One Direction attacked over chimp video star

The members of One Direction have become the latest targets of animal rights group Peta for using a chimpanzee in their new video.

The organisation's top activists have sent out letters to each member of the group and the bosses of the company behind the Steal My Girl promo, urging them to cut any scenes featuring the ape, and pledge never to work with captive exotic animals again.

In the missives, PETA and PETA U.K. chiefs state, "Animals used for entertainment productions, including music videos, endure horrific cruelty and suffer from extreme confinement and violent training methods."

A PETA spokesperson claims the company that provided the chimpanzee for the video has a history of violating the "very minimal standards of the federal Animal Welfare Act" and the organisation's Deputy General Counsel Delcianna Winders adds, "One Direction's millions of fans would not want the band to contribute to a chimpanzee's suffering or let a notoriously abusive animal exhibitor make money from their new music video. PETA and PETA U.K. are calling on Harry, Niall, Liam, Zayn, and Louis to help combat cruelty to animals and the removal of baby chimpanzees from their mothers."