Madonna Wins Pheasant Tax Battle

Pop legend Madonna has won her battle against animal rights activists who accused her of evading tax laws by breeding pheasants on her land in Ashcombe, England, without paying the required rates.

ANIMAL AID issued a press release yesterday (15DEC04) claiming the MATERIAL GIRL was breaching tax requirements by failing to pay commercial rates on the land where she shoots the birds.

But the pressure group withdrew the claim just two hours later when they realised she buys the pheasants so is not required to pay the non-domestic land tax.

An Animal Aid spokesperson says, "We've now discovered Madonna buys in pheasants rather than breeding them. Since she doesn't manufacture birds, she doesn't have to pay non-domestic rates."