Shane and Sia Barbi - Animal Activism

Animal Activism

The twins participate in animal rescue projects, including major national disasters such as such as Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita and the California fires over the last few years (USA TODAY). They physically go and help rescue the animals from the waters and fires and also help instruct people on national disaster rescue tips for domestic and wild animals. The twins founded a website for animal activism called TheKittyLiberationFront.org which has now become TwinBunnies.com, and help animal charities and rescue groups worldwide, volunteer with shelters for walking and rehabilitating dogs, participate in the TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return). They made calendar featuring shelter animals, called “Pinup Pets” which was to support the hurricane animal rescue efforts (as seen in their documentary Your Mommy Kills Animals).

In a 2009 article by Fox News called the twins "the Willie Nelson of pin-up girls interviewing the twins where they spoke of how they (the twins) use their “seven and a half minutes each of fame” to speak out for animals. They participate in animal protests, such as anti-pet shops, anti-puppy mill, anti-circus, and anti-animal experimentation (vivisection) and are vegan. They held a vigil for pets lost during the pet food poisoning that occurred that same year. They also help lobby animal bills, such as the pet food safety bill. In 2009 they became very active in lobbying against the ROAM bill for wild horses along with Willie Nelson, and continued their support speaking openly about the horse slaughter ban, the ban on de-clawing and the fight against factory farms and animal cruelty.

In 2010 they helped bring public awareness to the ban on seal hunting in Canada by doing a media blitz to help end the brutality of seal hunting, the dangers to the sea turtles and other endangered species affected by the BP oil spill, and helped lobby and pass HR5566, the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act Bill (banning violent images against animals on websites). The Twins use their celebrity status in every way they can including offering their images up in posters displaying their "wacky humor and good looks" (Fox News), such as their 2010 posters to support causes such as the Anti Fur movie "Skin Trade" and the cruelty that happens in the dairy industry in the documentary 'Earthlings'. and their 2011 Covers and featured articles in True Cowboy Magazine and their continuing fight to save the wild horses (February and April 2011 issues).

2011 ends with the twins ramping up their efforts to support the ban on horse slaughter by actively recruiting people to support the 6 year ban that was lifted on horse slaughter and also being in a documentary, 'The Petition', which supports the end of horse slaughter. In 2012 the twins were interviewed by National Geographic Society Contributing Editor Jordan Schaul about horse slaughter legislation.

Due to their campaigning for the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act in 2010 many people turned to the twins for help in finding someone torturing and killing kittens on a video. In 2010, Sia Barbi stated of the person suffocating the kittens in the video; "this teen that did this is extremely likely to progress to a human." (Examiner) In 2012, according to the Toronto Sun, "The legendary twins, who once graced the pages of Playboy, spearheaded the movement to track down a person posting on line videos of killing kittens believed to be alleged killer Luka Magnotta". In an interview on CNN (HLN with Jane Valez-Mitchell), the former Playboy models, now dedicated animal rights activists, state they have been looking for Magnotta for years, stating that he was the man behind numerous videos uploaded to YouTube that showed the killing of kittens. The twins would like to see animal abusers that torture and kill animals be listed on a national violent offenders registry. Sia Barbi said; "Make them (animal abusers) register, just like child molesters." (Sun News)