 2022
“We are thrilled that Billie Eilish has joined our campaign to free YaYa and LeLe from horrendous suffering at Memphis Zoo,” said Fleur Dawes, Communications Director for In Defense of Animals in a press release. “Anyone can see these pandas are in crisis and in urgent need of rescue. We hope Billie’s call on Memphis Zoo CEO Jim Dean will encourage him to stop the torture of YaYa and LeLe and send them back to China. These pandas deserve to have suitable food and medical care, and retire to a life that resembles the wild as closely as possible.”
In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices are thrilled that @billieeilish has joined the campaign calling on the #MemphisZoo to free suffering giant #pandas Yaya and Lele. https://t.co/hE1X8T7cM1 pic.twitter.com/W6q0JUKJA4
— In Defense Of Animals (@IDAUSA) February 8, 2022
There are close to 75,000 signatures on a Change.org petition begging the Memphis zoo to send the pandas home. Billie’s support will likely trigger a spike of attention. Check out the petition here.