San Francisco's gay pride parade—touted as the world's largest—got a healthy infusion of vegetarian pride on Sunday. Working with local group Bay Area Vegetarians, PETA showed up in full force—accompanied by more than 100 men and women who were eager to educate the public about the benefits of a vegetarian diet.

© Steve Sprang
Our float's Lettuce Ladies, Broccoli Boys, costumed animals, and sexy "strippers" caught everyone's eye.

© Steve Sprang
Chris P. Carrot made a star appearance and rallied San Franciscans to ditch meat.

© Steve Sprang
We can't argue with that.

© Steve Sprang
What's sexier than one vegetarian girl? Two!

Obviously, everyone who participated in the parade had tons of fun—but the icing on the (vegan) cake is that more than 500,000 people attended the event and learned that by cutting meat out of their diets, they could be healthier, reduce their carbon footprint, and save over 100 animals' lives per year.

Check out even more pictures of the parade here.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

pettalk / CC

Greyhounds in the Granite State will now be spared routine racetrack horrors, which include long hours in cramped kennels, broken legs, heatstroke, and heart attacks, and being abandoned, starved, shot, or sold to laboratories when their racing days are through. Break out the bubbly and join us as we toast this victory.

One state down, nine to go …

Posted by Karin Bennett

The number with the worst rap may be 666, but 555 turned out to be the real "Number of the Beast" for one mother who was arrested last week on charges of neglect when authorities found out that 555 pounds was how much her obese 14-year-old son weighed.

Jerri Gray of Travelers Rest, South Carolina (near Greenville), says that juggling jobs meant she often relied on fast food to feed her tubby teen. She learned the hard way that a diet of bacon cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets is a recipe for a health disaster—one that has put her son's health in serious danger.

To ensure that Greenville residents get that message loud and clear, we plan to erect our billboard reading, "Feeding Kids Meat Is Child Abuse." Also, Ms. Gray will be receiving a copy of Meatless Meals for Working People, a cookbook of quick and simple vegan fare, courtesy of PETA.

Posted by Karin Bennett

With the annual Canadian seal slaughter just over (although our battle has really just begun), I was ready for a little R&R when I left PETA headquarters in Norfolk for my vacation in Martha's Vineyard last week.

I have a friend who owns a house at the popular getaway, and as we set up chairs on Lucy Vincent beach in Chilmark, I didn't think that my vacation could get any better. The sand was cool beneath my feet and the ocean waves were filling the air with a salty mist. Then, out in the distance, we saw her. A seal!

At first, we could just see her head as she swam in the waves, but then she headed toward shore and pulled herself up onto the beach for a nice rest. I sat and observed her from a distance—her eyes were so big and luminous. I thought about how lucky she was not to live in Canada where thousands of seals like her have been bludgeoned to death over the past several months. Here in Martha's Vineyard, she could enjoy her time on the beach just as my friends and I were, without having to fear for her life.

So many seals are not as fortunate as this one. Please take action now and voice your outrage at Canada's continued support of the clubbing of seals just like her.

Posted by Tracy Reiman

gossipcheck / CC

We've written to Michael Jackson's estate asking for the rights to the singer's first solo hit, "Ben," which was written for the 1972 film of the same name. This beautiful song is about the friendship between a lonely boy and a rat named Ben, and we're hoping to use it to raise awareness about the plight of rats and other animals tormented in laboratory experiments.

Mice and rats make up the vast majority of animals used in experiments, but because they are excluded from the federal Animal Welfare Act, they are denied even minimal legal protection. Part of the message of "Ben" is that rats are frequently misunderstood. (For example—did you know that rats and mice are fastidiously clean, intelligent, and highly sociable animals—they even giggle!) In the song, Jackson sings:

Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to.

We hope we'll be able to use this song to inspire people to understand rats a little better and to join our campaign to stop cruel and archaic animal experiments on them.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

247wallst / CC

After President Obama killed a fly with one swat, media all over the world swarmed PETA for a response. But when landmark cruelty convictions against pig abusers were issued as a result of our undercover investigation, there was barely a buzz.

We know that countless people turn away from upsetting details about how pigs are beaten and sexually abused by pig farmers, raccoons and foxes gnaw their paws off to escape steel-jaw traps set by furriers, and immobilized rabbits writhe when wrinkle creams are smeared into their eyes. And so do many media outlets, lest they anger advertisers and lose money.

So, headlines everywhere mock PETA for suggesting that people consider employing kind methods of dealing with tiny unwanted visitors. Meanwhile, the pigs get zilch. Please help us change that by writing letters to editors to draw attention to this historic victory against animal abusers and spreading the word to your friends and family.

Posted by Karin Bennett

animalvegetablemiracle / CC

Then, in February, a grand jury handed down 19 indictments, including 11 felony charges, against three former Aviagen workers, marking the first time in U.S. history that factory-farm employees have faced felony cruelty-to-animals charges for abusing birds.

Fast forward: Two of the three ex-employees, Scott Alvin White and Edward Eric Gwinn, recently pleaded guilty to cruelty charges. On June 8, White was sentenced to serve one year in jail—the maximum period permitted by law! Today, Gwinn was sentenced to serve six months' home confinement—the maximum period permitted by law—on each count, concurrently, and is banned from living with, owning, and working with animals for five years. The case against the third ex-employee, Walter Lee Hambrick, is pending.

Can't get enough? In September, a grand jury in neighboring Monroe County, West Virginia, may well issue further felony indictments against White and Hambrick.

These historic victories by no means even the score for the turkeys who were punched and thrown or the many other birds who suffered when they were forced to watch as other turkeys were abused at Aviagen. After watching our undercover video, animal behavior expert Dr. Lesley J. Rogers stated, "It is now known that when social animals, like turkeys, see and hear other members of their species under stress or suffering physical injury, their levels of stress become elevated. Hence, the behavioural stress is widespread in the birds in the vicinity of those that have been injured and/or handled roughly."

Still, these convictions will remind workers on other factory farms that if they don't clean up their acts, PETA investigators (and the whistleblowers who tip us off) will have their eyes on them.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Many vegan Wisconsinites cringe at the sight of "Green Bay Cheeseheads"—not to mention their state's standard license plate, which reads, "America's Dairyland," and features an image of a quaint farm.

Caring drivers in Wisconsin deserve a compassionate alternative to "pro-provolone" plates, so PETA wrote a letter to Governor Jim Doyle pointing out that people who are concerned about cruelty on dairy farms should be offered a license plate that reads, "Wisconsin: America's Cow Hell," and comes complete with a realistic image of distressed, sick cows crammed together on a filthy factory farm.

While we wait to hear back from the governor, the Madison-based animal rights organization Alliance for Animals has already produced an "America's Cow Hell" sticker for Wisconsin drivers to place over the existing "America's Dairyland" on their license plates. Visit Alliance for Animals' Web site to order yours today.

Posted by Karin Bennett

militaryplaques / CC

The goats had been subjected to all sorts of horrific exercises, including having holes cut in their chests to relieve an induced massive buildup of pressure in their lungs, having their throats punctured, and having their ribs cracked open to expose their beating hearts, all before being injected with a chemical to induce cardiac arrest. Apparently, their vital signs weren't checked before they were chucked into trash bags like rotten produce.

PETA has been arguing for months that such trauma training exercises are in violation of Department of Defense (DOD) rules that bar the use of animals for training exercises if humane alternatives exist (which they do, in abundance). But even if the DOD isn't ready to cede that point, surely it can agree that suffocating animals in plastic bags is inexcusable.

Our whistleblower tells us that dozens more goats are slated to be used in trauma training exercises in the coming days and weeks, so we're wasting no time in demanding that the exercises be stopped immediately. Read our letter to Fort Lewis and then see our action alert on this topic here.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

No, it wasn't a resurgence of hookers, but PETA's "bloody," "dying" babes were out to solicit New York City tourists—for compassion for the bulls who will be taunted and tormented by drunk morons during the upcoming Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. After the bulls are sent stampeding in terror through the streets of Pamplona, they will be dragged into the bullring to be mutilated and killed for the "entertainment" of cheering crowds.

Local and international media crowded around our "bloody bulls."

Causing this kind of commotion in Times Square is no small feat.

Bright lights, big city, huge turnout! Well done!

Similar demonstrations have been held in Paris, London, and other cities around the world. You can check out some NSFW action shots from similar demos here.

Pamplona's "festivities" kick off July 7, which is just around the corner.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Today is National Take Your Dog to Work Day, which means that dogs across the U.S. left their casual doggie sweaters in the closet and opted for something a bit more business-like.

Here at 501 Front St., we are overflowing with lucky dogs who don't have to wait for a special holiday to accompany their human companions into the office. They come to work every day, rain or shine, and diligently distract each and every employee by asking for belly rubs, distributing kisses, and just being so darn cute. Want to meet a few of them? Of course you do.

Tyler works in PETA's Campaigns Department, but he routinely makes the rounds of the building. Tyler likes to sunbathe, but he's conscious of his tan lines and will flip from side to side to ensure that he's getting evenly toasty. Contrary to what you might think, he's not as worried as he looks (he uses those wrinkles to his advantage—namely, to get treats).

Sugar, whose full name is Princess Sugar Pants, hangs out in the PETA Foundation's Interactive Media Department. She was found cowering in the rain outside a local grocery store on Valentine's Day 2007. She lives to gut every toy she's given, play tug of war, give the sincerest doggy kisses, wrestle, and love on her human friends in the office. She can jump higher than any dog she's ever met and can outrun most of them too!

Over in the Foundation's Human Resources department, Whimsey rules the roost. She's been coming into the office since 1998, and she loves playing in the PETA dog park. She can never get enough treats (especially peanut butter), and she even tries stealing them from other dogs around the office (they still love her anyway). Give her a high-pitched squeal and she'll wiggle her butt with joy.

Cooper and Louie help out the PETA Foundation's Development Department on a daily basis. Louie is a wonder-genius and has repeatedly shown compassion to many other species by helping track down lost animals since she was a puppy. If you want to get her out of bed without giving her a belly rub, you'll have to pick her up. Cooper is always smiling and ready to go. He came to the PETA Foundation after his former human family decided that it couldn't care for him anymore. If you need a good laugh or a great game of fetch, Cooper's your man.

Does your dog ever visit the office? Tell us all about it below.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

I bet it made your Monday to read how one determined woman helped countless small animals by convincing Gelson's to pull glue traps from its stores' shelves. (Really, how dang adorable is the mouse in that post? I could stare at her all day.)

Let us make your Friday too. Check out this year's ever-growing list of companies, businesses, and agencies that have pledged to not use gruesome glue traps ever again, all because of the hard work of PETA and our supporters:

• Notables at the Party Store: Lexington, Kentucky
• AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) software company: Austin, Texas
• Central Technical School: Toronto, Ontario
• Manhattan building owners Richard and Hilde Basch: New York City
• USPS facility: Baltimore, Maryland
• JPMorgan Chase banks
• American Eagle Outfitters stores
• Virginia Beach School District: Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Knox County School District: Knox County, Tennessee
• Carroll County School District: Carroll County, Maryland
• Princeton School District: Princeton County, New Jersey
• Fashion Institute of Technology: New York City
• Lanterman Developmental Center: Costa Mesa, Orange County, California
• Ireland's Four Provinces Restaurant: Falls Church, Fairfax County, Virginia
• Local restaurant: Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, Florida
• Lowe's: West Jordon, Salt Lake County, Utah (This store stopped using glue traps to catch birds—now if only the chain would stopping selling the traps as well.)
• Circle Center Mall: Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana (birds)
• United States Postal Service: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky (birds)

And we're waiting for the final word from the following:

• Costco: Gaithersburg, Maryland
• L.A. Unified School District: Los Angeles County, California

I'm sure there are many more establishments that we haven't heard about. Make PETA Files readers' week by leaving a comment below about any businesses you know that have sworn off glue traps.

Posted by Karin Bennett

It's been a busy, busy week here at PETA. With so many different campaigns in full swing, we've had people out on the streets protesting the circus, and McDonald's, and the seal slaughter, and … phew. Why don't you just check out the pictures?

Me-yow!

At a recent "Unhappy Meal" giveaway, the staff of the neighboring convenience store couldn't wait to protest McDonald's.

Face it, Vancouver Olympic Committee. Protests will continue until the seal slaughter stops.

Hey, Olympic Committee! How about you help us get a "Countdown 'til the End of the Seal Slaughter" clock?

Fried or grilled, flesh is flesh no matter what animal it came from. Hopefully, this restaurant in Nevada got the message (and maybe KFC will too).

I don't know about you, but if I saw a giant seal with a hakapik, I'd pay attention!

Posted by Lianne Turner

deathpenaltyinfo / CC

Last year, PETA called for such a provision after a video of a Marine apparently throwing a live puppy off a cliff circulated on the Internet. If this new regulation is added, service personnel who commit such atrocities could be prosecuted specifically for cruelty to animals, as opposed to military authorities having to scramble to find some vaguely-worded offense, such as "unbecoming conduct," to file such crimes under.

The law is intended to address crimes like killing or abandoning companion animals, but maybe it will also add fuel to our case that lethal military trauma training exercises on animals violate military code too.

Before it can be added to the UCMJ, the new provision has to be approved by Congress. Congress, you know what you have to do.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

PETA's bikinied beauties are on a mission to help residents of the fattest cities in America shed some weight. First stop: San Jose.

What better way to encourage locals to adopt a vegetarian diet than to give them a sampling of delicious, nutritious vegetarian cuisine? Though our beauties may be decked out in nothing but lettuce leaves, vegetarian means more than just salad. So, behold! The veggie hot dog:

Phew, talk about putting the "hot" in hot dog.

One veggie-dog virgin was so impressed with the taste that he double-checked with our Lettuce Ladies to make sure that his meal was meat-free.

Whether they were served up plain or with all the fixin's, our veggie hot dogs proved irresistible to passersby. San Jose locals scarfed down more than 400 of them!

Meat consumption has been directly linked to obesity, but adult vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter than adult meat-eaters. If that isn't enough to make even the most die-hard carnivore go vegetarian, maybe knowing that ditching meat will also help fight heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and certain types of cancer will.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

commons.wikimedia CC

"If I think about what they did to her and she was alive," McCauley said. "It makes me cry because it makes me so sad."

Officials apparently didn't bother to unwrap the bundle, possibly assuming that the dog had simply been discarded there by someone who had nowhere else to put her after she died.

But McCauley wasn't willing to let the poor, tortured animal's suffering go unpunished. She demanded justice and insisted on further investigation. McCauley turned to the Internet, where she has been circulating pictures and pleas for help. "This is torture worse than I've ever seen in my life," McCauley said. "And, I want whoever did this to know this is wrong! You can't go around doing things like this to animals."

We have stepped in and are offering a $2,500 reward to help find the person (or people) responsible for this atrocious crime. But cruelty cases like this are all too common, so if you become aware of animal abuse, follow Vickie McCauley's example and insist that authorities take action!

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Smithfield states, "Due to recent significant operating losses incurred by our Hog Production segment, we have delayed capital expenditures for the program such that we no longer expect to complete the phase-out within ten years of the original announcement."

These gestation crates that Smithfield is dragging its feet on phasing out are called "iron maidens" after medieval torture devices, and for good reason—sows kept in them cannot turn around, and their muscles atrophy. Over time, pigs kept in these horrid conditions develop sores from lying on filthy concrete and go insane from the confinement.

Consider that just three years' compensation for Smithfield's directors would more than cover the cost of a complete crate phase-out. Smithfield's claim that it can't spare pennies a pig to improve these animals' living conditions makes Ebenezer Scrooge look like a philanthropist and erodes any trust the company hopes to build with its consumers or with PETA.

Once again, animal welfare has taken a backseat to corporate profit. Smithfield can rest assured that we'll be at its annual meeting this August, making sure that pigs are heard.

Posted by Karin Bennett

americajr / CC

Witnessing animal abuse during the previews definitely ruins a movie before it starts, but—thanks to those who participated in our action alert and all of you who tweeted at Sprint—we're thrilled to announce that the company has decided to stop circulating the ads as of July 3 and has pledged never to feature great apes in future ad campaigns. Yay! Check out Sprint's full statement on its Web site.

Chimpanzees and other great apes who are forced into the entertainment industry are ripped away from their mothers when they are only days old, are trained by being beaten, kicked, and punched, and are then discarded at filthy roadside zoos when they're no longer useful in show business. After learning about this abuse, progressive companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Gap Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., SEGA, Honda, PUMA, Yahoo!, Subaru, and now Sprint have been quick to step up and take a stand for animals. Castrol, are you listening?

Posted by Liz Graffeo

mooseyscountrygarden / CC

Accompanied by their adopted mom, Jana Clairmont, Carlita and Alex visited the facility to cheer up residents. The plucky pair were treated like rock flock stars and basked in the attention as people cuddled with and cooed over them. That's why we wrote to Polson officials and asked them to chuck the chicken meat off the menu—out of respect for Carlita, Alex, and the billions of smart, interesting birds just like them who are abused on factory farms each year.

In return, we're willing to supply Polson with oh-so-yummy Gardein mock-meat products—approved by Carlita and Alex! Check back to keep abreast of our Polson poultry plea.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

thesun.co / CC

Gervais' cute namesake is a 20-year-old bull who has worked the sugar mill district in Sangli, India, his entire life and would have been sent to slaughter if Animal Rahat had not rescued him.

PETA Europe wanted to give Ricky an extra-special birthday present this year for being such a great sport for animals. As you may recall, the star launched into a hilarious "tirade" earlier this year against organizations that send animals to people in developing countries. Recognizing that impoverished people often lack the basic means to feed and care for the animals they receive, Ricky remarked, "There's nothing in it for the goat!"

Add to that the letter he sent to Gordon Brown asking for an end to the use of real bearskins for The Queen's Guards' caps and his teaming up with Pink to voice one of the characters in our Stolen for Fashion CGI video, and you have one compassionate comedian who deserves a great big "Thank you!"

Happy birthday, Ricky.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

indymedia / CC

Of the defendants—Richard Michael Ralston, Alan Bruce Rettig, Greg William Hackler, and Jordan Michael Anderson—Ralston, Rettig, and Hackler have pleaded guilty, been convicted, and sentenced to two years in prison, which has been suspended. Anderson accepted a deferred entry of judgment allowing him to have the charges dismissed if he completes a period of good behavior. All four have all been ordered to pay fines and other fees, and they have been placed on probation for periods ranging from one to two years.

Most importantly, three of the men have been barred from working with animals for the duration of their probation. Only Anderson will be allowed to do so. Despite an assurance in October from Audubon-Manning Veterinary Clinic President Daryl Olsen, D.V.M., that Anderson “has been suspended from working with livestock pending the outcome of the charges,” a whistleblower told us that Anderson is currently employed at a hog-confinement facility that Dr. Olsen reportedly owns. Dr. Olsen has not answered our inquiry regarding Mr. Anderson. If you would like to ask him to confirm that his company does not pay admitted animal abusers like Anderson to work with live animals, please contact him here.

Pork magazine called our investigation footage a "wake-up call" for the pork industry. We hope that these convictions serve not only as another wake-up call but also as a lesson to anyone working in this innately cruel industry: Neither the courts nor the public have a stomach for such malicious cruelty to farmed animals.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

No, no, not that kind of jacket. We're talking about the jacket of PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's new book, The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights:

A few select copies of the book were outfitted with covers made from real fur—pieces of the more than 20,000 fur coats that have been donated to PETA by fur-wearers who have had a change of heart. It seemed like a fitting way to illustrate how far the animal rights movement has come in the past 25 years—and the kind of change that people can bring about by putting the advice in Ingrid's book into action.

And boy, did that fur jacket ever get the attention of TV and radio producers who received complimentary copies! Many of them were so intrigued that they decided to have Ingrid come on their shows to explain why a person would put a $7,500 fur coat in a box and mail it to PETA. (Hint: This video probably plays a part.)

Of course, most of the fur coats that are donated to PETA are used in "bloody" protests outside (and sometimes inside) designers' boutiques, spooky protests at fashion shows, and slightly silly "fur is a drag" parade entries. They are also torched in fur funeral pyres, donated to wildlife rehabilitators to use as bedding for orphaned and injured wildlife, and even given away to the only humans who have any reason to wear fur—homeless people and refugees of wars and natural disasters.

Have a musty old fur cluttering up your closet? Click here to find out more about PETA's fur donation program.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

With all the post-Twilight buzz, movie critics are all over the news that Kristen Stewart (along with costar Dakota Fanning) has taken on a leading role in a new film, The Runaways, about iconic female rock star—and vegetarian extraordinaire—Joan Jett.

As the executive producer, Joan has been closely involved in the making of the movie. But we know that she never lets her busy schedule interrupt her dedication to animals. While recording her most recent album, she recorded a "veggie testimonial" for PETA, and now she's found time to visit some sanctuary friends.

We're sure that a movie about this trailblazing rocker will be a hit with both animal and music lovers alike. Now, turn up "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" on your stereo and leave a comment below to let us know which other animal rights icons' lives would make for an inspiring movie.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the Kitty Castles are aMY, Heather, Nadine L., Karin, and Tara. Congratulations!

I've never quite understood it when people talk about the cats they "own." Anyone with a feline companion knows that we don't own cats—they own us. As soon as they enter our homes, they become our kings and queens and we their devoted subjects.

What could be a more appropriate abode for kitty royalty than a Kitty Castle? A Kitty Castle is a playhouse that Princess Fluffy can retire to after she's done taking over your house. It's the perfect size for playing or sleeping, and it's fun for the kids (or you) to decorate (with her majesty's permission, of course). This week, we've got five of them to give away!

How do you win? Tell us why your feline friend deserves to be pampered. The five most touching comments will take home a Kitty Castle and a few other treats.

The contest ends on July 8, 2009, and we'll choose five comments as the winners on July 10, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!

Posted by Lianne Turner

The following is a guest post from peta2's Marta.

I'm pretty excited about the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen tomorrow, since word on the street is that the movie has a positive animal rights message in it. There's even a scene set in a butcher shop, where Megan Fox's and Shia Labeouf's characters learn that every animal you eat had a story. We hear them on that.

In honor of the release of the movie, we're transforming the classic Transformers tagline into "More Than Meats the Eye" for the title of our top-five list that takes a closer look at the meat industry. Most people never take an up-close look at the food they're eating. I mean, seriously, who wants to think about their food actually looking like this (even though it does)?

Click for larger image

Want seconds of this fatty blob of nastiness? *Shudder!* Anyway, here are the top five foods that I think are "More Than Meats the Eye":

1. Jell-O: How does Jell-O stay firm but wiggly? You can thank gelatin (aka the ground-up skin, intestines, and bones of animals) for that jiggle. Who doesn't like bones in their fruity snacks?
2. Hot Dogs: These are made from mechanically recovered meat, which Wikipedia describes as, "a paste-like meat product produced by forcing beef, pork, turkey or chicken bones, with attached edible meat, under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue." If you're in the mood for tails, bones, and anuses topped with relish at a ball game, steer clear of the veggie dogs, since they're mostly just made of plain ol' boring soy protein.
3. Milk: Pus doesn't exactly conjure up the most pleasant of images, but if the idea of a tall frosty glass of pus sounds good to you, by all means, feel free to down a glass of milk. That's right, milk can legally contain a somatic cell count (that's pus, people) of up to 200 million per liter.
4. Twinkies: Where does that fatty flavor come from? Beef fat, of course! Sponge cake + creamy filling + cow fat = the classic truck-stop snack. Yum.
5. Cheese: Rennet, found in many cheeses, comes from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves. I personally try to avoid baby cow stomach on my nachos, but maybe that's just me.

Do some of these sound a bit … unappetizing? Try vegan versions! Grab soy milk the next time you hit the grocery store or give a homemade snack cake a whirl. You can still enjoy all the flavors you love while cutting out the cruelty and crap!

Which foods do you think are "More Than Meats the Eye"?

Posted by Marta Holmberg

Chick-fil-A founder and lifelong Southern Baptist S. Truett Cathy wrote the book Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People, but at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, PETA's "Jesus" and a "Chicken" were there to inspire people to eat no chicken—or any other animal.

PETA immersed convention attendees in our pro-vegetarian message, which is based on biblical teachings of love and compassion. "Jesus" carried a sign reading, "For Christ's Sake, Go Vegetarian," while the "chicken" reminded people that "Jesus loves me too." They also offered conventiongoers free copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" as well as leaflets relating vegetarian living to Christian teachings.

On a related note, our Sexiest Male Vegetarian of 2009, Monty, grew up eating meat in a Southern Baptist household—until he saw the light and announced to his family that he refused to eat abused animals.

I'm a believer—that many conference attendees will alter their diets to be more compassionate by going vegetarian.

Posted by Karin Bennett

nydailynews / CC

Over the course of two years in college ball, Griffin showed tenacity around the hoop and a willingness to bang down low—he even got himself a concussion to show for it. He simply dominated in the tournament this year, dropping 33 points and 17 rebounds on Michigan in the second round. He's energetic, a ferocious rebounder, and has unleashed some straight-up highlight-reel dunks that'll get you humming the SportsCenter theme song while you watch him on YouTube.

And all that? Powered by tofu, of course.

According to yesterday's SportsCenter, the Clips are as impressed with Griffin as everyone else is. In an attempt to make the Oklahoma boy feel "at home" during a pre-draft meeting with team brass, they took him out to a steakhouse in New York City. Looks like they should have done a bit more homework—they have vegetarians in Oklahoma too, y'all!

No word on what Blake ordered from the steakhouse menu, but as SportsCenter pointed out, he'll have no lack of great vegetarian restaurants to choose from in the city of angels as he attempts to become the latest savior of the NBA's most troubled franchise. Best of luck, Blake. You're gonna need it.

Posted by Dan Shannon

What is the number-one thing that you need to know about hilarious hottie Bradley Cooper?

I'll give you a hint: His steely blues and that off-kilter smile don't have anything to do with it.

theinsider / CC

"I have two beautiful dogs … I cherish. Samson is a 14-year-old German short hair pointer and Charlotte is a 6 or 7 year-old Chow Retriever mix. They are both rescue dogs and they are the best … I'm sort of a hybrid of both my dogs. Samson is stoic and makes me earn it and Charlotte loves me undyingly. They're my kids."

There are four other "must know" items on People.com, but learning that the star of The Hangover is making room in his heart and his home for a few of the 8 million dogs and cats who are abandoned at animal shelters each year is more than enough to make this gal swoon.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

vegetarianstar / CC

We'll let you decide.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

In March, we let you know that three lions and two tigers who had been held captive in Kansas in what was essentially a junkyard had been released and put into the care of authorities. In case you've repressed memories of what these animals were subjected to for years, here's a reminder:

PETA first learned of the big cats' plight in May 2008. After working on the case for nearly a year, we were finally able to secure their release from this decrepit prison. Because it would never be possible to release the animals into the wild, we immediately launched a search to find them suitable homes. The Detroit Zoo (a progressive zoo that accepts wildlife in need) stepped forward and offered to house all three lions, while the CPT Sanctuary in North Carolina gave the tigers a place to roam. The contrast with their former dilapidated cages is striking.

Check out Nitro resting under a tree in his new secluded, wooded enclosure.

After Nitro was moved into the sanctuary, staffers discovered that he may be partially blind. In order to help him adapt, they will add various scents and substrates to his enclosure to help him locate the boundaries of his new home.

After 30 days in quarantine, the lions have moved into their new habitats.

The lions now have space to roam around and a series of vertical rocks and ledges where they can hang out and survey the landscape. Even better, the Detroit Zoo recently announced plans to double the size of its enclosure, allowing the lions more expansive terrain and enabling the zoo to provide the animals with the psychological enrichment that they deserve.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

ehow / CC

Renee's letter to Gelson's—in which she described how mice and other animals suffer hemorrhaging, shock, and other horrors when stuck in "pans of pain"—earned a speedy reply from the chain. She admits, "I was actually surprised at the quick, positive, and friendly response …."

Friendly indeed! Gelson's immediately assured Renee that it would stop selling glue traps as soon as its current stock ran out. Thankful that Gelson's was taking such swift action, Renee still thought that something more could be done, so she offered to buy the chain's remaining stock of 123 glue traps. The entire stock was shipped to her, and she destroyed them.

Renee's refusal to rest until rodents were spared has earned her our "Compassionate Action Award"—it's also a reminder that one person really can make a difference for animals by taking action. Now are you ready? One … two … three … go!

Posted by Karin Bennett

Members of the lunch crowd at a McDonald's in Providence, Rhode Island, probably weren't expecting to be greeted by a giant "chicken" bearing "Unhappy Meals" when they headed out on their lunch breaks. But hardly anyone could resist the lure of our chicken, and word is that almost every driver stopped to talk with the big bird and his posse. Many people even went elsewhere for lunch once they learned how countless chickens are forced to suffer painful broken bones, bruises, and scalding—while they're still alive—at slaughterhouses run by McDonald's suppliers.

None of this chicken's relatives were harmed in the making of our "Unhappy Meals."

It's hard to tell by her shocked face if she's opening one of our "Unhappy Meals" or a far more gruesome McNugget box.

I'm not sure what a "Brownie Meit" is, but I'm sticking with Allison's Gourmet's vegan Brownie of the Month, regardless.

Demonstrators are revved up to distribute leaflets all summer long. Get in on the action and help bring McDonald's to its knees. Sign up for our Action Team today!

Posted by Karin Bennett

Through the Freedom of Information Act, the Physician's Committeee for Responsible Medicine (PRCM) has obtained video footage of several Department of Defense military trauma training exercises.

In training exercises that are supposed to simulate the effects of a nerve agent attack, monkeys experience seizures and difficulty breathing. In another exercise, live goats are cut open—causing severe bleeding—while the instructor repeatedly acknowledges the differences between the training and human casualties. All this suffering is inflicted in order to train military medics—who would learn more if they were provided with state-of-the-art simulators and rotations in trauma hospitals.

We have been working hard to eliminate these cruel exercises in the U.S. and in countries around the globe. After PETA campaigned against cruel dog stabbings, Bolivia banned all animal use from military training. Now, Georgia Congressmember Hank Johnson, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, is calling on the Army to phase out antiquated trauma training on animals.

Urge your congressperson to co-sign Congressmember Hank Johnson's letter and help put an end to the military's war on animals.

Posted by Karin Bennett

This Sunday is Father's Day, which means that dads who don't know any better may be taking their kids fishing. Anglers run the risk of eating someone's father (or mother) every time they rip a sea kitten out of the water, and that doesn't sound like a very good way to celebrate fatherhood to me.

To help spread the truth about fishing, we sent a former fisher and his giant finned friend to Fort Myers Beach in Florida. Check out the pics, and don't forget to wish your dad a happy Father's Day!

Repentant former angler Bryan Wilson and Sammy the Sea Kitten hit the pier to let people know that fish feel pain and fear just like dogs and cats do.

Sammy made some new friends …

… and issued a warning to his aquatic brethren.

This little animal lover could never eat a sea kitten!

Posted by Lianne Turner

Bristol-based graffiti artist Banksy's latest exhibit, "Banksy v Bristol Museum," is a guerilla-style installation at Bristol's City Museum and Art Gallery and features several … well … creative replacements for many of the museum's artifacts.

When the lion gets revenge.

It's great to see Banksy continue to explore the theme of human/animal interactions, which he also hit upon in his "Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill" exhibit in New York's Greenwich Village last fall and which I was fortunate to have the opportunity to check out in person. If you live in the U.K. or are planning to visit soon, you should definitely check out what Banksy calls his "vision of the future."

Posted by Amanda Schinke

We warned you that Andy Dick was going to make an appearance in Chicago dressed as "Ronald McDonald" to scare McDonald's executives straight and try to convince them to switch their current method of chicken slaughter—which often involves scalding live birds to death—to controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK).

Yesterday, Andy delivered on that promise and was out in front of the Clark Street McDonald's theatrically slicing demo posters in half with his "knife" and making menacing faces for the photographers. Check out the raw footage and some images of the protest below.

Andy's "Ronald" sure is scary, isn't he? I'll bet he has McDonald's head honchos shaking in their boots.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

brooklynrecessionista / CC

After all, sea kittens are phriends, not phood—they are intelligent beings who have unique personalities, and they feel pain, just as puppies do. People would be outraged if billons of Phidos were dragged out of their homes in massive nets and left to suffocate to death.

I'm crossing my fingers that Phish will agree. Check out these lyrics from the band's live track, "A Song I Heard the Ocean Sing":

(Run away, run away, run away, run)
A song I heard the ocean sing
(Run away, run away, run away, run)
Shining light in darkness deep

Swap "run away" with "swim away" and it appears that Phish is warning sea kittens to escape the fishing trawlers, doesn't it?

Posted by Karin Bennett

I'm sure that once her career was over, Shawn would have been sent off to Japan and ground up into dog food anyway.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

open.salon / CC

According to recent findings published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, nine-spined sticklebacks are able to hone in on their best dining options simply by watching other fish. One of the authors of the study remarked that this makes the animals "geniuses of the fish world."

Nine-spined sticklebacks have one up on yours truly. When I dine out, I have to visit Menupages.com to figure out where to go.

I do, however, live with a genius. Watch my best buddy, Charlie, pick his squeaky beer can toy, a gift from his Aunt Lisa, out of a lineup of toys.

Think your other-than-human friend can top that? Tell all in the comments section below!

Posted by Karin Bennett

animalrights.change / CC

PETA wants to lease the Portsmouth facility (located just across the river from our headquarters in Norfolk) and turn it into a Cow Empathy Museum, which would enlighten visitors about how cows and their calves suffer on dairy farms. The museum would offer interactive displays so that visitors could be hooked up to a milking machine or crammed into a small crate to give them a taste of the dairy industry's routine cruelty to animals. They'd also learn "cowlture" facts—for example, cows form social hierarchies within their herds, and many cows who have been separated from their calves will do anything they can to find their babies.

Once they are done learning about all the reasons that dairy is a downer, visitors could order soy ice cream treats and other tasty vegan foods in the Cow Empathy Restaurant. And everyone 12 years old or younger would receive a plush toy cow with a tag reading, "Cows Are Cool! Dump Dairy!"

Fingers crossed that the laid-off dairy employees will soon be toasting in celebration of their new jobs at the Cow Empathy Museum, with an ice-cold glass of Silk.

Posted by Karin Bennett

businessreport / CC

Processing sewage isn't the only thing that Canada needs to do in order to clean up its act before the Games. That's why we're suggesting that until Canada's prime minister finally washes the blood of baby seals from his hands, one of the new sewage plants be named the "Stephen Harper 'Something's Rotten' Sewage Treatment Plant" in his honor.

That's just our little way of reminding him that allowing hundreds of thousands of seals to be shot and beaten to death each year is a load of crap.

If Stephen Harper really wants his country to look good in time for the 2010 Olympics, he needs to act now to make sure that there won't be another seal massacre in 2010.

Otherwise, Harper may well find himself in deep doo-doo.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

domesticfuel / CC

As we all know, human beings often don't think before they act. We don't condemn President Obama for acting on instinct. When the media began contacting us in droves for a statement, we obliged, simply by saying that the president isn't the Buddha and shouldn't be expected to do everything right—if not for that, we would not have brought it up. It's the media who are making a big deal about the fly swat—not PETA. However, we took the opportunity, when asked, to point out that we do offer lots of ways in which to control insects of all kinds without harming them, including the humane bug catcher we sent President Obama. There is even a chapter in PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's book The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights about how to rid your home of "uninvited guests."

We have lots of other items on our agenda, as you can imagine, and PETA's focus will remain on our core issues—promoting alternatives to eating animals, opposing fur and products made from animal skin, opposing laboratories that torment animals, and fighting the abuse of animals in circus training camps as well as other overt abuses that fall within our mission statement, which states that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.

We support compassion for all animals, even the most curious, smallest, and least sympathetic ones. We hope that everyone will take inspiration from Nobel Peace Prize–winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer, who believed that even insects were deserving of compassion and who would stop to move a worm from hot pavement to cool earth. Aware of the problems and responsibilities that go along with an expanded ethical code, Schweitzer said that we each must "live daily from judgment to judgment, deciding each case as it arises, as wisely and mercifully as we can."

We can't stop all suffering, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't stop any. Our wish is for all people to act wisely and mercifully toward animals.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

Click for a larger version

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

Check out this snippet of Ingrid's article, and then head over to The Huffington Post, read the rest, and leave Ingrid a comment:

This week, Sir Paul McCartney and his daughter Stella introduced the concept of "Meat-Free Mondays," coincidentally the same name as that of a program that PETA Europe is also working on in British schools. As a vegan who was once busily eating her way through the animal kingdom, from mussels to calf's brains on toast, it's a message that I wish I'd heard far earlier, just as I wish that when I wore my first fur coat, there had been an animal rights activist there to hand me a card saying, "Your coat was stolen from its original owners." Thirty years ago, a good animal rights "nag" was hard to find.

Read the rest of the article here.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

ustream / CC

Believe it or not, we've actually been contacted by multiple media outlets wanting to know PETA's official response to the executive insect execution.

In a nutshell, our position is this: He isn't the Buddha, he's a human being, and human beings have a long way to go before they think before they act.

If all this has you wondering how you can be a bigger person (figuratively, as well as literally) in your dealings with exoskeletal beings, check out our handy-dandy bug catcher—one of which we are sending to President Obama for future insect incidents. I can tell you from personal experience that it sure came in handy the other day, when one of my cats was chasing the World's Largest Palmetto Bug around the house.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

thesun.co / CC

Recognizing that her ordeal was chillingly similar to that of tigers, elephants, and other animals who are snatched from their native homes and loving families only to be caged or chained by circus trainers for the rest of their lives, Natascha has joined PETA Germany in calling for freedom for animals in circuses. She looks forward to the day when circuses will stop depriving wild animals of everything that is natural and important to them. Here's what Natascha had to say:

It is now up to [German agriculture minister Ilse] Aigner to decide whether social, intelligent, and beautiful living beings should continue to be humiliated because ruthless or naïve people keep them chained in cages—depressed, broken and limited to an [extent] that prevents them from living a normal life according to their needs. Animals, too, would run away if they could, just like I took my chance to escape. Because a life in captivity is a life full of deprivation.

Thank you, Natascha, for speaking out in behalf of so many animals whose cries for help have yet to be heard by German lawmakers. Hopefully, Minister Aigner is listening.

Posted by Karin Bennett

sfgate / CC

Tomorrow, Andy will swap the scissors he wielded in a peta2 anti-dissection poster for a bloody knife and appear as a terrifying "Ronald McDonald" at our McCruelty demo at 600 N. Clark St. in Chicago.

In anticipation of his performance, Andy said that "if kids knew how chickens were mutilated for McNuggets, they'd burst into tears every time Ronald McDonald showed his face—and that may well happen when they see what this clown has to say about it."

I confess that I've always considered clowns to be scary—certainly McDonald's execs will agree after Andy Dick's performance at Thursday's demonstration.

Photos to come!

Posted by Karin Bennett

sportsillustrated.cnn / CC

Georges already protested a fur expo in Montréal, and now he's just delivered a slap shot to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the bloody seal slaughter. Georges sent a letter to Prime Minister Harper, writing, "Blood on the ice is fine when it comes to Canada's national sport because players are willing participants, but the blood of helpless baby seals that stains the ice each year is Canada's shame."

He joins other notables who have denounced the slaughter, including Canadian Senator Mac Harb, British Columbia native Pamela Anderson, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and President Obama.

I think everyone can agree that this hockey champ is a pro at sticking up for animals.

Posted by Karin Bennett

smh.com.au / CC

Outcry against the seal slaughter is echoing around the globe. The European Union and the U.S. have banned seal products, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for an immediate end to the slaughter, and world leaders have spoken out against the massacre. Demonstrations from London to Hamburg and Los Angeles to Toronto have made headlines, and people all over the world have sent a strong, united message that the seal bloodbath must end.

It's clear that the Canadian seal slaughter is quickly losing favor and support: This year, about three-fourths of the seals who were expected to be bludgeoned or shot to death were spared. But we still need your help to make sure that Canada doesn't think the protests will end just because the killing has slowed.

One dead seal is still too many, so we've revved up our campaign to get the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee to use its clout to stop the seal slaughter. Check out our new Web site OlympicShame2010.com and give us a hand, won't you?

Posted by Shawna Flavell

huffingtonpost / CC

Fearing Weinman might be a danger to himself and/or others, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer has ordered a psychiatric evaluation—and house arrest if Weinman makes bail—noting, "I'm concerned about his safety and the safety of the community.''

Smart woman. After all, most—if not all—notorious serial killers got their start abusing animals (think Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Son of Sam, and the Boston Strangler, just to name a few). Heck, even the main character in Showtime's popular series Dexter is a serial killer whose first victims were animals.

Parents and educators need to be aware that classroom dissections teach students that it's OK to be cruel. Schools should instead be teaching students to respect life by teaching anatomy via any of the many humane alternatives that are available. That's why we've written to the principal of Weinman's school urging him to stop all animal dissections and replace them with non-animal learning methods, which we are offering to provide free of charge. After all, I'm sure he doesn't want to risk adding any of his students' faces to the "Most Wanted" lists of criminals who "graduated" from dissecting frogs, rats, and cats to killing and cutting up men, women, and children.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the vegan soccer balls are Keren Genet, Rev. Meg Schramm, and Hannah Claire Jarvis. Congratulations!

The World Cup has just started, and you can already spot the true fans. Dedicated soccer (or, if you prefer, "football") enthusiasts all over the world are breaking out their jerseys and dusting off their giant foam fingers.

Before you start practicing your Ronaldinho moves, don't forget to make sure that your ball is cruelty-free. Many sports balls are made of leather, despite the cruelty and human health risks involved in producing it. Hasn't anyone at FIFA ever been to CowsAreCool.com?

For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're giving away leather-free soccer balls from Fair Trade Sports so that cows can keep their skins and you can kick butt on the field.

How do you win? Tell us about your favorite animal-friendly athlete in a comment below. The three most fan-crazed comments will win.

The contest ends on July 1, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on July 3, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!

Posted by Lianne Turner

Did you catch PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk on CNN Headline News last night? She was on Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell to speak out against plans to build a monkey-breeding facility in Puerto Rico.

Reports that this breeding farm would be stocked with monkeys snatched from their native homes in Mauritius are nightmarish enough, but the babies would then be sold for laboratory experiments. You know, like at Columbia University and Covance? Yikes!

Props to Jane Velez-Mitchell for recognizing that this story is newsworthy and for treating it—and folks concerned about animal rights—with respect. If you missed it, you should definitely check it out. Then head over here and tell Puerto Rico to cut out the monkey biz.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

usatoday / CC

Heidi was fortunate enough to be able to turn part of her home into a huge aviary where her birds can fly free and are never caged, but as she points out, most people who buy birds have no idea how to care for these complex animals. Many people keep birds caged for their entire lives—some birds are kept in cages so small that they are prevented from even stretching their wings, let alone flying.

That's why Heidi is teaming up with PETA to pressure one major purveyor of imprisoned parrots: PetSmart. She'll be speaking on PETA's behalf at PetSmart's annual meeting this Wednesday. Pointing out how much birds suffer in captivity as well as the abysmal record of neglect and abuse by PetSmart's stores and animal suppliers, Heidi will ask the company to begin phasing out the sale of all birds.

Go get 'em, Heidi! We know you're an expert at turning heads—now let's see you change some minds.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignited controversy when he made a speech in which he ostensibly endorsed Palestinian statehood. Unfortunately, the speech didn't go over so well with the Palestinians, who decried it as an empty offer because of the strings he attached to his endorsement.

While Palestinians and Israelis can't seem to agree on where to draw the (geographic) line, we thought the time had come to remind them that there's one thing we can all agree on: Cruelty sucks.

That's why we're bringing back our "Give Peas a Chance" ad, which we had previously proposed placing along both sides of the barriers that run through the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. This time, we've turned it into a billboard that we will be trying to place throughout the region.

Wish us luck! After all, hummus is a universal symbol of peace, right? No? Hmmm, I could swear I read that somewhere.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

wikimusicguide / CC

"I just found out that I was voted 'PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian!' How cool is that?!! Thank you so much for voting!! That was totally unexpected!! I was jumping up and down when I heard the news! I even Googled it to make sure I wasn't being punk'd! Ha ha!!"
—Kellie Pickler, MySpace.com

Kellie's exuberant reaction to winning our Sexiest Vegetarian of the Year award was too good not to share. Of course she wasn't getting punk'd! We, along with everyone who voted, just believe she has a face as lovely as her heart (and voice). Congrats, Kellie!

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Here's a lovely follow-up to a story we mentioned earlier this year: The Cle Elum Seven are now honorary citizens of Cle Elum, Washington.

The Cle Elum Seven are chimpanzees who were living out life in a laboratory, until we helped them gain their freedom and they were given a home at the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum, Washington. As you might expect, the chimpanzees have thrived in the new setting, and their neighbors are clearly pleased. To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the chimpanzees' residency, the City Council unanimously issued a proclamation that made the chimpanzees honorary citizens. The proclamation also commends Cle Elum's human residents for donating toys, food, blankets, and time to the sanctuary.

All together now: Awww!

It's beginning to look like a very positive trend is emerging for great apes. Perhaps some day soon, the abuse of chimpanzees and other apes in laboratories and in Hollywood will be a horror of the past.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

zimbio / CC

He's the founder of Phat Farm, so if anyone knows style, it's got to be Russell Simmons. In his recent globalGrind blog post, Russell gave a shout-out to Tila Tequila, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and Michelle Obama for speaking out against the fur industry and credited the ladies with marking "a shift in human consciousness." Wow, Russell, we couldn't have said it better ourselves!

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Last month, the Newmarket Council in Ontario voted to deny a permit to the Shrine Circus for performances that were scheduled to take place at Ray Twinney Recreation Complex on June 17 and 18 because of safety and other concerns.

Unfortunately, the circus promoter decided to challenge the council's vote. But all is not lost. On Friday, while a judge was scheduled to review the challenge, local residents stood outside the courthouse to show support for the council's ruling. But the hearing was postponed! Undeterred, our heroes hit the streets again today to ask the court to say "No!" to Shrine Circus cruelty.

Newmarket and its residents have good reason to worry about the safety of circuses that use animals, especially elephants. Captive elephants are beaten, chained, and denied everything that is natural and important to them, and they have been known to go on rampages. And because of elephants' tremendous size, even minor accidents can be dangerous. Just three months ago, 12 children were injured when a Shrine Circus elephant bumped into a mobile staircase where the kids were waiting for rides.

While we're all waiting on pins and needles for the judge's decision, we encourage you to reach out to your local lawmakers and urge them to enact legislation banning circuses with animal acts.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Of course I don't mean that these sexy vegetarians contribute to the mind-blowing amount of greenhouse-gas emissions caused by the meat industry. Au contraire! The winners of our Sexiest Vegetarian Alive contest turned up the heat with their sleek physiques and radiant good looks. PETA’s affiliates also recently announced the winners of their international Sexiest Vegetarian contests.

And the winners are:

PETA U.S.

hitsusa / CC

Kellie Pickler shares more with the world than her stunning voice. When she went vegetarian, she was quick to share her decision with close friend and past PETA champ Carrie Underwood.

tvfanatic / CC

Mamma mia! How handsome is Milo Ventimiglia? There's really no question, judging by all the winning votes that the star of television's Heroes raked in.

PETA Asia-Pacific: Australia

english.pravda / CC

Voters went gaga for gorgeous Geelong-born Portia De Rossi, who went vegan with her wife, comedian and television host Ellen DeGeneres. Portia says, "It feels like such a compassionate choice. We are such animal lovers, why stop short of cows and chickens? It didn't make any sense."

edgemag / CC

Hunky Australian Idol host Andrew G. racked up the most votes for the gentlemen. He says of his decision to go vegan, "The cleaner I kept my diet, the more obvious benefits I felt."

PETA Asia-Pacific: Asia

key-jed / CC

Voters crowned beautiful Taiwanese actor and singer Barbie Hsu Asia's Sexiest Vegetarian Woman of 2009. Barbie says, "Lives are equal, eating meat is like eating corpses to me, and it makes me feel sick and sad."

chakpak / CC

And Bollywood superstar and heartthrob Shahid Kapoor has won the title of Asia's Sexiest Male Vegetarian. Word is, he convinced leading lady Kareena Kapoor to go vegetarian while they were dating.

PETA Germany

The writing was on the wall early in the competition: The lovely tattooed television host Lina van de Mars won top spot for the women.

Rap star Thomas D. of the hip-hop band Die Fantastischen Vier wrapped up his win for Sexiest Male Vegetarian.

Now put your palms together, not just for these winners but for all the vegetarian hotties who were in the running for this year's title.

Posted by Karin Bennett

If you've already subscribed to Playboy Philippines, be prepared for the June issue to rock your world. It features more than 15 pages of scorching-hot animal rights material, including a spread about the cover girl—avid PETA Asia-Pacific supporter and Miss Eurasia Mia Gray—and an anti-fur spread. It also includes a feature called "Confessions of a PETA Girl" about the women of PETA Asia-Pacific as well as an article about going vegan.

Holy hotness! If you can't afford the international shipping for a subscription to the magazine, no worries. We have some images from the launch party that are sure to tide you over (at least until the end of this blog entry).

PETA Asia-Pacific's "Angel for Animals" dished up more than just vegan food—she also brought a touch of spiciness to each table she visited.

Sexy starlet Alicia Mayer never fails to show her support for animal rights in the steamiest ways possible.

Members of the PETA Asia-Pacific staff schmooze with Playboy bunnies and playmates.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Michigan-farmers-market / CC

Yep, the trick to improving erectile projectile apparently has to do with consuming plant foods rich in anti-oxidants.

And, while I'm not quite sure what constitutes "high quality" semen, my guess is that it has something to do with men's lil' guys' being strong swimmers. So, fellas, think of it this way: Would you rather eat your veggies and have sperm that swims like Michael Phelps or chow down on burgers and have sperm that flails like a toddler in his floaties?

The choice is yours, boys.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

jrcompton / CC

The New York Bird Club and pigeon fans are gearing up for the National Pigeon Day celebration on Saturday, June 13—and they want New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. to make an official proclamation.

A few quick facts: Pigeons are courageous and intelligent birds who mate for life, and both parents tend to their young. They are hardy birds—adept at dodging pedestrians, taxis, and the occasional hawk. No wonder so many humans are content to sit back and watch them during their lunch hours.

Please ask Mayor Bloomberg to officially declare this upcoming June 13 "National Pigeon Day." And if you'll be celebrating at Pilgrim Hill in NYC's Central Park, look for me. I'll be wearing my Pige Patrol T-shirt.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Orlando Magic center Dwight "Superman" Howard recently revealed that his favorite movie is Finding Nemo. (Pause for the resounding "aww" as readers imagine this 6' 11" Defensive Player of the Year watching the animal-friendly animated classic.)

sportsillustrated.cnn / CC

While that's great all by itself, Howard has also reportedly said, "Fish are friends." Dwight, we couldn't agree more, and we hope that your kind words will inspire fans and other athletes to realize how awesome sea kittens are.

Maybe Dwight's next step will be to consult John Salley about fish-free cuisine …?

Posted by Christine Doré

Now that the World Health Organization has declared the swine flu outbreak "a pandemic," I'm going to predict that PETA's "flu prevention" mask will sneak past blinged-out cell phones as the must-have accessory this summer. I have a feeling that fashionistas and health officials all over the world will soon agree with me.

Despite denials issued by big pig farms and the change in the name of the illness, funnyman Jim Carrey hit the nail right on the head when he said, "There wouldn't be a swine flu if we treated the pigs better!"

PETA's swine flu mask will serve as a reminder of that.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Our friends over at globalGrind have given Tila Tequila a place to speak her mind, and the Queen of MySpace has some harsh words for animal abusers.

kineda / CC

Titling her post "Killing Animals is F**ING Wrong … It's That Simple," she's giving raccoons, bunnies, foxes, and all animals killed for fur a shout-out:

I don't know who those people are that have it in their hearts to skin an animal while [he or she] is still alive, but I hope that by promoting fur alternatives I'm doing my part to stop that needless suffering. You will never see me wearing a fur, and if you do, rest assured it's FAKE. If you love animals, you cannot justify wearing them. It's that simple. Remember, hot girls fake it … for the animals. I should know, cause I'm hot. Lol.

Yes, Tila, you are hot! And your heart of gold makes you even sexier (if that's possible). I would like to be the first to officially suggest that the charity work you are considering should include joining other sexy celebs such as Eva Mendes and Khloe Kardashian and using what your momma gave ya to rock our "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign.

Posted by Christine Doré

Yesterday, PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk turned 60! (Can you believe it? She says, "Yes, count the crow's feet!") Our staff asked supporters who wanted to wish Ingrid a happy birthday to send a donation to one of her favorite programs, Animal Rahat. And boy, did you come through. So far, birthday well-wishers have donated more than $12,000 to Animal Rahat, and that means the world to all those bulls and donkeys!

The folks at Animal Rahat were tickled to be the recipients of such generous gifts, so they made a birthday cake and gave out celebratory fresh grass (a big treat for the animals) and vital nutrition packs along the village roadways. Here are some photos of the big shindig:

Too pretty to eat? Naahh.

Animal Rahat staffers dig into the cake.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Animal Rahat's work, it provides desperately needed relief—such as food, veterinary care, water stations, and portable sunshades—to working animals in India. It also runs relief camps where injured, sick, and debilitated animals can recuperate as well as a retirement center where elderly animals can live out their golden years in comfort. Check out these photos of Animal Rahat in action:

Thank you all for helping to improve the lives of these working animals.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

Our recent undercover investigation, which revealed exactly what happens to horses abandoned by the coldhearted racing industry, has been picked up by a variety of news outlets, but we were particularly glad to see this piece featured on ESPN's Outside the Lines:

Maybe now more sports fans will recognize that horse racing is anything but sporting—especially for the thousands of horses who meet tragic ends every year—and perhaps they'll join us in calling for an end to these abuses.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

"In the way that slavery, once a broad social norm, later became an unthinkable crime, we can expect to see a similar shift once meat-eating disappears from our planet. Perhaps, some day, the very idea of eating animal flesh will seem as remote as the idea of owning humans does now."
—Jim Motavalli, ForeignPolicy.com

Seems like the folks at ForeignPolicy.com—as well as many others—are starting to realize that the meat industry isn't just bad for the environment and our health, it's an industry based on exploitation and cruelty.

Maybe … just maybe … they got the idea for their article from our Animal Liberation Project display in Washington, D.C., or our recent setup in New York City's Battery Park.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Yesterday, we broke the news that France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, had written to PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews to assure him that although she wore fur back in her modeling days, she now refuses to wear even the smallest bits of fur.

thecaucus.blogs.nytimes / CC

Now, America's first lady, the fabulously fashionable Michelle Obama, has also declared via her press secretary that she, too, is fur-free. Here's the official statement: "Mrs. Obama does not wear fur."

Talk about some high-class first ladies!

Posted by Karin Bennett

How many crocodiles does it take to make a leather bag?

It sounds like the start of a really bad joke, but in a recent article, the chief executive for the French "luxury" goods group Hermes said, "It can take three to four crocodiles to make one of our bags so we are now breeding our own crocodiles on our own farms, mainly in Australia." (emphasis added)

He then quipped, "The world is not full of crocodiles, except the stock exchange!"

Oh, ho ho, funny guy. If you weren't ripping their skins off—sometimes while they are still alive and able to call out in distress—and turning them into overpriced purses, there would probably be plenty of crocodiles running around.

They did outlive the dinosaurs, after all, so my guess is that their survival instincts are pretty acute.

Here's what PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews had to say:

The thought of purposely breeding and killing crocodiles for an outdated, overpriced handbag should make any fashionista's skin crawl. If Hermes really wants to be a leader in the fashion industry, it should stop killing animals for cold-blooded vanity and use cruelty-free mock croc and fake snake instead. As Pink—who recently provided the voice of a computer-generated crocodile in PETA's "Stolen for Fashion" commercial—says, "Killing animals for their skins is so disgusting that it doesn't make me want to befriend designers who use them."

So how about this: Instead of breeding reptiles for fashion faux pas, watch "Stolen for Fashion," then pull a switcharoo and start using stylish synthetics instead.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

kensharp / CC

When PETA pal Chrissie Hynde learned that the organizers of her band's summer tour included a date at the Weesner Amphitheater—which is located at the Minnesota Zoo—the staunch zoo opponent wasn't pleased.

Then she learned that animals from the Minnesota Zoo's petting zoo are routinely sent to livestock auctions.

Chrissie has never shied away from an opportunity to speak up for animals who are being exploited, so she fired off an e-mail to the zoo director, Lee Ehmke, in which she wrote:

"I am disappointed to learn that the zoo sells its petting zoo animals to slaughter at the end of the season. How can a zoo invite children to touch and play with and express joy over animals for their uniqueness, only to turn around and sell those very animals to slaughter?"

Well, the zoo didn't agree to stop shipping off once-petted goats and sheep to slaughter. Instead, it canceled Chrissie's show!

You better bet she'll have some choice words about it to share with Pretenders fans.

Posted by Karin Bennett

missbakerbiologyclass / CC

Ah, horny manatees. Conan O'Brien loves 'em, and after a late night tryst of that, ahem, magnitude, is it any wonder why? They are vigorous vegetarian lovers, after all.

In fact, I'd like to think the manatees came ashore to demonstrate their vegetarian vitality to onlookers and inspire them to rev up their love lives by swapping steak for seitan and cows' milk for soy milk. After all, a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps keeps the blood flowing through all the arteries.

Say, "So long, Viagra!" and "Viva, veggie Viagra!"

Conan O'Brien, if you're out there—we'll keep our eye out for more manatee love sessions, and you just let us know if you need info to include on your Web site.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the 'Fight Breedism' shirt are Emily, Kelli, and S. Phillips. Congratulations!

We all have our favorite celebrities, and Charlize Theron has topped my list since she narrated PETA's puppy mill investigation. When she was spotted wearing our new "Fight Breedism" shirt on the beach with her rescue pups, I was pretty much over the moon. She's beautiful, talented, and funny, and she jumps at every chance she can to speak up for animals. What more could you ask for?

Her awesome T-shirt, for starters.

For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're giving away three "Fight Breedism" shirts so that you can rock Charlize's style. They're super-stylish, soft, and a great way to spread the word about adoption.

How do you win? Help Charlize give a voice to the millions of animals abandoned at animal shelters every year and tell us about the shelter animal(s) you have rescued. Leave us a comment below, then take our quiz to find out how well you know your ABCs (as in "animal birth control").

The contest ends on June 24, 2009, and we'll choose the three people who submit the most touching comments as the winners on June 26, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!

Posted by Lianne Turner

One cause that's very close to Ingrid's heart is Animal Rahat, and no wonder: Animal Rahat helps hard-working bullocks, donkeys, ponies, and horses in India, where Ingrid spent much of her childhood. Animal Rahat gives them relief (that's what "rahat" means) from the heat, water to quench their raging thirst, a place to rest when they fall lame, veterinary care for their yoke and harness injuries, and sometimes even fodder during periods of draught when the subsistence farmers who own them can't afford to feed them.

Rahat also offers a program that allows bullocks to retire and live out their lives with their human families instead of being sent to slaughter. You may recall the story we shared with you recently about Shilya's retirement—and he's just one of Rahat's success stories.

Animal Rahat is doing great things for some of the least fortunate animals on Earth. To help them out—and to sign Ingrid's birthday card—just zip over here.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Did you hear that? It was the collective sigh of relief from raccoons, foxes, and minks—as well as human fur foes everywhere. It turns out that France's first lady and international style icon Carla Bruni-Sarkozy refuses to wear fur.

marieclaire / CC

PETA Vice President Dan Mathews contacted Bruni-Sarkozy after seeing photos that showed her wearing what appeared to be real fur. She wrote back, "I do not wear, buy, or own fur …. Every designer who kindly lends me clothes for public appearances can tell you that I do not accept … fur pieces, even when they're only a small part of the outfit."

The first lady—who admitted to wearing fur during her modeling heyday—also made it clear that if the photos are recent, the fur is fake.

"By officially rejecting fur in the fashion capital of the world, this political and style idol will make people everywhere think about how old-fashioned and cruel it is," said Dan in a statement issued to the media.

With some free shoes from Stella McCartney, courtesy of PETA, on the way to Carla's doorstep, we're hoping she will swear off leather for good too.

Posted by Karin Bennett

agrip / CC

The AVMA plans to team up veterinarians and employees of Pike Place Fish Market for a dead fish sea kitten toss at its upcoming convention in Seattle. The event organizers promise that the event will be "outrageously fun."

Come again?

My gut tells me that the AVMA wouldn't dare try to organize a dead cat toss—so why not show the same consideration for sea kittens? The AVMA is turning a blind eye to the deaths of billions of sea kittens who suffocate on boat decks or are cut open while they are still conscious—all thanks to the cruel fishing industry. And those sea kittens feel pain, just like land kittens do.

Conventiongoers could get a uniquely Seattle experience by spending a few hours at the Experience Music Project and then visiting the Space Needle—a fun and cruelty-free afternoon.

Posted by Karin Bennett

bingogamingnews / CC

Now that he's roped himself some serious coin, we're asking him to spare a little change (career change, that is). We wrote to Neal asking him to put his family's 320-acre ranch out to pasture and retire the remaining cattle, sheep, and horses to a sanctuary. We're really hoping that Neal's generosity is as big as his oversized check, cuz ranched animals get a seriously raw deal that can include neglect, mutilation, genetic manipulation, and drug regimens that cause chronic pain and crippling.

So Neal, here's our appeal: Kick up your heels, go for bust in Branson, do Dollywood, buy a closet full of those two-toned Garth Brooks shirts—whatever—enjoy life—you deserve it. Just don't forget about all those animals back at your ranch. They deserve to enjoy the rest of their lives too.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

Everyone is sexiest when sporting compassion, and Charlize Theron proves the point! Out for a stroll on a Malibu beach the other day, not only did Charlize take along her two lucky rescue dogs, she also brought out a message to help all dogs by sporting PETA's newest "Fight Breedism" T-shirt.

Smokin' body and a love for shelter mutts? Now that's hot.
Credit: X17online

Want to mimic Charlize's style? You can buy one of our "Fight Breedism" tees here.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

dailyblabber.ivillage / CC

Before T.I. reported to prison last week to serve his sentence for federal weapons charges, he sought some advice from PETA friend Martha Stewart on how to pass the time while incarcerated.

Well, if we don't just have the best idea ever.

Just after Martha was released from jail a few years ago, she narrated a public service announcement explaining the truth about the fur industry. So we've sent a letter to T.I. asking him to join Martha in the fight against the fur industry by posing for one of PETA's iconic ads after his release.

In the letter, we let T.I. know that we understand how he'll "[experience] firsthand what it is like for the millions of minks, rabbits, and other animals who are confined to filthy sheds on fur farms. But unlike inmates who are freed when they finish their sentences, these animals are beaten, have their necks broken, are electrocuted, and are often skinned alive for their fur."

Hopefully, T.I. will give it some thought and decide to show us his birthday suit after losing his orange jumpsuit.

Posted by Lianne Turner

helpelephants / CC

While dropping some pounds to get your body beach ready may seem like a good idea for you, this amount of weight loss could indicate that these elephants are suffering from a potentially deadly illness or are not being provided with adequate food and proper nutrition. We've filed a complaint with the USDA and asked that it ensure that these elephants are taken off the road immediately.

This isn't the first time that Tina and Jewel have been in danger because of severe weight loss. In 2007, Tina and Jewel were traveling with Cole Bros. Circus when a whistleblower reported that the elephants were emaciated. After we filed a complaint with the USDA, the elephants were removed from the road to recover, but it wasn't long before they were forced to rejoin the circus.

We're hoping that the USDA will act swiftly to ensure that these animals are pulled off the road again—and this time, permanently.

Luckily, some people are getting the message that all elephants who are forced into the circus industry are plagued with chronic illness and lead lives full of misery. Garden City Circus and an entire city in Queensland, Australia, have completely removed animals from their circus performances.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

While I'm told there was thunder booming throughout London early yesterday morning, the real storming was taking place around St. Paul's cathedral, where 100 PETA Europe demonstrators sprawled across the steps wearing nothing but blood-red paint and bear masks.

The naked demonstrators were there to protest the continued use of real bearskin for The Queen's Guards' ceremonial caps. Bears killed for the caps may suffer for days in traps or die of blood loss or infection after being shot. When mother bears are killed, their orphaned cubs are easy prey for predators—if they don't starve to death first.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

peoplequiz / CC

Not to get all "the price is wrong" on you or anything, but in Cherokee, North Carolina, there are three "tourist attractions" that keep bears in grossly inhumane conditions. The neurotic, hungry bears are confined to desolate concrete pits in which they pace back and forth, walk in endless circles, cry and whimper, fight with one another, and beg tourists to toss them a morsel of food.

What do these tourist traps have to do with Bob Barker? As a compassionate person of Native American descent (he spent much of his youth at the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota), Bob has requested a meeting with the principal chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation to discuss an end to the town's displays of bears in pits and cages.

As he wrote to Principal Chief Hicks, "Cherokee has so much to offer, such as its beautiful mountains, museums, cultural and historical exhibits, Native American shops, friendly residents, and casino. The caged bears may have been a big attraction at one time but are now seen as an embarrassment to the community and should be permanently closed down."

To join Bob in asking that the cruel bear pits be closed down, please send a respectful letter to Principal Chief Hicks letting him know that bears should be respected, not left in a pit to languish.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

In 2002, the 1986 Kentucky Derby champ, Ferdinand, was slaughtered after his breeding days in Japan were done.

Fast-forward to 2009: Two more horses, Charismatic and War Emblem—Kentucky Derby champs from 1999 and 2002 respectively—may also face slaughter as their usefulness to breeders comes to an end.

This upcoming Belmont Stakes marks the 10th anniversary of Charismatic's tragic breakdown.

After breaking his leg in the 1999 Belmont, Charismatic was sold to breeders in Japan. His value as a breeding stallion has dropped dramatically (to approximately US$5,000), and he has been moved to the lowest-ranking of breeding farms.

War Emblem was sold for $17 million and hauled off to Japan to become one of 33 stallions used for breeding at the Shadai Stallion Station. Despite the use of steroids, hormones and psychological measures, he has refused to breed with most mares.

Just a few years ago, horse-racing fans cheered as Charismatic and War Emblem ran away with top prizes at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Now, PETA's most recent undercover investigation shows what could be in store for these once-celebrated stallions and thousands of other horses sold into the Japanese thoroughbred industry.

Each year in Japan, more than 20,000 horses, including many horses once used for racing, are slaughtered for dog and human food. This video shows the slaughter of a young thoroughbred. As stated in the New York Times, "The video is disturbing. It shows in graphic terms what happens to the unfortunate thoroughbreds who become spare parts in a contracting industry."

You can blame the U.S. horse-racing industry for the carnage. It routinely breeds tens of thousands of "surplus" thoroughbreds every year, then sells thousands of them to breeding facilities in Japan. More than 2,000 U.S. thoroughbred horses and breeding mares have been shipped to Japan since Ferdinand was slaughtered in 2002.

Just last year, Americans watched in horror as racing filly Eight Belles suffered fractures to both her front ankles and was euthanized just moments after running the Kentucky Derby. How can anyone not be disgusted by the shuffling of thousands of horses off to Japan and into slaughterhouses?

Join us in defending former Derby and Preakness champs Charismatic and War Emblem—and thousands of other thoroughbreds. Demand limits on breeding and a ban on the export of horses to Japan.

Posted by Karin Bennett