Jun05
One Little Logo Causes Lowe's Big Headaches
Posted at 11:08 AM | Permalink
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Comments (21)
This little logo—which PETA is using in our efforts to urge Lowe's to stop selling cruel glue traps (archaic torture devices that trap small animals, causing them to suffer from suffocation, starvation, and mutilation)—is apparently causing big headaches for the company:
Last week, the company that manages Lowe's trademarks sent the head legal counsel for PETA a letter claiming that our logo parody infringes on their trademark rights and demanding that we stop using it.
Our legal eagles fired back with a letter saying, in short, "Umm, not quite." (Though, as lawyers always tend to be, they were a bit more technical than that.) In the letter—sent to LF LLC (which has the most generic, nondescript corporate name EVER)—our corporate counsel wrote:
[PETA's parody of Lowe's logo] is entirely consistent with the Lanham Act and no reasonable consumer could confuse any of these items as originating from or belonging to Lowe's. We do not believe that LF seriously contends than an appreciable number of consumers who see an image of a bloodied dead mouse slouching across the top of a slogan that reads "Lowe'st of the Low: Torture for Sale" would be confused into thinking that Lowe's is the source of the publication. If Lowe's is truly concerned about its goodwill, we recommend that it end its sale of cruel glue traps.
Pow! That's gotta hurt—though not nearly as much as being caught in one of Lowe's glue traps.
TAGGED:
glue traps lowe's
Comments
Yea PETA lawyers. :)
Posted by: Beth Benson | June 5, 2008 11:38 AM
It's upsetting that some people can't be bothered to learn how to handle their "pest" issues humanely. You can buy glue traps at Canadian Tire or the dollar stores here in Toronto. Sometimes I feel like buying and trashing all of them, but then they would just, of course, order more. An educated public/consumer is the way to stop this totally unnecessary cruelty.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | June 5, 2008 11:53 AM
I've been boycotting Lowe's since this campaign started. Being a homeowner, I have to go to either Home Depot or Lowes for supplies as they have driven any local competition out. So I'm at Home Depot the other day and what do I see? Glue Traps. Now I'm going to write a letter to both store managers asking them to stop carrying them. I'm not optimistic,though, my wife and I know from our retail backgrounds that inventory decisions are not made at the store level. Everything is planogramed to ensure uniformity. Hopefully PETA can get these souless corporate types at Lowes to see the light then go after the souless corporate types at Home Depot.
Posted by: Ken | June 5, 2008 12:33 PM
Yeah, like are they going to sue Saturday Night Live now? Obviously it was just a desperate effort on their part.
Keep the pressure up on Lowe's but MORE IMPORTANTLY, I hope people will seal up their homes instead!
This is the best, most humane way to keep mice out. And it will put the mouse trap people out of business.
Posted by: Maya, CVT | June 5, 2008 12:53 PM
Haha, take that Lowe's! Unfortunately, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, and other hardware places all sell glue traps too! PETA should make parodies of them too and stop all places that sell glue traps!
Posted by: Aneliese | June 5, 2008 01:32 PM
purchased bird feeders at lowes. perches were lead. info sheet/instructions said do not handle, contains LEAD. the perch end wrote like a pencil. round and round with lowes corporate. lies how this lead was a safe level and had been tested. first they said they tested in their lab, then another said lowes has no lab. their solution--get my money back if i didn't like it. months of fighting-denial. called EPA-was told to call consumers. called consumers-was told to call EPA. oooppps, there goes more of our bird population. these bird feeders are made in China. probably the same factory that makes the glue traps. don't know 'bout u but i am done with China.
Posted by: vicki hood | June 5, 2008 04:57 PM
A few days ago my husband and I were shopping at a local big name store. We came upon an end aisle clearance shelf. There were about 20 mouse glue traps on the shelf. I proceeded to take the bunch of them and throw them on the highest shelf behind other products. My husband kept walking knowing that I would do something stupid. I hate those despicable things!
Posted by: susan | June 5, 2008 06:33 PM
Oh god, I love lawyerwank! It gives me such giggles!
Posted by: J. | June 5, 2008 07:51 PM
Awesome PETA Lawyers! I've been using humane mouse traps for years. They work so great and even save the mice from my cats. I put the humane traps in places where the mice might hide and they go in it and it shuts. Every time the mouse moves, the trap raddles so I hear it and free them. There is never a reason to harm a mouse. I used to have them as pets as a kid and they were funny, sweet, intelligent creatures with feelings. Lowes and Home Depot are the lowest for promoting torture.
Posted by: Cathy | June 6, 2008 01:18 AM
Beautiful Peta corporate counsel!
Good point Maya. I hope your kitty is ok.
Posted by: lynda downie | June 6, 2008 01:20 AM
And now they are selling glue traps with Eugenol? this should render what ever is in the glue into a state of unconsciousness, so it will die with less pain...
Eugenol? Is this enough? I dont think so...
They still suffer an awful death, and are not fully unconscious.
BOYCOTT THE BELMONT THIS SATURDAY! Save the Horses!
Go Vegan,
Posted by: Holly | June 6, 2008 09:50 AM
Boycott Lowes? I started supporting them when I found out how much more supportive they are of employee interests as well as GLBT rights. As for glue traps: What makes any other killing trap more humane? Catch and release traps are the only answer. Furthermore, I don't mind if cats get rodents, it's the circle of nature.
Boycotting Lowes over glue traps is like boycotting supermarkets because they sell meat. Don't be a hypocrite, do it all or stop choosing the easy target. As for the logo, reminds me of high school antics.
YES! BOYCOTT THE BELMONT and all animal-for-entertainment circuses that endanger the health and well-being of gentle beasts.
Posted by: SteveDenver | June 6, 2008 10:08 AM
We use live traps at out house. You must be careful not to take nursing mothers when you live trap them, release them until you can catch her and her children.
also release in a safe place where they can find food and shelter, also try to keep family's together and dont release only one at a time, they dont do very well with out their family.
No Kill trap is GREAT!
Cats dont bother me either, for that is the natural balance of nature weather we like it or not.
as for we humans,
Go VEGAN!
and
BOYCOTT THE RACE TRACK! BOYCOTT THE BELMONT THIS SATURDAY!
Posted by: Holly | June 6, 2008 11:29 AM
***Just so you guys know***
For a few years now our cats have been catching and eating mice in our old house. But one of our cats just began having seizures.
Among the suspects are:
1. parasites that can be passed from mice to cats and infect the cat's brain
2. Rodent poison that the mice eat, survive for a while then get into our cat's bloodstream after they eat the mice.
NOT COOL for cats to eat mice. As a vet tech I should have known, so shame on me. But my mistake is people's gain here, hopefully. Seal up holes and don't let mice get into the house.
Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | June 7, 2008 10:36 AM
Lynda,
:) :) Thank you so so much. His red blood cell count was high, but toxo levels and organ function was normal. It might be a rare cat condition. We'll see.
Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | June 7, 2008 10:39 AM
"SteveDenver,"
Even though PETA supports catch-and-release traps, PETA also works to be practical, and glue traps are by far the most painful form of kill traps, so when Lowes stops selling them, as other major companies have done in response to PETA, many animals will be saved from significant suffering.
Posted by: Mark D. | June 7, 2008 06:35 PM
GO PETA!
SHAME ON LOWES!
It is so sad & disgusting that as humans, we assume that because something is so much smaller than us, it is not deserving of compassion.
Thanks for being their voice!
Posted by: Shauna | June 8, 2008 09:57 PM
Your right Maya, thanks!
Posted by: Holly | June 9, 2008 11:57 AM
This is what I got back from Lowes...
"Thank you for your comments regarding glue traps.
As you know, rodent control is an important concern for homeowners and business owners, and we have a responsibility to provide the products our customers need.
We have listened to our customers and conducted extensive customer research over the past several months regarding glue traps. We found that for many customers, glue traps are the preferred rodent control product. We have also listened to PETA’s concerns, and as a result have changed our merchandise offering to cut in half the number of glue traps we offer, and only carry the products that contain Eugenol, which is an anesthetic.
Because not every product is right for every situation, Lowe’s carries more than 20 different rodent control products so customers may choose the ones that best suit their needs.
Lowe’s Customer Care"
Posted by: Tammy | June 10, 2008 07:12 AM
Eugenol is not enough...
The animals still suffer greatly!
Go Vegan, save the animals...
Posted by: Holly | June 30, 2008 12:55 PM
I received the same letter from Lowes that Tammy did. I guess their (Lowes) logic is the same as saying, some folks like to torture and mame and others do not. So we sell a variety of products for those who are sadistic to those who respect other life forms. We like to think we meet everybody's needs!
Posted by: Brian | August 28, 2008 08:53 PM