openentrance / CC

In her letter, Ingrid said, "No one needs to tell you that this country is proud to be a melting pot and that there is something deeply wrong and elitist about wanting only a purebred dog. Millions of Great American Mutts—the dog that should be our national dog—are set to die in our nation's extremely overcrowded pounds and shelters for lack of good homes. Compassionate people nationwide are choosing to adopt a homeless pound puppy—a grateful refugee from a society that has not always treated the true 'underdog' kindly—rather than cater to special interests who do not have dogs' interests at heart."

So you can see why we're quite proud of this whole thing and thank everyone who weighed in. We hope that the Obama family really listened to our message, and we hope that Barack, Michelle, and their daughters find a loving mutt who needs a good home.

Hey, America … we are SO over the Paris Hilton "purse puppy" era … let's give homes to dogs who really need them!

Posted by Christine Doré

As a 501(c)(3) organization, PETA does not endorse or oppose any candidate for public office or any political party.

drew / CC

PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews fired off one of his killer letters again to Ms. Close after returning from a tense (to say the least) meeting in Milan, at which the Armani brass basically told him that they were quite reluctant to let go of their butchered-bunny designs. "Maybe Armani was inspired by Glenn Close's bunny-butchering character in 'Fatal Attraction,'" says Mathews. "Now that our talks are broken off, we're bringing the message to the stars who wear Armani that his clothes come with some unwanted baggage."

Here's the letter:

Glenn Close c/o Catherine Olim

Dear Glenn,

Greetings from PETA, where you have many fans. Congratulations on your Emmy win! Since you wore Giorgio Armani to the Emmy Awards, we are obliged to alert you to a distressing situation that has arisen with the company. We've been in talks with Armani for the past few years, asking the designer to drop fur. We showed his senior design team PETA's four-minute video—which documents how animals on fur farms are strangled, electrocuted, and skinned alive—and a few months later, Armani told Time Magazine that his meetings with PETA, "convinced me not to use fur." Unfortunately, he's gone back on his word; his new collections are full of fur and even include fur-trimmed coats for babies and kids.

We ask that you please use your considerable influence with Mr. Armani to urge him to keep his word and leave fur out of future collections. We also ask that you consider wearing fashions from some of the wonderful fur-free designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Dan Mathews
Vice President
PETA

Posted by Christine Doré

You know that we at PETA love to help out whenever we can, so when we heard about the extreme gas shortage plaguing the Southern states, we deployed our elite gasoline response team: the fabulous Lettuce Ladies. We've had these eye-catching demos before with great response (and even a hugely successful gas giveaway contest), but now, with so many gas stations running out of gas, the ladies are needed more than ever!

The Ladies have been touring the country wearing their signature lettuce-leaf bikinis. They've been giving away Tofurkey brand vegan sandwiches and free gasoline to anyone who would give it a try—all to call attention to the fact that factory farming causes more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, trains, and planes combined. In fact, eating a single pound of meat is the environmental equivalent of driving 40 miles in an SUV!

So while drivers in Atlanta waited in those long lines to fill up their tanks, our Lettuce Ladies gave them vegan sandwiches to fill up on, too—and hey, who can argue with free sandwiches, right?

Posted by Amanda Schinke

As you can imagine, PETA hears about lots of cases of cruelty to animals. For folks who love animals as much as we do, that's never fun, but we can't make things better if we bury our heads in the sand. Still, it takes a lot to really strike a nerve with us, but one recent case stands out.

Carrie Cagata, James Cullen, and Shannon Kraham of Fort Myers, Florida, have been charged with multiple counts of cruelty to animals and animal abandonment. Lee County deputies reportedly found more than 80 dogs, cats, and other animals who had been entrusted to the trio malnourished or dead. While that's awful, it's not entirely unusual (unfortunately), but this is: Cagata is the owner of My Best Friend Inc., a supposed animal rescue organization. Detectives are alleging that she adopted abandoned animals from animal shelters and then tried to sell them for a profit—if the animals didn't sell, the detectives claim, they were apparently shipped off to "the farm," where they were left to starve.

While starving and abandoning animals is horrible enough, to do so while allegedly pretending to be rescuing them is over-the-top hideous—and an insult to the wonderful people who operate legitimate rescue groups. We fired off a letter to the head of the felony division of the Florida attorney's office, demanding that this case be prosecuted vigorously.

The letter also stated, "On behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in Florida, we respectfully ask that, if convicted and in addition to serving a period of incarceration, the three defendants (and any codefendants later named) be required to undergo psychological evaluations followed by mandatory counseling at their own expense." You can read the full letter here.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Last week, we released our jaw-dropping investigation into a Hormel supplier. It didn't take long for more abuse of pigs to come to light. We recently learned of a situation that happened early this month when a truck carrying nearly 200 live pigs to a slaughterhouse overturned on the highway, trapping some pigs in the wreckage for hours. Approximately 65 pigs were killed by the impact, died from their injuries, or were killed at the site of the accident by responding workers, including employees of Murphy-Brown, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods Inc.

As if the trauma of the accident weren't enough, while workers were removing the surviving pigs from the scene in order to send them on to the horrors of the slaughterhouse, they pulled the terrified pigs by their ears and hit them in the face with tools that even the pork industry says should never be used to hit animals.

As Smithfield's neighbors, we're all too familiar with the grisly aftermath of truck crashes. These latest documented abuses clearly demonstrate that Smithfield's self-touted "industry-leading accident response program" is ignored by a number of Murphy-Brown's employees and ineffectively enforced by supervisors. Watch the video and decide for yourself whether Smithfield is full of hot air.

If you eat hot dogs, ham, sausage, or bacon, then you are supporting this suffering. These and other abuses are done in your name and on your dollar. Please make a conscious decision to turn up your nose at pork, because the best way to help these intelligent animals is to stop eating them.

Posted by Christine Doré

Some PETA activists stopped by the World Beef Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to show them a thing or two about beef—namely, that all meat is murder.

Calling attention to the similarities between killing humans and killing animals for food, one of our activists lay on a "grill" on a busy sidewalk, her skin painted to mimic the charred flesh that some people still happily consume at barbecues. Meanwhile, local activists passed out free copies of PETA's "Vegetarian Starter Kit" to passers-by who asked for them—and you can bet a lot of people did!

Check our pics of the great demo below—and check out GoVeg.com for more info!

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Parents, heads up. Recent studies have suggested a link between dairy consumption and autism. Since many people don't know this, PETA is planning to run a billboard in Newark, New Jersey. Even though it won't please the billion-dollar dairy industry, parents have a right to know the truth about milk.

In a study at the University of Rome, researchers noticed a "marked improvement" in the behavior of autistic children who were taken off dairy products, but how dairy might worsen or cause autism is still unclear. Some suspect that casein (a component of cow's milk) harms the brain, while others suggest that stomach problems that are often caused by dairy products cause distress and thus worsen behavior in autistic children.

Not so surprising, considering that milk has already been strongly linked to Crohn's disease, certain types of cancer, and other serious health problems. But I digress.

Thankfully, there is hope. Testimonials suggest that some people with this devastating disease may be able to find relief by simply removing milk from their diet.

*The Newark area had the highest rates of autism occurrence among 14 states studied in one report.

Smokin'-hot Filipina model Alicia Mayer is teaming up with PETA Asia-Pacific once again. This time, the FHM cover girl stars in not one but two super-sexy new ads.

Posing in plastic wrap, Alicia says, "No one wants to be treated like a piece of meat." The stunning actor knows that the easiest way to end cruelty to animals is to go vegetarian.

Alicia pulls off Saran Wrap better than Kathy Bates in Fried Green Tomatoes.

In her second ad, Alicia holds a limp banana next to a tagline that not-so-subtly points out the connection between meat-eating and impotence. Alicia will likely make many men think twice about their meat addictions!

No one wants a limp banana!

Alicia Mayer has got what it takes: a killer body and compassion for animals. Want to follow Alicia's lead? Pledge to go veg for 30 days!

iNPLACENEWS / CC

With the passing of Paul Newman, animals and the people who care about them have lost a dedicated friend and advocate.

Beyond his work as an actor, Newman's companies—Newman's Own and Newman's Own Organics—placed a particular emphasis on minimizing the suffering of animals. PETA's shopping guide at VegCooking.com features a dozen Newman's Own products that don't include animal-derived ingredients. Newman's Own Organics also introduced a line of foods for dogs and cats that benefit animals in more ways than one: The products are not tested on animals, and the profits from the sales are donated to animal protection organizations.

To pay tribute to this extraordinary man, let us carry on his tradition of showing kindness and compassion to all beings every day.

It's a gloomy day here in Norfolk. My coffee mug is empty, my pumpkin–chocolate-chip muffins are all gone, and the "News of the Weird" folder in my in-box is overflowing. You're probably wondering what kind of news could be classified as "weird" by an organization that has proposed that Ben and Jerry's should use human breast milk for its ice cream. Read on to find out about the weird stuff—and more!

• Happy "Hug a Vegetarian" Day!
• Sometimes it's just easier to express yourself through song and dance. See Exhibit A: this rap video, which was recorded by a PETAKids member. I wonder how long it took to find a rhyme for "gestation crates" ….
• Bizarre ice-breaker …. It turns out that two-thirds of Americans would rather be stranded on a desert island with their animal companion than their human partner. (Recalling a few of my exes, I wholeheartedly agree.)
• Boy attacked by raptor. No, not Jurassic Park 4. Thankfully.
• Tzipi Livni, potentially the next prime minister of Israel, is a vegetarian. Rock on.
• Bottom-sniffing, anyone?
• Long Island Business News came out to see an activist-led KFC demo last week and created an awesome video blog about it.
• A new human study shows that the flavonoids in a small square of dark (not milk!) chocolate each day can protect you from heart disease. Vegans and chocoholics, rejoice!

That chocolate study definitely made me feel better about eating a whopping four of those pumpkin–chocolate-chip muffins—whew! I guess I'll go refill my coffee mug, plow through my in-box, and hurry home to forward that rap video and animal birth control ad to all my MySpace peeps.

Posted by Sean Conner

Some of you might remember our (funny!) spay and neuter ad, starring everyone's favorite puppet, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. In case you need a refresher, here it is:

Now for the reason you might not remember it—when we first released the PSA in 2003, some people thought that we were implying that Clay Aiken was "neutered" because he was gay. As a gay myself, I can say with certainty that nothing could have been further from the truth—just ask my friend Lady Bunny!

© Tina Paul/fifibear 2008

In any case, we took the ad down. We at PETA might be many things, but goodness knows, anti-gay certainly isn't one of them!

We'd decided to go along with Triumph's suggestion of "Get Neutered—It Didn't Hurt Clay Aiken" for the ad because of some scary things Clay had said in a Rolling Stone interview. "I think cats are Satan," he'd said. "There's nothing worse to me than a house cat. When I was about sixteen, I had a kitten and ran over it." Ouch! He clarified that the cat's death was an accident and that he was "haunted" by the cat's spirit—but come on.

Well, as far as we know, Clay still hasn't apologized for his kitty hatred. But you know what? Five years later, with the Idol starting a new chapter in his life, we're going to let bygones be bygones—and we're removing the ad from our library of available PSAs.

So congratulations on the birth of your son and on your newfound freedom, Clay. And hey, maybe someday you'll meet an angelic kitty who changes your mind about our fine feline friends, hmm?

Posted by Michael McGraw

Last week, we announced our intention to help out financially struggling schools across the country by running our "Got Spew?" ad in school bathroom stalls.

Well, we're now retracting our intention to run the ad. Not everywhere—oh, not by a long shot!—but in Tempe, Arizona, where a spew-y disaster has just taken place.

Earlier this week, some brave fraternity brothers at Arizona State University—and I'm trying to type this without laughing—decided that the coolest, awesomest activity for a Tuesday night would be to go up on a footbridge … and vomit milk onto the traffic below.

My favorite quote from the article? "It is unknown why the men were drinking and vomiting the milk." Maybe it's because they had a revelation mid-chug—that drinking milk promotes the cruelty of the dairy industry and has been linked to impotence. Or maybe it's because it's rush week. One thing is clear, though: Milk and spewing are certainly linked! We hate to say "we told you so," but ….

Whatever the reason, the frat boys' antics have hurt more than the mother cows who produced the milk (and the male calves who are shipped off to veal slaughterhouses). The "joke" has also caused a woman and her daughter to be injured. Another car had stopped short to avoid the vomit (wouldn't you?), and the ladies' car wasn't able to avoid hitting the stopped vehicle. And since we'd never want to make light of their injuries, we're not going to run our ad in Tempe, Arizona.

We think folks in Tempe got the message anyhow.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

It's a start!

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) has recently enacted two new regulations to lessen the suffering of racehorses. This comes after months of pressure from PETA and its supporters following the death of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby. This is a groundbreaking development—it shows that the horseracing industry is beginning to recognize that change is necessary.

© Jason Allen Photography
A big hearty "neiighhh" (that's horse for "thank you!") to the supporters and demonstrators who worked so tirelessly in behalf of racehorses everywhere.

The commission voted to ban "snapper" whips for harness racing—whips with flails on the end, which cause welts—as well as a technique called side whipping, in which the driver holds the reins in one hand, leans to the side, and whips the horse with the other hand.

Two weeks ago, the KHRC also banned the use of anabolic steroids—the drugs given to Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown—for all racehorses. The use of steroids was banned in Maryland just a few days ago, and now steroids are banned in two of the three states where Triple Crown races are held.

Although these changes are better than no changes at all, horseracing is still a cruel industry, and it should be completely obliterated. But until it is, there should still be a prohibition on competitive racing for horses younger than 3 years old and a ban on dirt tracks in favor of turf tracks (which would greatly decrease the chances of catastrophic injury). But most important of all, a zero-tolerance drug policy—a ban on all drugs, not just steroids—needs to be enacted.

So, thanks for the new regulations, KHRC. But you still have a lot of work to do!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

linklane / CC

Gillian Anderson may be just weeks away from delivering her third baby, but the gorgeous X-Files star is squeezing in one last film project before the big arrival.

Our favorite redhead is all set to narrate a brand-new video of undercover footage taken inside European and Chinese rabbit fur farms, as part of PETA Europe's campaign to pressure Giorgio Armani to stick to his fur-free pledge—which, as we reported yesterday, he's clearly having trouble with, if the freaky fur coats for toddlers in his new collection are anything to go by.

Gillian, who is well aware that most children have a natural affinity for and love of animals, wants to strike while the iron is hot, so she has agreed to spearhead PETA Europe's campaign against the designer. The dedicated animal rights advocate says, "I am stunned that Armani has gone back on his word. I can't understand why anyone would want to use real fur, and especially rabbit because it is so easy to replicate as the pile is so short."

Gillian has helped the animals repeatedly over the years, and she won PETA Europe's Humanitarian Award back in 2006. She invited PETA Vice President Dan Mathews to give a talk at her daughter's school in London, and she helped map out PETA Europe's Armani campaign strategy at the classy Groucho Club on Monday night. Though, of course, there wasn't a champagne in sight—Gillian and Dan worked hard over glasses of lemonade and apple crumble. Cute ….

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

mediabistro / CC
It looks like the Hamburglar might have moved on to a more serious crime.

Not only is eating meat unhealthy, it also might make you homicidal. Just ask Terrence J. Jones of Washington, D.C., who has been imprisoned for allegedly killing a woman after she refused to cook him a hamburger.

That's right—he allegedly killed a stranger for not making him a burger! Unbelievable!

PETA has written a letter to Jones' prison warden and asked him to provide Jones with only vegetarian meals (and even offered to help create meatless meal plans). We believe that it's the only way to stop more senseless killings for the sake of Terrence J. Jones' taste buds.

Not only will this stop the needless and cruel murder of animals, evidence from prisons that have switched inmates to vegetarian diets indicates that doing so might reduce violence among inmates too. Feeding inmates bean burritos instead of beef burgers could go a long way toward ending the cycle of violence. Plus vegetarian meals are cost-efficient and easy to prepare (for everyone, regardless of whether they're in prison).

So let's recap: A vegetarian diet saves humans, animals, time, and money. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Best one so far!

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

This is a must-see video.

If you're moved, click here for ideas on how to spread the word. We'd really like to see this video reach 1 million viewers—help us make that a reality!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

If an animal's skin has already been stolen from its rightful owner, how can you make the best of an awful situation? By giving the skin to charity!

Recently, PETA Europe donated around 100 fur coats and leather and wool items to the charity Let's Help Africa in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The charity then took the coats into the freezing mountains of Lesotho and gave them to needy farmers and poor herd boys. Even when the temperature plummets to below freezing, these folks have no choice but to spend their days working outside.

As you can see from the photos below, the people of Lesotho definitely needed these coats—and they loved having them!

After PETA Europe donated the fur coats, the president of Let's Help Africa wrote a very lovely note. In his letter, he wrote, "I am sure you sowed in good soil; those boys are beyond grateful and some of their lives will be saved because of your donation. So thank you very, very much; we honor you for your generosity."

Stories like this are only possible with your support. Every year PETA receives hundreds of fur, leather, and wool donations from compassionate people who appreciate that animals are not ours to wear. (Really, why would someone want to wear a dead animal for fun?!) So they mail us their old coats or new gifts, and we in turn donate them to charities or wildlife rehabilitation centers. This way, only people and animals who are truly in need can benefit from them.

Do you have something to donate today?

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

timeinc / CC

WRONG!

Armani's fall collection includes (gag!) fur coats for babies (so, so wrong), floral-printed fur coats (don't try and dress up what it really is), fur-hemmed skirts (no thank you!), and fur-trimmed jackets (hell to the no). As you can imagine, we're going postal up in here. But instead of disrupting his shows during Fashion Week in Milan last week, PETA is aiming higher—at the stars, in fact.

PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews, in all his fabulousity, hit 'em where it hurts …. TomKat anyone?!

Check out the full text of Dan's letter to Tom and Katie below, and make sure to leave a comment to tell us what you think.

PETA is sending similar appeals this week to Kristin Chenoweth, Glenn Close, and Heidi Klum, all of whom wore Armani to the Emmys on Sunday. Ew, right?

September 23, 2008

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
c/o Jeff Raymond

Dear Tom and Katie,

Greetings from PETA, where we've always admired your fur-free personal style. Because you are among the most highly visible wearers of Giorgio Armani, we are obliged to alert you to a distressing situation that has arisen with the company. We've been in talks with Armani for the past few years, asking the designer to drop fur. We showed his senior design team PETA's four-minute video—which documents how animals on fur farms are strangled, electrocuted, and skinned alive—and a few months later, Armani told Time magazine that his meetings with PETA, "convinced me not to use fur." Unfortunately, he's gone back on his word; his new collections are full of fur.

Most shockingly, his collections include fur coats for babies and kids. Please be vigilant about any packages that Armani sends for Suri, as they could include bunny fur from his toddler lines. We imagine that Suri, like other children, has a natural affinity for animals, which is why we find it shocking that Armani is not only breaking his fur-free promise but also trying to lure children into fashion derived from skinned rabbits. We also ask that you please use your considerable influence with Mr. Armani to urge him to keep his word and leave fur out of future collections and that you consider wearing fashions from some of the fur-free designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Dan Mathews
Vice President
PETA

Posted by Christine Doré

Update: In response to our letter, Ben and Jerry's issued the following statement: "We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child." Hey, guys, that's our point: Cow's milk is for baby cows.

Storchen, a (very innovative) restaurant in Switzerland, has just announced that they will be unveiling a new menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent human breast milk. Some folks might think that drinking human breast milk is strange … but really, what's even stranger is that humans are the only species on the planet that drinks the milk of another species.

Storchen's new menu got us thinking … which product would be fabulously awesome if it were made with breast milk instead of cow's milk? (Light bulb!) Ben and Jerry's!

So we wrote a letter to the good people at Ben and Jerry's, asking them to switch from cow's milk to breast milk. We explained that using cow's milk for their ice cream is a hazard to consumers' health. Even Dr. Spock spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it may play a role in the onset of anemia, allergies, and juvenile diabetes and, in the long term, can set kids up for a lifetime of obesity and heart disease (America's number one cause of death).

But it's not all about us humans. Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Because, like all mammals, cows only give milk during or after pregnancy, in order for humans to constantly milk them, they are forcefully impregnated every nine months. Many live in filthy conditions and are forced to give 10 times more milk than they would naturally. It's truly an awful life.

So think about it, Ben and Jerry's. We here at PETA would be super-stoked if your ice cream went vegan … we'd buy it by the truckload!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

the clones / CC

Short of dogfighting, there isn't any lower activity than abusing animals for the sake of art. Anyone who has a tattoo knows that you voluntarily tough it out and do it in stages, but Belgian artist Wim Delvoye has apparently put countless pigs—who have extremely sensitive skin—through hours of tattooing, covering their whole backs and down their sides in designs that range from religious emblems and Disney princesses to Louis Vuitton's logo.

Pig skin closely resembles human skin in sensitivity, so just imagine what the pigs endured by being jabbed with a needle over and over and over and over and over again—by a giant person who has restrained them and seems to have no end point in mind. The sheer intensity of the anxiety, fear, and confusion that these animals go through as they fail to understand what is happening to them is an atrocity in and of itself.

If life imitates art, what's this artist's life like, do you think? One presumes that these pigs will eventually be slaughtered for their skin—in the name of meat, art, or fashion. So please give a thought to the pigs and other animals: Check your closet for leather bags and other items, then ask yourself: Should you really hang that piece of "art" on your arm or over your shoulder?

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

novaciencia / CC

A new scientific study has revealed that fish fingers—not the fatty, fried fishy flesh but real fingers and toes—long predate the Gorton's fisherman.

*Warning: Scientific Content Below*

See, scientists have thought for a while that tetrapods, who crawled up out of the ocean about 360 million years ago, were the first creatures to develop fingers. Well, as it turns out, proto-fingers were actually sprouted some 20 million years earlier by a more-fish-than-not transition animal called the Panderichthys.

The Panderichthys had little finger bones, called distal radials, inside their flippers. Interestingly, the same gene that shapes feet in mice is found in the lungfish—a direct cousin of the transitionary tetrapods. So, basically, the Panderichthys started feet, the tetrapods developed feet, and we all have feet today! That's right, you—my faithful reader—have evolved from a fish!

Makes you want to give the Panderichthys a hand, doesn't it? Or at least not eat the fingers that, after all, they've been working on for 380 million years ….

Posted by Amanda Schinke in celebration of Fish Amnesty Week

Dust off your top hat and dancing shoes. It's time for the celebration jig! What are we celebrating, you ask? How about the fact that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance that had been scheduled for last week at Western Kentucky University was canceled because of low ticket sales?

The show sold only about 100 tickets—perhaps because more than 30 local activists passed out hundreds of leaflets on opening night. These leaflets probably contained eye-opening information on how circuses torture animals. Circuses use aggression, violence, and confinement to "train" elephants, often resulting in pain, suffering, and trauma. According to former employees, Ringling Bros. routinely abuses animals, including beating animals bloody. What other horrors do animals endure at Ringling Bros.? Watch for yourself.

The fact that even one circus performance was canceled is proof that people can make a difference. If everyone boycotted circuses that use animals and visited only animal-free circuses, Ringling and other animal circuses would whistle a different tune. They'd have no choice but to end the use and abuse of all animals in their shows.

Even celebrities are joining the campaign to end the use of animals in circuses. They know a circus life is no life at all for an animal.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

sidereel / CC

Well, it's about time! The Academy finally realized what's what last night when they awarded our beloved Alec Baldwin a well-deserved Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Take it from an office full of die-hard 30 Rock fans—the man is amazingly funny. And hey, take it from an office full of animal lovers—the man is one of the greatest friends to animals we know!

Alec—a vegetarian, by the way—has always donated his time and effort to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Highlights of Alec's work for animals include hosting the premier screening of Blinders, a documentary that shows the cruel horse-drawn carriage industry for what it really is; recording a public service announcement for PETA in behalf of animals used in entertainment; pleading for compassion for animals who are used and abused in traveling acts; and going to Capitol Hill with PETA to address members of Congress and demand that the Humane Slaughter Act finally be enforced.

But, y'know, I think a lot of us love Alec most for his narration of PETA's slaughterhouse investigation video, "Meet Your Meat." His voice has inspired tens of thousands of people to stop eating animals—and more people watch the video every day!

So congratulations, Mr. Baldwin, on your well-deserved Emmy award. All of us here at PETA are grateful for your years of dedicated advocacy, and we wish you continued happiness and success in the years ahead!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Tee hee! Folks in Pensacola, Florida, might soon be in for a quirky PETA surprise! Since Florida is listed as the fishing capital of the country, we deemed it appropriate to kick up a little kerfuffle in the Sunshine State to honor Fish Amnesty Week.

This ad is sure to make male fishers everywhere cross their legs in whiny protest.

So, for the sciencey part … we hear that hunting has been directly (and, let's be honest, hilariously) linked to diminutive male genitalia disorder, an affliction among men with small or misshapen genitals in which pleasure is derived by victimizing unprotected creatures who have no real means of defense or escape. So, what then can be assumed about the shortcomings of fishers? Well, the exaggerated importance of the size of the fish is the first clue. And did someone say something about a big rod? Lastly, we have the act of pulling animals out of their homes and causing them to suffocate, and if they're "lucky enough" to be thrown back, fish are often too weakened by trauma to survive a week. This certainly covers the "perverse enjoyment of cruelty" aspect of the disease.

Posted by Missy Lane

Some people ask me if it is true that my latest book, One Can Make a Difference, contains essays by people who have done things like make documentary films or compose songs, collect shoes for South American village children, clean up the base camp at Mount Everest, or make people laugh—instead of being all about animals? Well, yes, but I'll reveal my secret. Every single one of the more than 50 people in the book—from the famous people such as Sir Paul McCartney (the world’s most famous "veggie"), Stella McCartney (who is adamantly opposed to fur and leather), Petra Nemcova (the supermodel who stopped eating fish after she saw them on the beach in Thailand after a tsunami), Dr. Henry Heimlich (a staunch anti-vivisectionist), and Willie Nelson (who fought to ban horse slaughter) to the little-known seal-hunt protesters, soup-kitchen operators, performance artists, and sanctuary founders—are kind souls. If they weren't, they wouldn't have made the cut.

As the author John Galsworthy said (and those of you who've heard me speak know that I often repeat this), the three most important things in life are to be kind, to be kind, and … yup, to be kind. His Holiness The Dalai Lama is in my book, and he says pretty much the same thing in his lovely little essay about how a person's religion should be based on compassion—nothing else matters. Now, some essays, including those by Brigitte Bardot, Rachel Rosenthal, Carol Buckley, and Peter Hammarstadt, are all about animals: elephants and cats and mice and whales specifically, but you will find animals—such as Doris Richard's dogs—peeking out of other essays too. And in the essays that do not mention animals, the spirit of the writer leaves you no doubt that he or she would no more ignore a bird fallen out of a nest than he or she would step over a destitute human being.

I hope that my book will open hearts to the diversity of life and open eyes fully to the stunning number of ways in which one—anyone—can make a difference. Writing it was a great experience. I hope that reading it will be just as much fun!

Posted by Ingrid E. Newkirk

P.S. Tell us why you make a difference! Comment below to win an autographed copy of One Can Make a Difference! You can also go here to nominate someone who makes a difference.

You can post comments until October 6 to win the book. We will contact the winner on October 7. Be sure to read the contest terms and conditions and PETA's privacy policy before you comment. By leaving a comment, you're acknowledging that you have read and agree to both.

A worker slammed these piglets' heads against the floor and left them to die in a bin.

Just days after PETA released video footage of an undercover investigation at an Iowa pig farm whose piglets are destined for Hormel, the wheels of change are in motion. Here's what's new.

1. Acknowledgment
PETA met with Greene County, Iowa, Sheriff, Tom Heater's staff, and he is taking the documented cruelty seriously. After this meeting, Sheriff Heater told the Associated Press, "Our next step is to secure interviews with potential suspects, and definitely make sure that there's no further abuse occurring down there—that's our main concern at this point. Asked if crimes had been committed, Heater responded, 'It appears that there were, yes.'"

2. Action
Dr. Jennifer Greiner says Minnesota-based MowMar, LLP, which owns the farm where the investigation took place, has already fired two employees involved in the abuse and will continue to terminate those involved based on the findings of the investigation.

3. Deception
Following the release of the investigation video, Hormel issued false statements to consumers and PETA's members saying that the abuse shown on the video occurred weeks before their supplier purchased the farm. This statement is blatantly untrue, as the video depicts acts committed both before and after MowMar's purchase of the site. Furthermore, Hormel suppliers either owned or managed the Iowa farm during the entire investigation.

Although PETA's investigation garnered some serious media attention and is prompting needed change in regard to animal abuse, it still may take some time before meaningful changes are made to standards in the pig industry. Mother pigs are still confined to tiny gestation crates and their babies are castrated and mutilated without any anesthesia or painkillers. Even worse, unwanted "runts" are sometimes killed by "thumping" (slamming the animals' heads against the floor). Although cruel, these standards still appear to be legal in many U.S. states.

The good news is that you can make a huge difference. You can join PETA and take a stand against the cruel factory-farming industry by going veg today.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

The smoke has long cleared after the arrest of nearly 100 dazed and confused people in a San Diego drug sting, but now a 4- to 5-acre field of marijuana in Redwood National Park (now nicknamed Park o' Pot) has been uncovered. Now is the perfect time to run our billboard warning folks that pot roast is far more hazardous to their health than that other pot.

Dude, smoking dope might make you forget where you put your car keys, but eating meat is linked to all kinds of killer diseases. Meat is often loaded with drugs, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. The consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has been linked to heart disease, strokes, obesity, diabetes, and various types of cancer—not to mention other hazards, including E. coli, salmonella, and listeria. Yummy.

Of course, if the fact that you're consuming lots of dangerous drugs by eating burgers and chicken doesn't disturb you, you might want to know that animals on factory farms are crammed into cages and crates, are forced to undergo excruciatingly painful procedures, and are often skinned and dismembered while still conscious.

Totally harsh, man. But all is not lost. You can make yourself drug-free and bring yourself some "I did something good for animals" karma by doing one simple thing—going veg today.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

askmen / CC

We here at PETA adore Katherine Heigl for her huge heart for animals. When she's not campaigning for spay-and-neuter legislation or sporting our fabulous PETA T-shirts, she's finding other ways to speak up for animals.

Now the National Enquirer is reporting that on a recent trip to Mexico, the Grey's Anatomy star found herself in a fishy situation—a situation involving a fish, that is. Upon spotting a local fisher with a recently caught yellow-finned tuna on his hook, Heigl offered the man $100 to release the fish back into the water. At first, the fisher refused. Not to be messed with, Heigl quickly upped the ante to $200, and the fish was promptly returned to the Mexican waters.

Fish have very few advocates like Katherine, but they suffer just as much as any animal with whom we sympathize—like, say, a furry little dog. Did you know that when fish are hooked through their mouths with sharp metal points, the open wounds are often fatal to the injured fish and also make them vulnerable to other predators?

After the fish was thrown back, the compassionate Heigl said, "Thanks, I hate to see anything die." We certainly hear you on that, Katherine!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

smh / CC

After the tragic death of Eight Belles at the Kentucky Derby this past May, we at PETA were hopeful that all the shock and emotion involved would result in some real horseracing industry reforms. Unfortunately, change hasn't come fast enough. In fact, in the four months since Eight Belles crashed to the ground at the Kentucky Derby, at least 100 other racehorses have died.

Yeah, you read that right. At least 100 racehorses and counting! How this industry hasn't already been seriously reformed—or gone out of business entirely—is totally beyond me. In light of these shocking numbers, PETA has fired off a letter to National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) president Alex Waldrop calling on the NTRA to take immediate action and lead the racing industry by implementing reforms that will help prevent more deaths.

PETA is urging the industry to make several changes, including enacting a zero-tolerance drug policy, a ban on whipping, a prohibition on competitive racing for horses younger than 3 years old, and a ban on dirt tracks in favor of turf (grass) tracks—which would greatly decrease the chances of catastrophic injury. I know it's not the perfect solution—the perfect solution would be the end of horseracing altogether. But what's important right now is healthier and happier lives for these horses—so it's crucial that the industry make these changes immediately.

We've known for a long time of the horseracing industry's cruelty. Our letter to the NTRA is not the first time PETA has campaigned for change in the industry. And I assure you, it will not be the last.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

We here at PETA love Top 10 lists more than David Letterman himself. So from the people who brought you the Top 10 Animal-Friendly Superheroes and the Top 10 Patriotic Ads of All Time … we now present (drumroll, please) PETA's list of the Top 10 "Ditch Exotic Skin" campaigns from PETA and its international affiliates for your ocular enjoyment!

10. 'Leave Cruelty Behind' Billboard
"Leave Cruelty Behind, Bag the Leather," says the fashionable iguana on this billboard (who just happens to be wearing a very chic human butt purse).

8. and 7. PETA's Snakeskin Belt Ad and Alligator Purse Ad
These amazing ads targeted the cruel exotic skin trade and were featured in an issue of PETA's Animal Times magazine.

6. June 2008 Exotic Skin Demo
This was one of PETA's most gorgeous demos—the setup and the model were stunning. In full body paint, our exotic skin lady laid down in front of a sign that simply read, "Exotic skins belong in the jungle, not on your feet." This demo was so sexy that it left many drool puddles on computer keyboards across the globe.

4. PETA's Exotic Skins Investigation Video
This incredibly sad video shows that every snakeskin bag, shoe, or jacket comes with a high price—and it's paid by animals that are ripped out of their jungle homes and cruelly killed.

3. Gena Lee Nolin Ad
Smokin' hot Baywatch alum Gena Lee poses here to help raise awareness about the suffering of crocodiles used for clothing.

And the number one exotic skin feature is …

1. Pamela Anderson Sells One Viper to Save Many!
Come on, we've gotta give the number one spot to our girl Pam! Pam auctioned off her Dodge Viper and gave the proceeds to PETA to use to educate others on the cruel exotic skins industry. That's one truly dedicated advocate!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

The jig is up, Sam. blackberrywallpapers / CC

What is the old saying? "Out of evil, no good shall come"? That's it. And it's been true up until now ….

The Tennessee Department of Human Services has recently notified more than 15,000 parents who are behind at least $500 in child support that they face losing their recreational-sports licenses if they don't pay up soon.

Does anyone else find this as hilarious as I do? All I can picture is some deadbeat dad swigging beer out in a field, stumbling around and pretend-shooting ducks because his hunting license was revoked. It's making me giggle, really.

Of course, it would be even better if all states that issue these kinds of notifications (or sell duck stamps) were to include information on why sport hunting is cruel and unnecessary (because deadbeats are apparently as oblivious to their own offspring as they are to Bambi's mom). Oh, and stuff a diminutive male genitalia disorder pamphlet in there as well. Knowledge is power, people!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Multitalented Aya Sugimoto is no stranger to nudity—the erotic novelist has doffed her duds in movies and as a model—but today she went naked for PETA Asia-Pacific and for animals abused for the fur industry.

Holding a sign reading, "Fur? I'd Rather Go Naked," gorgeous Aya posed before dozens of photographers and television cameras in one of the first Japanese campaigns by PETA Asia-Pacific.

If only the sign were smaller…

PETA Asia-Pacific chose Aya Sugimoto for their anti-fur campaign because of her passion for animal rights (she's created her own faux-fur fashion brand). "I want people to realize that they can be stylish and posh enough without using real fur," Aya said. Great choice, PETA Asia-Pacific!

Has Aya gotten your attention? Go here to learn more about what happens to animals killed for their fur, then get on board and pledge to go fur-free.

P.S. For any UFC fans out there—PETA's favorite vegan fighter, Mac Danzig, is battling Clay Guida tonight (September 17) at Ultimate Fight Night 14 in Omaha, Nebraska. It'll be live on Spike TV. For those of you new to UFC, Mac is an awesome fighter and was the winner of Ultimate Fighter 6.

Go, Mac! Everyone here at PETA is rooting for you!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

By now, you've probably heard about our latest undercover investigation—and you were probably as horrified as we were. Sadly, though, we weren't shocked—because this kind of abuse has happened before, many times.

Abuses like the ones seen at the Iowa pig factory farm should be the exception—but they're not; they are the rule. Look at our investigation of a North Carolina factory farm; just like at the Iowa farm, the pigs were beaten, were spray-painted, and had their eyes poked with sharp objects. In Oklahoma, the pigs were also beaten and "thumped"—and treaded on, starved, and left to die of illness. At a factory farm in North Carolina, the pigs were, again, beaten daily, kicked, and vaginally and anally penetrated—in addition to being skinned alive. Another group found pigs in Nebraska to be suffering from extreme neglect and mistreatment, drowning in their own excrement and covered in open sores. They found similarly neglected pigs in South Dakota, where the conditions were so inhumane that death rates in barns reached as high as 60 percent—and where some pigs were killed by having a water hose placed in their mouths until the animals burst.

Beatings, castration without any painkillers, drowning in excrement, wasting away with illness, and vaginal and anal penetration—these shouldn't be everyday occurrences, but they are. All over the country, pigs on factory farms are suffering just like pigs in Iowa, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and South Dakota are—and each time someone buys bacon, ham, sausage, or a hot dog, that person is saying that he or she agrees with how these pigs are treated.

Please, if you are appalled by the pain and suffering inflicted on these pigs, there is one very simple way to help them—don't eat them.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

To help create buzz about the connection between meat consumption and high gas prices, PETA's sexy Lettuce Ladies are back on the road again giving away free gas (and vegan sandwiches) to people at gas stations around the country. In support of their efforts, The PETA Files is giving away BP gas cards to two loyal readers. (See the form below. That's where you enter.)

What does gas for your car have to do with veggies for your stomach? Did ya know that eating just a single pound of meat is the environmental equivalent of driving more than 40 miles in an SUV? That's one big carbon footprint, my friends!

This contest has ended

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Anyone you know still eat SPAM and Dinty Moore? Well, show them a new PETA investigation of a pig factory farm in Iowa—where investigators took truly disturbing undercover footage of workers who were abusing sows and their piglets. This farm breeds and supplies piglets to be grown and eventually slaughtered for Hormel. In addition to keeping pregnant pigs in hideous gestation crates that are so small that the mothers-to-be cannot even turn around, workers and supervisors are seen on our tape kicking pigs maliciously, beating them with metal rods, jabbing clothespins and fingers into their eyes, and slamming piglets against the floor to kill them (a standard practice in the pig-meat industry). A worker was seen spraying paint directly up a sow's nostrils and all over her face as well. Some of the piglets convulsed for more than 12 minutes before dying.

PETA's undercover investigators also documented the following:

Tails and testicles from baby pigs

If you eat hot dogs, ham, sausage, or bacon, you are supporting gross abuse and cruelty in this "house of horrors." Please don't. Tell Hormel to stop cruelty to animals at its suppliers' facilities now!

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

Care2 / CC

When the Elliston Heritage Foundation announced plans to establish a memorial to honor seal hunters who have died during Canada's gruesome annual seal hunt, PETA sent a letter to Myrtle Stagg, chair of the foundation, asking her to erect a memorial to the millions of seals who are killed during the hunts each year. Part of the foundation's mission is to commemorate sealing disasters, and we can't think of a more horrific and preventable disaster than the world's largest annual slaughter of marine mammals, which claims hundreds of thousands of innocent victims year after year after year.

We haven't heard back from Stagg, perhaps in part because the foundation shies away from the "politics" of the seal hunt. Huh? Last time I looked, horrific animal abuse was less about politics and more about deep-seeded psychosis. No matter where you fall on the "political" spectrum, anyone with a shred of kindness can confidently condemn an event in which baby seals are bludgeoned, shot, and often skinned alive and agree that their deaths should not go unnoticed or unmourned.

PETA really hopes that Canada will soon find some compassion and end the seal hunt for good.

Either way, I hope to see that memorial for the baby seals before next year's slaughter begins.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

PETA has offered to pay to advertise in the bathroom stalls of several financially struggling schools across the nation. Increased gas prices have driven many schools to measures like cutting back on bus routes. But rather than forcing young students to walk to and from school (uphill both ways, I'm sure), they could generate much-needed revenue by selling us ad space.

You're welcome, schools! We're looking out for you.

Since most kids visit the restroom at some point before lunch, we thought bathroom stalls would be the perfect home for our informative spoof of the infamous "Got Milk?" campaign.

Milk spew and bathroom stalls go together like peas and carrots.

We also sent letters to the superintendents of schools to let them know that drinking cow's milk puts teens on the road to adult diseases, such as heart disease, various types of cancer, and strokes. It's also the number one source of allergies and is linked to juvenile onset diabetes, acne, and obesity.

I wonder why they don't teach that in health class!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Infinitejestchallenge / CC

Hailed by the Boston Globe as "probably the most important novelist of his generation," author David Foster Wallace was found dead—apparently because of suicide—on Friday night at his home in California.

Although famous for authoring The Broom of the System and the best-selling Infinite Jest: A Novel and Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, loyal PETA supporters may best remember David Foster Wallace for his philosophical piece written for Gourmet magazine.

In the groundbreaking "Consider the Lobster," Wallace wondered, "Is it all right to boil a sentient creature alive just for our gustatory pleasure?"

Wallace explored the excruciating pain that lobsters feel when they are boiled alive, writing, "[A]fter all the abstract intellection, there remain the facts of the frantically clanking lid, the pathetic clinging to the edge of the pot. Standing at the stove, it is hard to deny in any meaningful way that this is a living creature experiencing pain and wishing to avoid/escape the painful experience."

In memory of this remarkable man, let us keep his respect for animals alive by practicing kindness and compassion toward all beings every day by rejecting cruelty at the dinner table. For more information and to order a free "Vegetarian Starter Kit," please visit GoVeg.com.

To read David Foster Wallace's article in full, go here.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is promoting several days throughout September as "Responsible Dog Ownership Day." What's wrong with this picture? Hmm, let me think … wait, I've got it: How can a pro-breeding organization promote "responsible" guardianship?

The AKC's main objective is to breed and exhibit purebred dogs—and for each purebred dog bred and sold to a family, a dog in an animal shelter loses his or her chance at a home. But that doesn't matter to the AKC folks, who believe that purebred dogs somehow matter more than their mixed-breed doggie brethren. Where have I heard this before?

Dogs, of course, don't care if they meet breed specifications—they just want a home! But the AKC demands that dogs adhere to strict breed guidelines even when they've been proved to cause medical problems, like with pugs' breathing difficulty. They oppose mandatory spaying and neutering laws—it would mean a loss of revenue—and they even oppose legislation to restrict the continuous chaining of dogs! For the AKC, it really is dog ownership, and they can't imagine not being able to do whatever they please with their property.

Well, I just don't see how the AKC is in any position to promote responsibility when it comes to caring for our canine companions. As long as nearly 4 million dogs and cats keep dying every year for want of homes, there is absolutely no such thing as responsible breeding. The best way to be a responsible dog (or cat!) guardian is to practice your ABCs—Animal Birth Control—and always spay and neuter.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

PETA has been after candymaker Mars Inc. for funding deadly animal testing, and now caring consumers have one more reason to think twice before they buy Mars products. (I certainly know what candy I'm not buying for Halloween this year!)

Mars Petcare US has just announced a voluntary recall of all dry pet-food products produced at its plant in Everson, Pennsylvania, between February 18 and July 29, citing potential contamination with salmonella.

This huge recall affects 31 states and includes brands such as Pedigree, Ol' Roy, and others. Salmonella can cause serious infections in animal companions and, if there is cross-contamination, in humans as well.

Here is a list of the affected products and other urgent information for animal guardians. Please make sure your pet food isn't on the list, and follow the important instructions provided in case you've purchased potentially contaminated food. Questions about the recall can be directed to Mars at 1-877-568-4463.

It seems like déjà vu … cruel company conducting experiments on animals produces dog and cat food that hurts the animals in our own homes … Iams recall, anyone? Check out our quick refresher course on how Iams tortures animals and why many veterinarians, animal shelters, shops, and animal guardians are boycotting Iams.

PETA keeps an up-to-date list of cruelty-free pet-food companies here. When you purchase food from these companies, you can do so with a clean conscience—that's always a good thing!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

This hurricane season is sure keeping us on high alert! As you know, Ike is now set to hit the Texas coast within the next 24 hours, possibly bringing with it a gigantic 20-foot wall of water. Texans not following evacuation orders have been warned that they "may face certain death."

When the stakes are this high and the lives of your family and animal companions are at risk, there is no such thing as being too prepared!

PETA has issued news releases packed with info about having plans for companion animals to Texas areas set to be hit by Ike, and we have trained employees standing by to lend a helping hand to those who need it. PETA also has a disaster preparedness checklist that provides all the information you'll need to create a safe, effective plan to protect your animal companions.

Although hurricanes Gustav and Hanna did not quite live up to their initial projections, you never know if Hurricane Ike will be the next "big one." It's always better to be safe than sorry!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Who says men hold all the power?! In the upcoming movie The Women, opening today, the ladies clearly pull the strings. Eva Mendes stars in this power-packed, all-female–cast comedy, which is sure to bust a rib or two with laughter.

Eva's onscreen character, a perfume-spritzing, irresistible New Yorker, finds herself in situations where she stirs up more than just scented oils.

Of course, off-screen, Eva doesn't mind making a few waves either, especially when it comes to helping animals. We love Eva for her staunch anti-fur stance. Not only is she talented and beautiful, she also put her bum on the line (literally!) for fur-bearing animals when she posed naked in our "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad that made a huge media splash this past winter.

It's no surprise that Eva is part of such a strong, female-centric movie. As an intelligent woman, she knows a fox-fur stole or a full-length mink coat doesn't display power or beauty. Rather, wearing animal skins does just the opposite. So unless you're going for the "I'm heartless and don't care if animals are skinned alive and anally electrocuted for my wretched fur purse" look, well, we suggest spending your money on tickets to check out Eva in The Women instead. And … you might want to grab a box of tissues too—for those uncontrollable estrogen-packed moments. This one's bound to be full of it.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

A few months ago, we shared photos from the Times Square launch of our "Clean Your Conscience" shower campaign. The campaign highlights that it takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce just 1 pound of meat.

I wanted to let you know that we definitely didn't stop the campaign following the NYC demo. In recent months, we've taken the shower, our soapy ladies, and the message that producing 1 pound of meat uses roughly the same amount of water as six months' worth of showers to Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Rochester, and more. In each city, we've gotten loads of media and spectator attention, meaning that thousands upon thousands of people have learned that if they care about the environment, they should go vegetarian today.

Here are some of the highlights from the tour:

If we haven't hit your city yet, don't worry. The tour—and the message that "1 Lb. of Meat = 6 Months of Showers"—is still going strong. Next up, our now squeaky-clean ladies will be showering in Columbus and Pittsburgh.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

PETA Foundation staffer Alex Bury and Vegan Outreach pres Jack Norris' recent wedding was for the birds—and they wouldn't have had it any other way. You see, the Bay Area couple are so committed to spreading the vegan message (she proposed to him while they were handing out veg leaflets) that they flew to Canada and shared their commitment to each other at a Toronto KFC restaurant.

Why get hitched at a Canadian KFC? Marriage isn’t the only thing new and exciting on the menu. Thanks to PETA’s landmark agreement with the company that coordinates the purchase of chickens for all KFC franchises in Canada, conditions for chickens killed for KFCs in Canada are now subject to various welfare improvements and most KFCs in Canada have added a faux-chicken sandwich to their menus. Making their vegan wedding a joyous occasion for all peeps (geddit?) involved, the newlyweds served the new sandwich at their reception. What did guests think of the faux fowl? It was love at first bite. Speaking of love ... congrats, Alex and Jack! Here are pics of the happy event:

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

If you've been on planet Earth in the last 24 hours, you've probably heard the phrase "If you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig" more times than you can count. Well, we at PETA would like to put our own spin on this phrase and let everyone know that there should never be any real reason for lipstick on a pig unless it's because you've just given a pig a big kiss for being so darn cute.

Next time you do your makeup in the morning, ask yourself, "Who was my lipstick tested on?" Rats, mice, and bunnies are still exploited in the world of product testing, and pigs are used for cruel experiments as well. And yes, pigs still suffer from abuse in the factory-farming industry.

We've thrown our own spin on this whole "lipstick on a pig" media frenzy and created the following two ads to make people think about where their cosmetics and their food come from. Check out our new ads, and please vote for your favorite by leaving a comment below!

iStockPhoto.com/Christian Lohman

Posted by Christine Doré

Funny!

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

Eat carrots, not cows!

Last weekend at the AARP Life@50+ Expo, PETA launched PETA Prime—our brand-new Web site full of great resources to help folks live more compassionate, greener, and healthier lives.

Proving that it's never too late to make a healthy lifestyle change, PETA Prime gave out more than 600 free copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" at this year's rockin' convention.

Highlights of the convention include the following:

• Another booth did free cholesterol screenings, and when someone registered high, the booth referred him or her to the PETA Prime booth! Talk about cross-promotion!
• Many grandparents stopped by the booth to let PETA Prime know that they had a son or daughter or grandkids who were veg and wanted recipes to cook for them. Here you go … but while you're at it, why don't you cook up a delicious veg recipe for yourself?
• When PETA Prime asked one baby boomer why she was vegan, she said simply, "common sense"! Ain't it the truth?

PETA Files readers: Have any friends, parents, grandparents, or relatives who are baby boomers? Tell them about PETA Prime! And if you're a boomer yourself, take a looksie and let us know what you think.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

The story of a 15-year-old boy in Lubbock, Texas, in need of a liver transplant because of health complications relating to obesity is the latest case highlighting the need for parents to step up and teach their children healthy eating habits. Raising children on a meat-based diet that might lead them to the hospital or an early grave is child abuse, plain and simple. And that's exactly the message on the new billboard that we're trying to run in Lubbock, Texas.

The boy's diet mostly consisted of burgers and pizza, which (duh!) resulted in a fatty liver. This is not a health problem that a child should ever have to face, but unfortunately, he's not the only one. It is becoming a sickening sign of the adolescent obesity epidemic that some adolescents are requiring liver transplants because of poor diets that are rich in fats.

To help spotlight that vegetarianism is a key to overcoming obesity in children as well as parents' responsibility in getting this message to their children, PETA's billboard with the tagline "Feeding kids meat is child abuse. Fight the fat • GoVeg.com" will hopefully be hitting Lubbock shortly.

Many children who are fed a diet of saturated fat– and cholesterol-laden burgers, nuggets, and hot dogs show symptoms of heart disease by the time they reach first grade. Parents don't need to be told that feeding their children such poor diets may be slowly killing them—it's common sense. But they’re feeding it to them anyway.

Child abuse. Plain and simple.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Anyone planning to visit the Caribbean this season who comes across our new ad taking aim at the St. Kitts tourism board's promotional campaign will probably choose to visit another island—any other island. That's because PETA's poster shows a man splashing in a blood-red sea and carries the tagline "Deplore St. Kitts." PETA's poster explains that St. Kitts is home to the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine—the cruelest such institution of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.

Try to guess what the original slogan was.

As loyal readers of The PETA Files know, PETA has been urging Ross to join other veterinary schools in using only modern teaching methods that do not harm healthy animals. In response to PETA's campaign and a student's lawsuit, Ross announced earlier this year that it would end invasive and terminal surgeries on healthy dogs, but the school continues to require students to cut up and kill healthy donkeys, goats, and sheep.

PETA also recently purchased stock in Ross' parent company, DeVry Inc., in order to use its position as a shareholder to increase pressure on Ross to make these much-needed reforms.

If you now deplore St. Kitts because of our enlightening ad, go ahead and do the animals justice—give Ross University a piece of your mind!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Last week, PETA revealed shocking new undercover footage of cruelty to animals at AgriProcessors in Postville, Iowa, the world's largest kosher slaughterhouse. I'm thrilled to report that as a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a citation against AgriProcessors for violating the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

PETA's video shows a worker making sawing cuts inside the gaping wounds in cows’ throats, after the shochet (religious slaughterer) has made the first cut and walked away. Federal law prohibits workers from making a second cut unless a shochet is supervising.

Temple Grandin, the world's foremost expert on slaughter methods, said the worker used a harsh "digging, gouging" motion on the second cut that would "definitely cause the animal pain" and is rarely necessary if the first cut is made properly. Grandin stated that the video "clearly showed that when they think nobody is looking, they do bad things in this plant."

AgriProcessors has clearly lost all support from Grandin. She recently said that there is "no point" to the visits. She added, "I've been in business 35 years, and I'm getting sick and tired of: They act good when you're there and they don't act good when your back is turned. They did the same thing for the rabbis they would do for me—put on a show."

Grandin isn't just all complaints—she has a plan to get rid of this cruel practice. Installing live-feed video cameras on the kill floor of the plant would help ensure that no animal is ever tortured at AgriProcessors again. Join PETA in backing Grandin's plan now!

Update: Just as I posted this entry, CNN reported that AgriProcessors and some of its executives have each been charged with more than 9,000 alleged violations of child labor laws. Cruelty to animals and alleged child labor! Looks like AgriProcessors is working overtime to win the award for "Most Despicable Company in America."

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Last week's season premiere of America's Next Top Model brought something a little different to the fashionable catwalk. Elina, a super-hot Seattleite, is a vegan who is very involved with animal rights! In fact, she went vegan at the age of 7 and has since dedicated her life to avenging the cruelty done to animals in this world. The 18-year-old is the first vegan to appear on ANTM, which is now in its 11th cycle.

As an avid fan of the show, I must admit that I've been a bit bummed that a few episodes have featured fur and leather in some of the shoots, especially since Tyra doesn't wear it and the lovely and lovable Nigel Barker is staunchly anti-fur! How MUCH do we love him?!

We were also bummed when the models were asked to pose wearing meat. Then again, meat is so gross we think that we might have gotten a few extra vegetarians out of it—hope springs eternal. When asked by Tyra if she would have been able to participate in the slaughterhouse photo shoot, Elina unwaveringly said "No!"

It will no doubt be interesting to see what Tyra throws Elina's way this season. We wish you the best of luck, Elina. Go rock the runway with vegan style!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

After hearing stories from around the country about firefighters and police officers who are so overweight that they are having difficulty fulfilling their job responsibilities, PETA's concerned Lettuce Ladies decided to take action. The Lettuce Ladies paid a visit to the country's largest all-volunteer fire department on Friday—armed with delicious Tofurky® sandwiches and emergency copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" to hand out.

Yowza! If this doesn't make you crave a salad, nothing will!

The très sexy Lettuce Ladies let the fine gentlemen of the Ossining, New York, Fire Department know that a vegetarian diet is the best way to stay healthy and fit so that they can save more than just the lives of animals! As you can see, the guys loved having the ladies there … and they loved the sandwiches too!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Update 12/22/2008: Donna Karan has announced that her fall 2009 lines will be fur-free and that she has "no plans" to use fur in the future! Read more.

Fashion designer Donna Karan unveiled her spring 2009 DKNY collection this Sunday at New York's Fashion Week. Of course, PETA was there as well.

PETA members took over the runway during the show wielding signs that read, "Donna: Dump Fur," and chanting, "Shame!" They were protesting because Karan used rabbit fur in her collection that is in stores now—despite her promise to stop using fur. The two protesters were quickly taken from the catwalk and arrested, but we're pretty certain that their message was heard loud and clear.

Meanwhile, outside the show, protesters who were dressed as bloodied rabbits held a demonstration with signs reading, "Rabbits Are Friends," "No Blood for Vanity," and "Real Designers Don't Hurt Animals."

Seriously, Donna. Breaking your promise, even when you know that to get the fur you use, fur farmers smash the rabbits’ skulls and then behead them and skin them – sometimes while they're still alive?

The words "cold" and "heartless" come to mind.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

My gas is so bad that it’s making the ice caps melt. CosmosMagazine / CC

The world's foremost authority on global warming, the chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has said that if people want to help decelerate climate change, they should "[g]ive up meat for one day [a week] initially, and decrease it from there." Media reports have called this "the most controversial advice yet."

Wait, the U.N. Panel on Climate Change is controversial for recommending Meat Free Mondays?!? Hi, Media, have we met? We're PETA. And we want you to go vegan.

Not only does the meat industry produce more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined , it's also relatively easy to change your eating habits compared to changing your means of transport. So, is it that much of a leap to suggest that the way to decelerate global warming is to cut meat out of our diets? Well, to U.N. Chair (and vegetarian) Dr. Rajendra Pachauri and PETA, it ain't controversial—it's common sense. And it's what we've been saying all along.

Want to see how much a change in your diet could change your impact on the environment? Answer a few short questions, and our calculator will determine roughly how much carbon-dioxide equivalent you could prevent from polluting the Earth if you switch to a vegan diet right now. Go ahead, give it a try!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

idolator / CC

At last night's MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), the red carpet was alive with its usual stylish, unique, and unforgettable entrances.

Some performers arrived making a positive statement, like Paramore, who arrived in earth-friendly Smart Cars. However, rapper T-Pain chose an opposite (aka cruel) route and arrived via elephant. Yes, elephant—all the while donning a ridiculous red top hat and tuxedo jacket and surrounded by a brigade of bizarre circus performers. Hmm … forget a statement for change—that's a statement of cruelty.

Fortunately, Paramore weren't the only artists who created buzz without exploiting animals. Tokio Hotel's monster truck and Young Jeezy's presidential motorcade were other notable choices of transport.

If you're one of the many people who contacted us regarding T-Pain's terrible entrance choice last night, you'll be happy to know that PETA has written a letter to T-Pain explaining why his stunt was (perhaps unintentionally) cruel and asking him to refrain from using animals in his acts in the future.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Yep, we pulled out the big guns to help "terminate" circus cruelty. In PETA's newest public service announcement (PSA), Lena Headey—star of the popular TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles—tells viewers about what happens behind-the-scenes at circuses. Not only is this hot, compassionate, kick-ass, take-no-prisoners brunette skilled at destroying robots, she can also help obliterate animal abuse as well.

Watch Lena's powerful PSA below:

While shooting the PSA, the lovely Lena had time to sit and chat with us, and she told us that a documentary on a French circus motivated her to try to stop the use of animals in circuses. "People had campaigned to free these lions that were in captivity since they were young," said Lena. "And they managed to do it, and they flew them to Africa, and it was really beautiful. But the fact is, it's still going on."

Watch Lena's moving interview below:

Please join Lena and PETA today in pledging not to support circuses that use animals!

The future is in your hands …

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Baltimore Sun / CC

Those crazy folks over there at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). They're handing out stamps with an attached phone number inviting callers to pay $1.99 per minute to "talk only to the girls who turn you on."

Nope, not a joke … just a teeny, tiny typographical error. In the U.S., all waterfowl hunters must buy and carry the Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp, otherwise known as the duck stamp. This year, FWS printed about 3.5 million duck stamps with the incorrect number.

The correct number, 1-800-STAMP24, is for people wishing to order additional duck stamps. But what is actually printed is 1-800-TRAMP24 (the number for Intimate Connections). "Honey, I swear! I was just ordering more duck stamps!"

Maybe this should be a sign to FWS and to all those folks trying to order their duck stamps. Sport hunting is cruel and unnecessary. Personally, I think the next time the FWS issues their duck stamps, in addition to including a phone sex number, they should include information on diminutive male genitalia disorder.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

KIDS AND CARS, a national nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in nontraffic, motor-vehicle–related events, including being left alone in a hot car. For years, PETA has been issuing hot-weather alerts and urging television and radio stations to broadcast summer advisories about why animals must never be left in parked cars. Now, PETA's alerts will also include information about KIDS AND CARS and why children need protection from the heat. In turn, KIDS AND CARS will include information about PETA's heat-wave alerts in its news releases.

Because dogs don't perspire as humans do and can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, they can succumb to heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Human children are also very susceptible to heatstroke because their brains are not fully developed, so their body temperature cannot be regulated as efficiently as an adult's can.

If you see a dog (or a child) left alone in a car and there is enough time to do so, take down the car's color, model, make, and license-plate number and have the owner paged inside the store, or call local humane authorities or police right away. Do whatever is necessary to get the victim out of the car—his or her life may depend on it.

PETA's "Don't Let Your Dog Get Hot Under the Collar" leaflets can be placed on vehicles to remind people never to leave unattended animals inside cars (please make sure this is legal in your city first). Order or print yours today … and Sparky will thank you with grateful little puppy kisses.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Animal rights is not just an American or European issue. All the way across the world, our colleagues in PETA India are doing their part as well. Each month, The PETA Files will bring you an update on PETA India's accomplishments.

On August 13, in Hyderabad, PETA India protesters held signs reading, "Broken Wings and Legs," while a giant crippled "chicken" crossed the road in front of a KFC to protest the company's abusive treatment of chickens and urge people not to eat at KFC until the company improves their animal welfare standards.

In Delhi, on August 22, PETA India members stood outside the Livestock and Dairy Expo to protest against the cruelty inflicted on animals raised for milk and to point out that those who drink milk share responsibility for the suffering of cows and calves outside the dairy industry. They also wanted to inform the public that dairy products are linked to heart disease and certain types of cancer in human beings.

On August 27, a PETA India activist in Lucknow led a protest against the cruel and bloody leather industry, hoping to raise awareness about the horrible suffering that animals endure before they are killed and their skin is made into leather shoes, bags, and other products.

Keep up the good work, PETA India!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

beliketike / CC

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has recently slammed Michael Jordan for smoking cigars, calling him a bad example for young people. Here at PETA, we can’t help but laugh– the ACS berates a man for smoking because it’s linked to cancer, yet continues to serve cancer-linked fare at their “Cattle Baron's Ball” fundraising events.

In an article from as far back as 1999, the American Cancer Society recognizes that animal product consumption leads to higher risk of cancer. “Our results showed diet was the most influential factor in modifying the risk of prostate cancer,” said James R. Hebert, ScD, lead author and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “Populations having diets high in animal products will have increased rates of prostate cancer mortality.”

In our letter to the ACS, we point out that "[y]ou can't possibly expect anyone to think that you are serious about fighting cancer until you promote and serve proven cancer-preventing vegetarian meals at your events. . . . [Y]our Web site even admits that '[p]opulation studies have linked vegetarian diets with a decreased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and colon cancer.' In his letter to Jordan, your spokesperson wrote, 'When high-profile athletes publicly display unhealthful habits, they can mislead young people to emulate their behavior.' Isn't it safe to say that when a high-profile health group publicly promotes unhealthy habits like meat consumption, it is also misleading Americans, young and old?"

So no cancer-linked smoking, but serving cancer-linked animal flesh at a cancer fundraising event is ok? Gotcha.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Two little "pigs" showed up at yesterday's Republican National Convention (RNC) to do a little campaigning themselves. PETA demonstrators—wielding signs that read, "Cut the Pork: Tax Meat!"—posed for photographs with happy onlookers, including these police officers:

PETA's "Tax Meat" campaign calls on Congress to impose an excise tax—which currently applies to items like gasoline, tobacco, and alcohol—on meat in the hope that doing so would help curb America's meat consumption. The tax would cover the health and environmental costs that result from using animals for food.

PETA's pigs also visited the Democratic National Convention last week in Denver. At both conventions, PETA was a big hit, posing for photos and giving interviews to NBC's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, National Public Radio, Democracy in Action, documentary filmmakers, and other radio, print, and TV media outlets.

Support PETA's pigs by urging Congress to support a tax on meat!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

tvguide / CC

Hermit crabs don't belong in a home or aquarium or whatever for several reasons:

• Hermit crabs are very social by nature—in their natural habitats, they live in colonies of up to 100 or more.


• They only live in warm parts of the world and cannot survive in places where the temperature drops too low.


• They must live in very humid climates because hermit crabs breathe through stiffened gills that are kept moistened by the humidity.


• They will only lay their eggs in the ocean and will not reproduce in captivity—that means that every crab in every tourist shop and pet store was ripped away from their family.

So what can you do? Let the hermit crabs stay in their natural habits with their families. Never buy a hermit crab or support a store that sells them. If you see a store selling them, let people know what's wrong with the practice. If you have kids, they can learn all about hermit crabs by taking PETA's Hermit Crab Quiz.

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

Need some brushing up on your ABCs? Animal Birth Control, that is. Now's your chance! Meet Amber, PETA's sexy new student who has a big heart for homeless animals and some hot tricks up her sleeve.

Check out PETA's Striptease Quiz and see if you have the smarts to get 10 out of 10 questions right. You'll be quizzed on everything from the importance of spaying and neutering to the significance of adopting from animal shelters instead of pet shops. If you study hard and get 100 on the quiz, I promise there'll be a reward for you in the end.

After you've aced the quiz (I know you will), fill out the contest form below and you will be entered to win an ABC T-shirt.

You have until September 17, 2008, to enter to win the T-shirt. We will contact the winner on September 18, 2008. Be sure to read the contest terms and conditions and PETA's privacy policy before you comment—you're acknowledging that you have read and agree to both by entering.

Posted by Christine Doré

David Gozal
louisville / CC

Let me begin by recognizing Marina Picciotto, whose primate addiction studies and mouse torture won her the undesirable title of Most Vile Vivisector last month. Her competitor was much-derided Allyson Bennett. Congrats, Marina—I'm certain Yale and all of New Haven are glad to have you!

This month, we have another two truly bizarre candidates … just see for yourself.

David Gozal of the Kosair Children's Hospital Research Institute in Louisville has a bit of a problem. He is fascinated by erections—mouse erections, to be exact. He passes his days in the lab getting up close and very personal with little boy-mice, studying their erections and even severing their spinal cords so that they cannot move while experimenters observe their penises.

In his most recent study, "Erectile Dysfunction in a Murine [Mouse] Model of Sleep Apnea," which was funded in part by the federal government, Gozal measured the number of erections and ejaculations in dozens of mice after placing them in a chamber to deprive them of oxygen. Some mice were also given tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction drug. They were then killed by puncturing their hearts with a needle, and their testicles and penises were cut out of their bodies for examination. Gozal concluded that oxygen deprivation makes it more difficult to get an erection and that tadalafil, which is already prescribed (as “Cialis”) for humans with erectile dysfunction, works in mice.

Experiments on pigs

In another study, Traber heated an aluminum bar to nearly 400 degrees with a Bunsen burner and roasted the skin of live pigs on it for 30 seconds, creating a series of deep burns that covered 15 percent of their bodies. In order to repair the deliberately injured animals, Traber and colleagues then removed skin from the pigs' legs to graft over the areas that had been burned off. After living through all this torture, the pigs were killed. Again, this is only his most recent work—Traber has been burning, mutilating, and killing sheep for years.

Who should win? The Children's Hospital Vivisector or the Bunsen Burninator? As always, let me help you decide by posing a question: Would you rather be molested, stabbed in the heart, and have your genitals torn out, or would you rather be roasted alive over a Bunsen burner, forced to inhale the smell of your burning flesh, and then killed?

It's a burning question, isn't it?

Posted by Sean Conner

The extent of Gustav's effect on the Gulf Coast and its animals is still being assessed, but it's clear that in the days preceding the hurricane, officials and citizens took seriously the critical importance of evacuating animals with their guardians. This first-ever joint effort on the part of government officials, animal protection groups, and citizens appears to have worked to a great degree so far! Up 'til now, animal-related calls to PETA's office have been minimal and swiftly addressed.

But now Hanna, Ike, and Josephine are following Gustav. With a dangerous hurricane season in full force, it's crucial to stay vigilant and have a plan ready to ensure the safety of your companion animals in case of an evacuation or other emergency. Our disaster preparedness checklist provides all the information you need to create a safe, effective plan to protect your companion animals. Please make your plan before it's too late!

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

As more and more people kick their meat addiction, we thought we'd rate the top five vegetarian-friendly rehab centers. More and more celebrities every day are going to rehab—to the point where it's almost become trendy. Hopefully they'll take a note from our blog and check out our list below:

5. The Meadows (Arizona): All about fresh, organic root veggies, tofu, veggie burgers, and vegetarian casseroles, this desert oasis has helped the likes of Kate Moss, Eric Benet, Mike Tyson, Elle McPherson, Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, Paul Gascoigne, Ron Wood, Kerry Katona, Michael Barrymore, and Whitney Houston.

4. Hazelden (Minnesota): Hazelden offers Gardenburgers, veggie chili, veggie riblets, vegetable egg rolls, and sautéed vegetable sandwiches. Calvin Klein and Aaron Sorkin are two of the famous faces who have stayed at this ultra-famous facility.

3. Passages (California): Daily vegetarian and vegan soups and salads, vegetables, fresh fruit, squeezed juice, hummus, tabouleh, pasta primavera, vegetarian lasagne, wild mushroom pasta, vegetarian tacos and burritos, and veggie burgers are just a few of the menu must-haves at Passages, which has catered to Mel Gibson, among other stars.

2. Cottonwood de Tucson (Arizona): Baked rigatoni with spinach, wasabi mashed potatoes with snap peas, veggie pizza, veggie fried rice with spring rolls, portobello mushrooms stuffed with polenta, vegetable tostadas, green corn tostadas, and a daily salad bar are just some of the many vegetarian options that this favorite facility for rockers in recovery have offered to residents like Ron Wood, Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell, and Robbie Williams.

1 .Caron Foundation (Pennsylvania): Offering five-star eating for stars including Liza Minnelli, Steven Tyler, and Miss USA Tara Conner, the Carol Foundation is a vegan's paradise. Daily vegetarian options include vegetable pot pies, black-bean patties with pineapple chutney, veggie dogs with vegetarian chili, veggie pita sandwiches, roasted vegetables and tofu bakes, seven-vegetable orzo stew, Jamaican delight over rice (a sweet and sour combo of roasted peppers and tropical fruit), ratatouille and tofu, spinach mushroom pies, veggie arroz rojo with sun-dried tomatoes, tofu tetrazzini, vegetarian paella, three-bean stir-fries, Caesar salad with portobello mushrooms, broccoli-tofu turnovers, vegetarian tacos, tofu stir-fries, vegetarian barbecue, vegetable fajitas, and tofu with peppers, peanuts, and mushrooms. There's also a HUGE salad bar, and soy milk, rice milk, and soy cheese are available upon request.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

heraldinteractive / CC

It's clear that this "big cheese"—who earned his name after his local cheese shop and who weighs in at a whopping 400 lbs.—has done his time gorging on gouda and snacking on Swiss. Following a request from his doctor, the court will now allow DiNunzio to leave his home for two hours each day so that he can hit the gym and lose the pounds that are putting extra strain on his already bad heart and diabetes.

His doctor recently told the court, "I need him to have at least 30 minutes a day of sustained aerobic exercise. The best exercise he can do is sustained walking allowing for both arm and leg exercise."

OK, I'm confused. Wouldn't a reputed Wise Guy who is under house arrest for allegedly receiving money most likely be able to afford a mail-order Bowflex?

Well, regardless, we say: Hey, Big D! Drop that cheese! And listen up to our little business proposition. Yes, we sent "The Cheeseman" his very own delicious nondairy cheese pizza from Boston's own T.J. Scallywaggle's—recently voted one of the top 10 vegan-friendly pizzerias in the U.S.! We'd tell him to go there, but you know, he's a shut-in.

We suggest that Mr. DiNunzio try stocking his cupboards full of nondairy treats that aren't full of artery-clogging fat and cholesterol, like their dairy counterparts, if he really wants to whack those unhealthy pounds. He certainly has the time to cook up some tomato sauce for that spaghetti, a side of broccoli with garlic, and some pure vegetable minestrone. He will be getting those recipes and a copy of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit." You know, for some leisurely reading?

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast three years ago, thousands of animals were left in death traps from which they couldn't escape. PETA's rescue teams saw them clinging to trees surrounded by toxic floodwaters, swimming madly toward rescuers who were not allowed to save them, and pacing, stranded, and left to die on rooftops and balconies. Some of the luckier animals were rescued by PETA and eventually reunited with their guardians. With Hurricane Gustav having made landfall (the extent of the flooding is not yet certain) near New Orleans, many area residents have vowed not to make the same mistake again and have learned that the only way to protect the entire family during a disaster is to evacuate with their animal companions.

Sporty

Sporty: Sporty's guardian refused to evacuate during Hurricane Katrina because he wouldn't leave his dog behind. As the tragedy unfolded and the levees broke, Sporty's guardian swam for two blocks in toxic waters with Sporty under his arm, only to realize that if he continued to fight the raging waters, neither of them would survive. He retreated, with Sporty, to the attic with food and water for both, and when rescue workers finally came, he was forbidden to take his dog with him. It took this kind, elderly man more than three months to track down his beloved dog, who was being fostered at PETA's Norfolk headquarters. Today, Sporty and his guardian are safe and sound; they have evacuated and are outside the storm's path.

Mary Lou

Licorice

Licorice: Licorice's "mom" was in the hospital with her elderly mother at the time Hurricane Katrina hit, and despite her pleas with rescue workers and government agents, she wasn't allowed to enter her home to retrieve her toy poodle. The toxic floodwaters and the stress of being left to fend for herself had made Licorice quite ill and weak by the time rescue teams finally found her. Licorice was given vet care and fostered by PETA for months before we could track down her anxious human mom. Today, Licorice's guardian wouldn't dream of leaving her behind and has already evacuated the area with her family.