Despite her years diving in the ocean as a lifeguard on Baywatch, Pamela Anderson has no intention of getting wet for ALS by participating in the now-viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
Although many other celebrities have taken the icy plunge, Pam Anderson has a moral reason for abstaining from the challenge. She explained her decision in a Facebook post where she accused The ALS Association of performing testing on animals. "I enjoy a good dare- It's always good to bring awareness - in fun, creative ways," she said, "but it had me thinking. Digging a bit deeper. I found that we may not be aligned - in our messages...mice had holes drilled into their skulls, were inflicted with crippling illnesses, and were forced to run on an inclined treadmill until they collapsed from exhaustion. Monkeys had chemicals injected into their brains and backs and were later killed and dissected."
Image via Facebook Courtesy of: Pamela Anderson.
Anderson instead challenged The ALS Association to stop its use of animals for testing and asked her fans to instead donate to charities that do not harm animals with their testing. “Trying to cure human diseases by relying on outdated and ineffective animal experiments isn’t only cruel—it’s a grave disservice to people who desperately need cures,” she said.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has become a worldwide viral sensation. Numerous celebrities have participated including Justin Bieber, Will Smith and even Oprah Winfrey. According to The ALS Association's website, as of Friday, $53.3 million have been raised for The ALS Association this year as opposed to the $2.2 million that were raised this time last year. The ALS Association has also received over 1 million new donors.
Photo Courtesy of: INFphoto.com