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Pet Shop Boys have been prevalent around the news circuit in a major way recently, but today they’re in the papers for something other than having won a BRIT Award for their sizeable body of work or releasing an incredible studio album.  Apparently, Pet Shop Boys were approached by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Europe with the request that the synth pop duo change their name to the Rescue Shelter Boys. 

According to the guys’ official website, the request came to them via a letter.  Having been Pet Shop Boys for quite some time now, it was inevitable that the band decline the suggestion. 
However, Pet Shop Boys admitted that the request made them think a bit more on the issue at hand – PETA made the request in the first place to draw attention to the large amount of animal cruelty that takes place in the pet trade.  Even if there was never any hope that Pet Shop Boys would change their moniker, the PETA Europe organization is soaking up its fair share of attention from the stunt. 

The letter that the group sent to the band said that if the Boys agreed to change their name, they would be encouraging millions of fans to consider giving homes to an unwanted or orphaned animal from a shelter.  Yvonne Taylor, the PETA Special Projects manager who wrote the letter, went so far as to admit that the appeal “may at first seem bizarre,” but that didn’t stop her from citing a list of criticisms on how the pet shop industry often obtains, maintains, and houses potential pets. 

Pet Shop Boys originally named themselves for a friend who worked in an actual pet shop in West London, and though they once changed their name from West End, it doesn’t seem likely that the duo will be switching monikers again anytime soon.