WASHINGTON, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy will host a free, one-night-only online screening and discussion of the documentary Chasing Roo on Thursday, Sept. 25, 8–9:30 p.m. ET, as part of their ongoing campaign to end the commercial killing of kangaroos for their skins.
The exclusive event comes as global athletic-wear giants—including Adidas, Nike, New Balance Diadora, and Puma—have pledged to stop using kangaroo skins for soccer cleats. Advocates are now intensifying efforts to halt the trade in other products made from kangaroos and to pass the Kangaroo Protection Act in the U.S. Congress to impose a strict ban on imports to America.
Directed by Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Skye Fitzgerald, Chasing Roo offers an unflinching look at Australia’s commercial kangaroo-killing industry, embedding with both shooters and activists to reveal the ecological and ethical costs of the trade.
Following the screening, Fitzgerald will join a live conversation with Jennifer Skiff, director of the “Kangaroos Are Not Shoes” campaign, and Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. Also participating will be Donny Moss of TheirTurn.net, who has led global protests on behalf of kangaroos. Panelists will discuss ongoing efforts to secure passage of the Kangaroo Protection Act, introduced by U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), which would prohibit imports of kangaroo skins into the United States.
“Chasing Roo provides a lens into what’s happening on the ground with kangaroos and the motivations and actions of people involved in the commercial shoot that targets adult animals but also orphans the young,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “It’s not an unflattering look at the individuals who make a living by killing these animals, but it’s hard not to be appalled by what’s happening across the Outback if you possess any compassion for animals.”
Attendees will see rare footage and testimony documenting Australia’s commercial kangaroo-killing industry, gain insights on the pending Kangaroo Protection Act and how U.S. policy could curb global demand for kangaroo skins, learn which brands have ended their use of kangaroo leather and which have yet to follow, hear analysis of the hunt’s ecological impact on kangaroo populations and Australia’s ecosystems.
Event Details
- What: Exclusive online screening of Chasing Roo and live Q&A
- When: Thursday, Sept. 25, 8–9:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Online (free, one-time-only event; not recorded)
- Registration: One Night Only: ‘Chasing Roo’ with Oscar-Nominated Director Skye Fitzgerald?
For more information about the Kangaroo Protection Act and the campaign to end the commercial kangaroo harvest, please visit: Kangaroos Are Not Shoes.