fideliodogs / CC

Banfield's decision follows that of the American Veterinary Medical Association, which, while getting a lot of things wrong during its recent convention in Seattle, got this one right: It upheld its opposition to these vile procedures.

Dr. Karen Faunt, Banfield's vice president for medical quality advancement, notes, "It is our hope that this new medical protocol will help reduce, and eventually eliminate, these cosmetic procedures altogether."

Amen to that! Here's hoping that next on the list is banning the declawing of cats.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

zazzle / CC

Every year, more than 200,000 guinea pigs are abused and killed in cruel experiments—they are forced to breathe tobacco smoke, they are locked in chambers for hours at a time and forced to listen to noises as loud as a jet engine, and pregnant guinea pigs are given alcohol to cause birth defects in their babies. Of course, common sense and human-based research tells us that drinking alcohol while pregnant is a no-no, standing next to an airplane when it's taking off is not so good on the ears, and smoking cigarettes can cause disease in nearly every organ of the body.

Wait until Agent Darwin hears about this!

Posted by Justin Goodman, Research Associate Supervisor

moviegoods / CC

"[A] living, breathing movie whose horrifying disclosures feel fully earned."
—The New York Times

"To watch bleeding dolphins struggle for their last breath, to actually hear their agony, is devastating. … [Y]ou feel culpable just for being part of the species that can teach another mammal tricks, reward it with snacks and pats and at the same time be capable of getting up at dawn to poke it to death with spears."
—Time

"[O]ne of the most powerful, heartfelt, and (yes, I'll say it) important 'nature' documentaries I've ever seen."
—Cinematical

"[T]he footage is so horrifying, the facts so disturbing. It's not that you can't believe it, but that you don't want to."
—The Huffington Post

When this movie hits theaters near you, go!

Posted by Shawna Flavell

metro.co / CC

In her letter, Ingrid points out that "on October 5, 1947, in the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating meat on Tuesdays and poultry on Thursdays to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe. Today, the number of starving people in the world is on a par with the number of obese people in the U.S., and a restriction on meat and dairy-product intake could help tip those scales for the better."

It's enough to persuade even Bob Geldof that he does like Mondays.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

movies.yahoo / CC

"I am deeply concerned that unhealthy school lunches are contributing to our nation's childhood obesity epidemic. School is tough enough already—schools shouldn't have to put up with lunches swimming in fat and cholesterol. It's time for healthier options."
—Tobey Maguire

The Spider-Man star has teamed up with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to encourage public schools to escape the unhealthy web (yeah, I went there) of greasy cafeteria fare and offer healthy vegetarian options. He also says that as a father, "[T]his issue is tremendously important …"

If only all dads were that fly. (All right, I'm done. Promise.)

Posted by Shawna Flavell

I remember the first hoarding case I ever went on. The woman would never open the door, and her blinds were kept drawn. Standing on her porch, you could catch a whiff of animal waste, but just a whiff. Since she was unwilling to work with local humane officers, there was only one thing left to do: get a warrant to remove the animals from inside her house.

That day is etched in my mind. When the door finally opened, the smell was so overpowering that seasoned police officers―including one who had just returned from Vietnam―called for masks. Fleas leapt up to bite us all over as we threaded our way through the piles of saved newspapers. There were dead cats among the live ones and, down in the basement, a maggot-covered floor, a broken hot-water pipe spewing steam, and feral cats living in the dark in the rafters.

Not every hoarder has reached that stage, but that was not the last house of animal-hoarding horrors that I saw or helped to bust.

Willow is one of nine puppies who were born to a dog living alongside numerous other animals in the dilapidated home of an indigent hoarder we talked to a few months ago. Our cruelty caseworkers coordinated with local officials to provide this woman with enough food to last her until a kind volunteer could arrange to take the animals out of there―to a decent, reputable animal shelter.

But then it was discovered that the pups were suffering from symptoms consistent with parvovirus. Crowded, squalid conditions—the conditions one typically finds in hoarders' homes—are incubators for communicable diseases. Parvo is a common yet preventable illness that causes uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite, and eventual death in most cases. Willow was the only puppy to make it out of the house alive, along with nearly a dozen cats.

Willow's story does have a happy ending. The volunteer who drove her to the animal shelter was so smitten with Willow that she adopted her. As you can see from this picture, Willow is enjoying a great life in her new home!

Is that local "sanctuary" that you heard about run by a hoarder? What about that "no-kill" shelter on the outskirts of town? Hopefully not! There are lots of good facilities, for sure. But please be vigilant, because if no one investigates, animals can suffer greatly. Hoarding is a recognized symptom of a particular type of mental illness, which, if left unchecked, leads to animal suffering—and often a slow, miserable death for the animals involved. Hoarders "collect" animals even when they can't care for the ones they already have. They ignore or deny the increasingly substandard (and eventually appalling) living conditions that invariably arise and commonly refuse to seek veterinary care for sick or injured animals. They also often refuse to euthanize animals or take them to open-admission animal shelters—which is why so-called "no-kill sanctuaries" often wind up being a "front" for hoarders.

For animals who are suffering at the hands of hoarders, there is a fate worse than death—a fate that Willow escaped. I know that on my first hoarding case, we were able to rescue dozens of kittens from that horrid home, and I wept to think of how long they had lived like that and for the dozens more who had just crawled under the furniture and perished. To learn more about hoarding and what you can do if you know of a hoarder in your area, please read our factsheet.

Posted by Ingrid E. Newkirk

Normally, I channel surf right through competitive food shows (nobody wants to eat trout ice cream, Iron Chef )—but ever since I found out that vegan Natalie Portman will be a guest judge in the upcoming season of Top Chef, I've been counting down the days until the premiere. Well, it looks like we vegans won't have to wait as long as we thought for our moment in the food TV limelight! Top Chef Masters (a Top Chef spin off) has just announced that next week, its contestants will be preparing food for a dinner party hosted by vegan actor and musician Zooey Deschanel. Check out a sneak peek of the episode, which will air Wednesday at 10 p.m.:

Ah, Mr. Smith, it looks like this'll be an especially good exercise for you if your specialty is greasy, unhealthy fried chicken and mac and cheese!

Big thanks to the folks over at Ecorazzi for shooting this our way.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

animalrights.about / CC

To put this in perspective, Baby, Sarah, and Banana (three of the elephants who are traveling with Ringling) were forced to perform for the first time in 1968—the year that Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. We've come a long way since then—or have we?

Ringling talks a big game about "elephant conservation," but the reality is that Ringling has actually removed more elephants from the wild than it has bred. Most of the elephants you see pirouetting and standing on their heads in Ringling performances at one point in their lives roamed vast jungles. You might call it Ringling's other dirty secret (besides that little issue of beating the @#$% out of elephants when they think nobody's looking).

Ringling's elephants are also dying faster than they are breeding: At least 26 elephants, including four babies, have died since 1992. Eight were under the age of 40 (which is just about half an elephant's natural life expectancy of 70 years). Oh, and those babies Ringling does manage to breed are only used to replenish its stocks as other elephants die—they will never be released into the wild—ever.

Pretty depressing, isn't it? Ringling must be using some kind of new math to make all that add up to "conservation."

If you follow the jump, you can read about each of the elephants—and the life sentences to which Ringling has condemned them.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

As a dedicated Chelsea Lately fan, I was thrilled last night when Chelsea Handler opened her show with the announcement that she had adopted a mutt she has named Chunk from an animal shelter.

Chelsea has joined the growing list of celebrities who are showing the world that the era of the "purse pup" is so over—compassion is the new trend. Chunk is definitely one lucky pup to join the Handler brood, because Chelsea is obviously as kind as she is hilarious.

Now, with a faithful new companion by her side, I've got to ask the question that's on everyone's mind—what's going to happen to Chuy?!

Posted by Christine Doré

Though 27 greyhound tracks have closed in the U.S., with Rhode Island's last two tracks closing on August 8—and while countries around the world have all shuttered their once-active tracks—a legislature in the Philippines has just introduced a bill that would allow a company to build and operate a brand-new greyhound racetrack.

If approved, this bill has the potential to doom thousands of greyhounds to miserable existences. But have no fear: PETA Asia-Pacific has teamed up with Senator Maria Ana "Jamby" Madrigal—and her fearless dog, Prasad—to urge senators in the Philippines to vote "no" on this cruel bill. Check out Senator Jamby and Prasad in action at Tuesday's press conference inside the Senate building:

Photo © Erving Go
Prasad, a seasoned doggy-do-gooder, is howling mad about the introduction of this bill.

Senator Madrigal has pledged her opposition to this so-called sport because greyhounds who are forced to compete are kept muzzled and confined to cramped cages when they're not training or racing. Once they have slowed down or suffered career-ending injuries, the dogs are often abandoned, killed, or sold to laboratories to be used in experiments.

Don't all greyhounds deserve a loving home like Prasad's?

Posted by Liz Graffeo

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

Greetings from our nation's capital! Pop quiz: What do Michelle Obama and PETA have in common? No, it's not our toned biceps. Yes, we are both anti-fur, but that's not what I'm getting at either. It's that we both have volunteered with a great organization called Miriam's Kitchen. Miriam's Kitchen is a D.C.-based nonprofit that provides free meals and support services to homeless people.

Since PETA is relatively new to the neighborhood, we wanted to pitch in and help out the community. And what better way to do that than with vegan pancakes?

Today, we had the great opportunity to prepare and serve the first vegan breakfast in Miriam's Kitchen history.

On the menu:

• Fluffy vegan pancakes with strawberry topping and non-Canadian maple syrup
• Fruit salad
• Hearty veggie chili and brown rice
• Salad
• Coffee with soy milk and orange juice

At first, the vegan breakfast was met with some skepticism, but afterwards, the empty plates spoke for themselves. Here are some reviews from some of the people I spoke with:

"It's actually good!"
"I wish they had soy milk every day. I am allergic to cow's milk, and it tastes better."
"They're trying to makes us healthy up in here!"

Indeed we are.

Posted by Lara Sanders

Mike White's dog looks like a pig—and for that, we're grateful. It was Mike's unique-looking canine companion who first inspired him to try a vegan diet—and now the creative mastermind behind such quirky comedies as Year of the Dog, School of Rock, Nacho Libre, and The Good Girl has stepped in front of the camera to star in a brand-new veggie testimonial for PETA.

"You know I have a dog who looks like a pig," Mike explains in the PSA, "and I would look at him and I'd think, 'You know, I cannot eat pig anymore.'"

It's true—there are so many reasons not to eat pigs. One of them is that they are even smarter than dogs.

Mike also sat down for an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview, in which he told us of yet another great reason to go vegan—for your health!

Let's see: Saving animals' lives and drastically improving your health. If you're wondering where you can sign up for such amazing rewards, look no further.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

And that would be Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), which is (surprise, surprise) reneging on its promise to end mulesing by 2010.

AWI will have had six years to stop a horrific practice that no other country engages in. New Zealand stopped the mulesing mutilation almost 10 years ago. If AWI does not meet the 2010 deadline, retailers around the world will take action by sourcing wool elsewhere.

AWI has only itself to blame for losing the world market by trying to delay the inevitable. Of course we were spot-on: AWI has chosen not to live up to its word and is still stuck in the 1930s. Australian wool is no longer the standard—it is now a symbol of the way greedy people have behaved by treating thinking, feeling animals as if they were inanimate commodities.

Despite the fact that leading retailers across Europe and North America are refusing to purchase wool from mulesed lambs, the Australian wool industry's most recent ludicrous scheme is to adopt an equally cruel and painful procedure called "clip mulesing," in which clips are attached to the folded skin on lambs' backsides, causing the skin to rot and fall off. Clips are not an alternative to the mulesing mutilation; they are simply a less bloody form of it. We are pleased, however, to see that the wool industry has finally responded to the complaints of dozens of retailers around the world who want to buy only wool from sheep who were not mulesed (not even with clips) and who have asked that wool from clip-mulesed sheep be identified on a mulesing declaration form.

As the Australian Weekly Times wrote, "For an organisation that purports to be a research and marketing body, the decision by Australian Wool Innovation to abandon the mulesing deadline is reckless, unwanted and unhelpful." This shows that your voices—and those of retailers who are demanding that Australia join the 21st century and stop mutilating lambs—are being heard in Australia.

Please help PETA continue to pressure the Australian government to do the right thing by taking a few short moments to write to Australia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd, to demand that mulesing be outlawed now. And, if you still wear animals even when so many wonderful alternatives exist, ask yourself why.

Posted by Tracy Reiman

Click for a larger version

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

Learn more about circuses’ abuse of animals at RinglingBeatsAnimals.com

popsense / CC

Yesterday, Bob met with Principal Chief Michell Hicks and members of the Tribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to plead for compassion for captive bears in Cherokee, North Carolina, who languish in desolate concrete pits and cages in roadside zoos. After Bob saw firsthand the deplorable conditions at one of these tourist traps (he was denied entry to the other two), he urged Principal Chief Hicks to release the miserable bears to a sanctuary in California.

Although no promises were made at yesterday's meeting, PETA won't rest until the black bears are retired to sanctuaries. After all, according to Cherokee legend, black bears are the keepers of dreams. No doubt all of these imprisoned bears are dreaming of their own freedom.

Posted by Karin Bennett

thespoof / CC

Well, after learning that live pigs are reportedly being shot and stabbed in a California avocado grove owned by police officer David Bishop—all as part of trauma training exercises conducted by Washington-based Deployment Medicine International (DMI)—we were outraged. Not only is it unnecessary to mutilate and kill pigs—or any other animals—for trauma training, but to do so in an avocado grove may be illegal.

That's because Bishop's land isn't zoned for trauma or medical training exercises under the County of San Diego's zoning ordinances. Since San Diego County allows the director of its Department of Planning and Land Use to penalize zoning violators, we've fired off a letter to the current director, Eric Gibson, asking him to investigate Bishop and DMI for illegal activity.

Stabbing and shooting pigs to train medical personnel how to treat human injuries is positively medieval. With all the non-animal methods that are readily available, there are better models of human anatomy and physiology than pigs. Don't animals—and trauma victims—deserve better?

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Last summer, my friends and I screamed bloody murder on the hair-raising Cyclone at Coney Island. But it was later that my stomach really turned when I learned about the electrocution of Topsy the abused circus elephant at Coney Island back in 1903. Her public execution was punishment for killing three men (including a sadistic trainer who tried to feed her a lit cigarette).

Elephant abuse has returned to Coney Island, thanks to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. But unlike the very public atrocity of Topsy's death, Ringling tries to keep its trainers' actions under wraps.

Luckily, we have an easy way for you to expose Ringling's abuse of animals. It's our "The Cruelest Show on Earth" tee! Super-soft and stylish, it's sure to get all your friends talking. Not only that, but we are giving three of them away for this week's "Win It" Wednesday.

How do you win? Over the years, many exploited elephants have fought back against their abusers. As I read through the list of incidents involving elephants, John Lennon's "Instant Karma" kicks in my imaginary soundtrack.

So, which song title do you think best represents the suffering (or revenge!) of elephants who are beaten and humiliated in circuses? Tell us in the comments section below—the three most descriptive entries will win PETA's carnie-inspired anti-circus T-shirt.

The contest ends on August 12, 2009, and we'll choose three comments as the winners on August 14, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Posted by Karin Bennett

Does the Michelin tire company promote obesity? I'm starting to think so. Consider the Michelin Man: He's a friendly fellow, but, oh, those unsightly rolls! The tire giant also owns Detroit's iconic roadside landmark, the Giant Tire—a possible shout-out to the dreaded spare tire?

We'll soon find out if there's any truth to my theory. PETA has written to Michelin North America's president and chair Dick Wilkerson and offered to put an anti-obesity ad on the Giant Tire. Our "Lose the Spare Tire: Go Veg!" ad would encourage Detroit residents to adopt a healthy, slenderizing, animal-free diet and just might help offset some of life's maintenance costs (i.e., medical bills).

Stay tuned to find out if we receive a fabulous "thumbs up" for our proposal—or a "flabulous" refusal suggesting that the company doesn't care.

Posted by Karin Bennett

allday.msnbc.msn / CC

Now that we've gotten a sneak peak, it's pretty obvious to us where that butt belongs: starring in one of our iconic "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ads. So, while Ricky (and his bum) have the spotlight, we've asked him to consider joining others like Steve-O and fellow Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard, who have gotten naked to help the animals who are skinned alive for fashion.

I have a feeling that Ricky is going to like the idea of adding "champion for animals" to his growing list of accomplishments, but feel free to leave a comment and let him know you want to see that booty in full glory. If he agrees, we'll be sure to post pictures for all you ladies.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

flixter / CC

But here's something we don't like: Kids who see the movie are no doubt going to beg Mom and Dad to buy them a guinea pig, pleading their case with the usual promises ("I'll take out the trash and clean up my room." "I'll stop telling my brother he is adopted." Etc.)

Since we all know these promises are as empty as a box of Teddy Grahams 30 seconds into a PETA volunteer work party: Parents, don't fall for it. Guinea pigs are not, I repeat not suitable "starter pets" for kids. They are noisy, are messy, have sensitive digestive systems, and are extremely fragile—a fall from a couch can break a guinea pig's back and paralyze him or her. They may be small, but guinea pigs require huge amounts of time, money, and care—including daily cage cleanings, regular nail trimming and grooming, annual veterinary exams, high-quality food, fresh fruits and vegetables, vitamin C to prevent scurvy, as well as daily exercise and attention.

So, Mom and Dad, repeat after me: "What happens in a Disney movie stays in a Disney movie." You wouldn't bring Hannah Montana home, so please don't bring Suarez, Darwin, and Blaster home either.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

Sculptor Antony Gormley has launched a new artistic endeavor, the One & Other project, in London. He's recruited 2,400 "living sculptures" to stand atop the famous "Fourth Plinth" in Trafalgar Square. Each person gets an hour on the 8-meter-high plinth (which is usually used to display artwork) to do whatever he or she would like—and one lucky PETA Europe supporter was granted a place!

Natalie Simpson sparkled as a sultry mermaid who asked people to go vegetarian.

We're so proud of Natalie for daring to show a little skin in order to save the skins scales of other thinking, feeling beings. If you want to be like Natalie and stand up for animals, take our Pledge to Be Veg for 30 Days and give a fish-friendly diet a try.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Indonesian bachelor Sumanto really digs older women. Digs them up, that is. Yes, I'm talking about corpses, not cougars.

news.ninemsn / CC

According to news reports, Sumanto dug up a grave and feasted on the flesh of an old woman's corpse for a "cheap and tasty meal." Fresh out of prison after serving time for this crime, he's promised that his people-eating days are over, vowing that he now just wants to "taste love" (I wonder if that's what he'll put on his Match.com profile). While his neighbors are giving him the cold shoulder, the kind folks at PETA Asia-Pacific are willing to offer him a hand in kicking corpse cuisine for good.

Instead of turning over a new grave, they're suggesting that Sumanto turn over a new leaf and go vegetarian. Like humans, animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone. They have the same capacity to love, and they experience fear in the face of death. When animals die, their families grieve too. To help with this transition, PETA Asia-Pacific is sending Sumanto a copy of The Compassionate Cook, PETA's first vegetarian cookbook, which is chock-full of "cheap and tasty" meals that won't cost him or anyone else an arm and a leg.

I highly recommend the Mock Chopped Liver, a dish that tastes so much like the real thing that it could fool even the most die-hard cannibals.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

Here's an idea that hockey star and seal defender Georges Laraque would probably like to take credit for: We're planning to place a giant version of our Olympic Shame 2010 logo under the ice at several Canadian skating rinks. After all, denizens of the Great White North love their icy sports. Once they start slipping and sliding around the rink, they won't be able to miss our message that the 2010 Olympics will be hopelessly tarnished if the seal slaughter isn't permanently canceled before Vancouver's big show. Pretty slick idea, if you'll pardon the pun.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

weblogs.baltimoresun / CC

Vick has served the reduced sentence negotiated by his high-priced team of fancy lawyers, and the law says that he is entitled to walk free. But that doesn't mean it is acceptable to put him in the position in which children will look up to him as a role model and wear any new jersey that bears his number. For the sake of all the young football fans and all the dogs he electrocuted, drowned, slammed to the ground, and hanged, we will watch carefully to see if he is a newly contrite, kind man these days or still just a lout. Meanwhile, please add your voice to ours in our request to the NFL to add "cruelty to animals" to its personal-conduct policy as an offense that won't be tolerated. Doing that might reduce the likelihood that such lowlife violent crime will happen again.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

nationalpost / CC

Since most of Europe has denounced the shameful slaughter of baby seals loud and clear, you'd think that Canada's government would finally get a clue and take action to end the annual bloodbath, right?

Think again.

Sorry to say, but once again, instead of enacting the ban that good people around the world—including a great many in Canada—are demanding, the Canadian government continues to pour all its efforts into keeping the massacre going. Until the last minute, it was still lobbying the E.U. to change its mind.

Canadian bureaucrats can be pretty thickheaded, but we are determined to keep the pressure on them until they can't ignore it any longer. That means pushing the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games to get involved, buying American maple syrup instead of Canadian, and spreading the word to get other folks involved too!

Posted by Jeff Mackey

When we heard that the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) is selling cheap outdoor ad space to nonsponsors, you can be sure that only a few seconds passed before we signed up to place a billboard during the 2010 Olympic Games.

VANOC claims that the soft economy has created sluggish ad sales, so it's scrambling to make back some of the millions of dollars it spent stockpiling billboard space. Could it be that corporations are reluctant to spend their advertising dollars to support the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games when the word "Canada" is now synonymous worldwide with "baby seal slaughter?"

One thing is for certain—if VANOC accepts our offer, our billboard will be slated to educate visitors from all over the world about Canada's Olympic Games shame.

Posted by Karin Bennett

artsandopinion / CC

Now, before you Hardee's fans reach for your defibrillators, hear me out. Insurance companies charge you higher rates for other risky behaviors, such as smoking and skydiving, so why not charge you for chowing down on burgers and brats? After all, a Chili's Big Mouth Bites meal (which includes four "mini" bacon cheeseburgers) packs a whopping 2,350 calories! That's more calories than most people should eat in an entire day.

PETA has written to the top two medical insurance providers suggesting that they stick it to raise rates for meat-eaters while simultaneously lowering rates for vegetarians. In our letter, we point out that compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians are less prone to a myriad of ailments—including heart disease. (Heart disease, for those who are taking notes, is America's number-one killer disease.)

But hey, why wait for your insurance company to start charging you extra for those Buffalo wings and Philly cheese steaks? You can start doing your part to slash health care costs today by ordering a free copy of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit."

Posted by Alisa Mullins

blogs.catster / CC

How so?

• Nessel Development welcomes spayed and neutered companion animals with open arms—and features dog parks at its properties.
• Ari makes sure that every new resident receives a copy of PETA's "Vegetarian Starter Kit."
• Staff members at Nessel Development headquarters enjoy free vegan lunches.
• Ari strives to reduce his company's use of energy, water, and materials by renovating properties instead of building new ones and keeping everything as energy-efficient as possible.

For his efforts to promote animal rights and protect the environment, Ari Nessel has earned PETA's "Compassionate Company" Proggy Award.

He joins other caring individuals, companies, and charities—such as U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich, Payless Shoe Source, and the Avon Foundation—that are working to make this world a better place for the people and animals who inhabit it.

Posted by Karin Bennett

johnelkington / CC

The guilt that I carry around because of those poor fish has recently been rivaled by my anger and sadness at learning that Brookstone stores are hawking the "Frog-O-Sphere," a tiny aquatic prison that comes stocked with two African frogs and a snail (called "the janitor").

Brookstone tells its customers and employees that these frogs only need to have their water changed twice a year and to be fed twice a week. I can only imagine that those frogs will try to jump out of their cruel confines the first chance they get, so that they don't starve to death or die from poison.

Brookstone is offering a one-year warranty on the lives of the frogs, who can survive for five to 15 years in the wild. I guess that when the snail dies, the customers (and the frogs) are SOL—"the janitor" gets chucked into the garbage. And when customers place a complaint with the company, Brookstone offers up lame reasons why the Frog-O-Sphere is fine for these animals—reasons like "This species of frog will not out-grow the aquarium," and "when in the wild the African Dwarf Frogs generally live in a very small area of a pond or a stream." Then the company sends 'em 10 bucks.

PETA is squaring off with Brookstone, and we need you to write polite letters to the company urging it to join Magic Beans, "Tarjay," and other retailers that have stopped selling similar products prisons.

For anyone who insists on owning a portable, inexpensive, low-maintenance "aquarium," I have two words: "Koi Pond."

Posted by Karin Bennett

Check out this stellar tweet from My Name Is Earl star Ethan Suplee:

channel14 / CC

Way to spread the word, Ethan!

Posted by Shawna Flavell

This is it, people! The circus industry is built on masking animal torture as family fun—and it's time to force that industry to crumble. As you may know, this week PETA broke our latest undercover investigation into Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. With the powerful footage obtained by our investigator, we are closer than ever to seeing animals freed from the living hell that is life in the circus. Can you imagine being stolen from your mom and chained for an average of more than 26 hours at a time, sometimes for as many as 60–100 hours straight, only to be beaten and forced to perform day after day?

My friends, you're in a position to help end their suffering. How, you ask? For starters, watch the video. Second, sign this petition and forward it to all your friends via every social networking site you're on. (There are even links at the bottom of the petition to help you do it.)

And finally, my personal fave—get your booty on the street and protest like these hipsters!

Just think—this could be you!

Standing up for animals is fulfilling, to say the least. Believe me. So get on out there, y'all!

Posted by Missy Lane

You can't pick up a newspaper (or browse a news blog) anymore without seeing an article lamenting the state of the economy—especially when it comes to unemployment. The question on everyone's mind seems to be, "Are there any jobs available?" Sadly, the answer in the meager want ads seems to be a resounding "No."

But there's hope, people! One place, at least, is still hiring. Thanks to the exponentially increasing interest in animal rights (just look at the reactions to our new undercover investigation), PETA has been fortunate enough to be able to expand its workforce.

This video makes excellent points about PETA's mission, but I would like to add a few more reasons why working for PETA is the best job in the world*:

1. When somebody offers you a snack, there's no need to say, "Thanks, but is it vegan?" (It is!)
2. At PETA, every day is "Take Your Dog to Work Day." (If only Sir Dracula were up to making the trip to the office.)
3. When I tell people what I do for a living, they invariably ask me if I've ever gone naked for a protest. What a conversation-starter!
4. On a related note, two words: naked celebrities.
5. And, of course, there's the fact that you're helping to fight animal abuse around the world—and that's no small thing.

Convinced? I thought so. So head on over to check out our current job openings and give us a holler—we'd love to hear from you.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

*According to a recent study, the worst job in the world is that of a lumberjack. PETA has no lumberjack positions. Coincidence? Or evidence of how awesome PETA is?

marketplace.publicradio / CC

Yes, most chemicals put into a living, breathing body will kill you or leave you very, very ill. I'm sick and tired of hearing about these toxicity tests—sooo yesterday—and they continue to reap in funds so they can continue to torture and [maim] their victims. Cosmetics too—it's all BS!! [Vivisectionists] are just plain sadistic beings without a soul!!

The rest of you echoed her response.

Because this is an issue that resonates with so many people, I thought you might enjoy reading this article in the U.K.'s Guardian, written by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Tatchell attacks the recent Home Office report head-on and calls on the U.K. government to work diligently to rid the nation of crude animal experiments. The entire article is available after the jump.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Stimpy was wasting away. Whether he had a medical condition or simply couldn't compete for food against the other, stronger dog on the property is not clear. But he was obviously suffering and slowly dying.

After weeks of watching Stimpy's condition deteriorate while waiting for local authorities to intervene, a concerned citizen called PETA and asked us to step in. Our cruelty caseworkers leaped into action and quickly convinced animal control officers to visit the property. Once the officers arrived, they acknowledged that Stimpy's situation was desperate and convinced Stimpy's guardian to surrender custody of him.

Stimpy is just one example of the countless "backyard dogs" suffering at the hands of neglectful guardians. While these people may not intentionally abuse animals, the end result is the same: misery, anguish, and often death.

Animals left outside are put at risk by a range of hazards—including parasites, diseases, and weather extremes as well as "bunchers" (people who steal animals and sell them to laboratories) and other cruel people.

Our cruelty caseworkers constantly receive calls about "backyard dogs" like Stimpy, and regardless of whether the call is from New York City or Small Town, Arkansas, the stories are almost always the same. We know that abuse and neglect can happen anywhere, at anytime, and dogs like Stimpy rely on people like you to be on the look out for their suffering. So regardless of whether you live in a metropolis or in the middle of a cornfield—please keep your eyes and ears peeled for mistreated animals and speak up whenever you suspect foul play.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Oof.

I imagine this is what a certain fur hag might look like on a "good" day.

PETA's "Grim Reapers" recently greeted tourists at a crowded tour-bus stop in Toronto to reveal frightening facts about Canada's shame: the cruel slaughter of baby seals for their fur. Their scary outfits didn't stop tourists from high-fiving them—and tour bus operators were eager to point out our demonstrators to their passengers.

I'm dying to know: Which fugly fur wearer does our "Grim Reaper" most remind you of?

Posted by Karin Bennett

How appropriate is it that on the week that convicted dogfighter Michael Vick takes off his ankle bracelet and strolls out of his house a free man, we should roll out our new anti-dogfighting ad starring "Sugar" Shane Mosley?

Let's watch the World Boxing Association's reigning welterweight super champ in action, shall we?

"Sugar" Shane leads with an uppercut: "I'm a boxer. … My opponents and I know that when we step into the ring, we choose to be there and that if we don't come out on top, we can at least walk away."

Here comes a hook: "Dogfighting isn't like that. Dogs don't have the choice. Many of them get hurt badly or are cruelly killed."

The welterweight super champion finishes with a jab: "Dogfighting is dirty, it's cruel, and it's a loser's game …"

(The crowd of dog defenders stands and cheers the champ.)

Ooh, whatta knockout!

Follow the jump for some sweet, behind the scene footage of "Sugar" Shane.

Posted by Karin Bennett

PETA's favorite fur-free fashion designer, Stella McCartney, has recruited Bambi (and Thumper, Flower, and Owl) to star in ads for her fabulous fall collection, set to appear in the September issue of British Vogue (which has a longstanding policy against running fur ads and is not to be confused with its evil sister, U.S. Vogue).

According to British Vogue's Web site, Stella was inspired to incorporate characters from Disney's seminal anti-hunting movie into her ads because they remind her of her beloved mum, Linda, who, as we all know, was a PETA angel for animals and who passed her compassion gene along to her kind kids. Awwww …

Posted by Alisa Mullins

PETA Europe's "Sexiest Vegetarian," Leona Lewis, proved why she deserved her crown when she rescued a rabbit from a life on the streets—a life that was bound to end on someone's dinner plate.

fashionindie / CC

While out and about in L.A. this week, Leona noticed a homeless man with a tethered rabbit. When she asked the man what his plans for the rabbit were, he admitted that he might eat the bunny. Um … come again?! As a vegetarian and a diehard animal defender, Leona struck a deal with the man: She gave him $100 to buy proper food, and he gave up the rabbit.

Now, Melrose (the rabbit was named after the street he was found on) is living it up in the "Bleeding Love" superstar's posh L.A. pad. Jealous much?

A friend of Ms. Lewis said, "She didn't think life on a lead was any way for a rabbit to live—then when he said he was going to eat it she knew she had to save it." Swoon. If only all celebrities had that kind of "Spirit."

Posted by Christine Doré

This guy wasn't monkeying around when he and 300 animal defenders recently descended upon Guayama, Puerto Rico (aka "Pueblo de los Brujos" or "city of witches"), to condemn the proposed construction of a Bioculture monkey-breeding facility within city limits.

This plan is driving everyone—from PETA to local citizens—bananas because Bioculture reportedly wants to use the facility to breed wild monkeys and sell their babies for use in painful and cruel experiments. Even Guayama's mayor, Glorimari Jaime, is opposed to the facility's construction. Halfway through the protest, she came out of her office, stood on a bench, and told the group that she was on their side—and that she would support and join in civil disobedience with them.

The protest was picked up by media across the city, so my guess is that Puerto Rican governor Luis G. Fortuño has already caught wind of the public's outrage. Yesterday, we sent him a letter calling on him to halt consideration of the Bioculture facility—hopefully it will be the final nudge he needs to prevent its construction.

Our hats are off to the hundreds of caring people who have voiced their opposition to Bioculture—please join them.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Today we released a new investigation inside Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus that shows workers on video as they beat and whipped elephants dozens of times in venues across the country. It's an investigation that I helped work on.

Once investigators capture video from an investigation, my job is to review all the footage and meticulously record the abuses and other notable findings. From that, I prepare condensed versions of the video for the public to view and draft complaints to officials, which in the new investigation into Ringling amounted to nine complaints to a total of 20 federal and state offices.

At times, reviewing so much footage can be tedious and extremely upsetting, but it's nothing compared to the relentless suffering that the animals who are used by Ringling are subjected to.

Most of the investigations that I work on involve farmed animals, in which the longest life span is about two years (for a pig used for breeding purposes). Her two years going from gestation crate to farrowing crate and back, over and over, are miserable, but her suffering comes to an end. For the elephants used and abused by Ringling, the suffering can go on for decades, and there's no end in sight—unless PETA and the public can convince the USDA to seize these majestic, elderly psychologically damaged animals.

Many of these elephants have not known anything close to a "natural" life since they were caught in Asia decades before I was born, but now the USDA has the chance to make things right by moving these animals to a sanctuary where they will be able to roam around the vast area that they need in order to be healthy and happy. Our brave investigator has armed the USDA with the information that it needs in order to make this happen and finally end these animals' decades of suffering.

It is an honor to work on all our investigations, which are the heart and soul of PETA, but it has been the highest compliment ever to be able to work with our investigator to document the heartbreaking plight of the gentle giants who are abused by Ringling and give them a chance to escape from their long years of torment and beatings.

Now that we have given the feds more than sufficient evidence to seize these animals, I hope we will finally be able to make history for elephants.

By Dan Paden, Senior Research Associate

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winner of the To-Fu Kubricks is g.murphy. Congratulations!

I've always proudly displayed my vast snow globe collection, never mind that my husband calls it "junk." But ever since I discovered To-Fu Kubricks by Devil Robots, my snow globe collection is starting to seem a bit ho-hum.

dpmhi / CC

Who can resist these adorable, movable To-Fu Kubricks figures? Certainly not this tofu lover.

We've got one set of five of the smiling collectibles from Series 7 to give to the person who submits the most appealing tofu recipe in the comments section below.

The contest ends on August 5, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on August 7, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Posted by Karin Bennett

carolinelucasmep / CC

To make it all the more frustrating, only 70 percent of toxicity tests—the ones in which animals are deliberately poisoned to test chemicals—were required by law, meaning that nearly 30 percent of these archaic and needless tests could have been abandoned entirely.

While the number of European tests are rocketing up, the numbers of new medical treatments are going down—not to mention that 90 percent of drugs that pass animal trials fail in humans. All of this from a nation that is leaps and bounds ahead of the U.S. in approving non-animal testing methods for lab studies.

These numbers show us just how vital it is for compassionate people to take action. If we don't speak up, the suffering of animals will continue to be ignored.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

commons.wikimedia / CC

You may remember that we recently wrote to the Iowa State Fair asking it to refrain from making a Michael Jackson statue out of butter and instead to use Earth Balance, a delicious nondairy spread. We reminded the fair that the King of Pop himself—a vocal supporter of children's health charities—would not appreciate his image being carved out of an unhealthy, fatty spread (not to mention one so detrimental to animals).

Well, the fair officials put it to a vote, and after more than 100,000 votes were counted, about 65 percent of fairgoers had voted against erecting the statue. Looks like we weren't the only ones who thought this was a "bad" idea.

Posted by Christine Doré

armybase / CC

RTI was quick to release a statement in which it clarified, "Despite the far-reaching reports that this includes 'human bodies,' the public can be assured that the engine … runs on fuel no scarier than twigs, grass clippings and wood chips—small, plant-based items for which RTI's robotic technology is designed to forage."

In other words, don't worry. Unlike some machines, these robots are vegetarians.

Since most vegetarians are willing to fight for all living creatures, I feel safer already just knowing that these foraging bots are on our side.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

To clarify PETA's position on pit bulls: We're for 'em.

By "for 'em," I mean that we are for pit bull protection, for their happiness, and for treating them like dogs instead of like cheap burglar alarms, punching bags, or gladiators in perverted death matches.

Some pit bull fanciers out there seem to think that PETA is "against" pit bulls because we don't oppose breed-specific measures to address what is obviously a breed-specific crisis. Au contraire. If someone proposed a ban on breeding Labrador retrievers or Chihuahuas or poodles (you get the picture―any dog), we'd be for those too. That's because we don't think any dogs should be brought into the world as long as millions are dying for lack of homes in animal shelters and on the streets every year.

Millions, people. Millions of dogs just like the ones you share your homes with have to be euthanized because too many people fail to spay and neuter their animals and choose to buy from breeders and pet stores instead of saving lives by adopting from animal shelters. Wouldn't we be derelict in our duty if we didn't support laws that would alleviate suffering and reduce those numbers? If those laws saved just one animal from suffering a miserable life or a painful death, wouldn't they be worth it?

Pit bulls are often singled out by legislators because they are involved in so many attacks on humans and other dogs—as well as horrific cruelty cases. Our fieldworkers know firsthand just how frequently and mercilessly pit bulls are abused. These dogs are hands-down the most common victims of heartbreaking abuse and severe neglect that our caseworkers encounter.

I'm going to warn you—the following pictures, which were taken by our caseworkers of pit bulls they have helped, are graphic and disturbing. But I hope you'll steel yourself to look at them and decide for yourself whether or not these suffering dogs would have been better off if they had never been born:

This is Rikus.

PETA fieldworkers found him cowering in his doghouse with a gaping wound on one of his legs, exposing muscle and bone. His face was swollen to the size of a melon because of infected wounds that he had suffered during a dogfight.

Music was nothing more than skin and bones when we found him, without food or water, and with nothing but a rusty pile of junk for shelter. He was shivering in freezing weather, trapped at the end of a heavy chain.

Music's ears were shredded and his body was covered with scabs and scars—an indication that he had been forced to fight with other dogs.

In December of last year, PETA staffers found Zoo—also skin and bones—chained and starving in Suffolk, Virginia.

Our vet determined that Zoo was 20 to 30 pounds underweight. Zoo tested negative for intestinal parasites—meaning that his emaciated body condition was because of starvation. He was also filthy, flea-ridden, and heartworm positive. We charged his callous owners with cruelty to animals. They pleaded not guilty in court, but the judge saw through their lies and convicted them. They were sentenced to 30 days in jail (suspended) and forced to pay fines of $250 each as well as restitution for Zoo's veterinary bill.

On New Year's Day, heartbroken PETA staffers discovered this angel, Hugo, dead inside his PETA-supplied doghouse. A necropsy report confirmed that Hugo had been starved to death—the only contents of his stomach were grass and orange peels. He had scars consistent with dogfighting and had a fractured rib that was the result of trauma. We worked with law enforcement officials to bring charges against the person who was responsible for Hugo's prolonged suffering and death. A judge sentenced the defendant to 120 days in jail and five years of probation during which time he is not allowed to inhabit a residence that has any animals in it.

Blackie was chained to an old carrier with no food or water. He was painfully thin, and his right rear leg had a compound fracture that had been left to rot for weeks.

For more information about PETA's position on pit bulls, check out our new pamphlet on the subject.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

The adorable peta2 mascot, Not a Nugget, is out to educate people about an issue that is near and dear to his heart: the abuse of chickens killed for McDonald's Happy Meals. To alert young and old alike to the suffering that goes into every McNugget, Not a Nugget is embarking on a tour of the U.S., tirelessly handing out free Unhappy Meals to each and every McDonald's customer who crosses his path.

Our Unhappy Meals include a menacing "Ronald McDonald" cutout, a "blood"-filled packet, a "bloody" plastic chicken, and a "McCruelty" T-shirt wrapped in such a way that it resembles a chicken sandwich.

Our Unhappy Meal just might be the first toy for this couple's impending bundle of joy.

These kids were quick to pick up our posters once they learned how chickens are killed for McDonald's Happy Meals.

Who's cuter? Tough decision.

McDonald's has lost a lot of customers because it hasn't acted to eliminate the worst abuses of chickens killed for its restaurants.

Want to know when Not a Nugget is going to be in your town? Sign up for our Action Team today and find out about demonstrations in your area.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

harrywalker / CC

That's what comedian Jerry Stiller had to say as he was leaving a screening of The Cove, a documentary about the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. During the slaughter, some of the young dolphins are captured and sent to aquariums to be put on display. But Stiller won't be going to see them—and neither will many of the other people who see this powerful movie.

Look for The Cove at a theater near you on July 31.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

celebritysmackblog / CC

An anonymous whistleblower at an Illinois Park District contacted PETA after witnessing the owners of Ed and Annette's Monkeys & More—a company that provides animals for parties and other functions—transport Lisa Marie (the baby chimpanzee) in a Rubbermaid bin to and from events.

Ed and Annette purchased Lisa Marie from a Missouri primate breeder who removed her from her mother within weeks of birth. Now, when she's not being dragged to community events and children's parties, Lisa Marie lives alone in a barren cage. She will likely grow too strong for her handlers by the time she's 8 years old and be tossed aside to a roadside zoo to languish for decades—if she doesn't have a breakdown and hurt someone first.

To show support for our efforts to rescue Lisa Marie and other baby chimpanzees from abuse in the entertainment industry, Lisa Marie Presley has written to Ed and Annette's Monkeys & More urging them to release her namesake to an accredited sanctuary.

As a lifelong Elvis fan, I think he'd agree that any business that cashes in on chimpanzees is "Too Much Monkey Business."

Posted by Karin Bennett

Here's your first look at PETA's newest campaign: "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts."

We first launched "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts" as a youth-oriented peta2 campaign, but the reaction from everyone, regardless of age, was "Awww!"

So below are pictures of our first "Big PETA" "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts" campaign event. We promise more to come. So who knows? You just might be greeted by our giant, loveable rat on your next trip to the pharmacy. He's traversing the U.S. and letting everyone who crosses his path know that reducing animal suffering is as easy as refusing to buy products from companies that test on animals.

Our giant rat won the hearts of North Carolina residents—who could support an industry that harms such cute animals?

To make it easy for shoppers, we distributed free shopping guides that list companies that don't test on animals.

Personal-care and household products are force-fed to animals and smeared into animals' eyes during tests.

Tons of locals, including an Aveda Institute student, urged shoppers to buy only cruelty-free products.

So next time you head to the store to stock up on cosmetics and household products, arm yourself with PETA's free shopping guide and don't go breakin' any hearts.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

To the thieves who helped themselves to a "clubhouse climber" that was in the yard of a small day-care center in Syracuse, New York, we'd like to say, "Thanks!"

Sure, it was deplorable for them to steal from a day-care center—but because they did, PETA now has an opportunity to save the lives of countless animals and children. We've offered to replace the stolen item with a jungle gym that features ads that make the connection between skyrocketing childhood obesity rates and meaty meals—and encourage healthier vegetarian fare.

In our letter to the day-care center operator, Mary Jarvis, PETA's Tracy Reiman points out that eating meat and other animal products feeds the childhood obesity epidemic and contributes to the rise of type 2 diabetes and early signs of heart disease in children.

We think our proposal is a real win-win for the day-care center. What do you think?

Posted by Karin Bennett

This New Yorker usually steers clear of Midtown, thanks to the crowds, the horse-drawn carriages, and Macy's.

But I'm willing to ride the jam-packed Q to Times Square because I'm excited to see PETA's eye-popping McCruelty posters, which features an illustrated eye of a chicken who's been scalded to death and have been plastered all over Midtown. These posters are a follow-up to last week's Chi-town light show and are meant to pressure McDonald's to implement new slaughterhouse technology that would eliminate the worst abuses of chickens killed for McNuggets.

If you're like me, you're wondering where our eye-catching ad will show up next. Maybe on a huge banner draped over the St. Louis Arch? Share your suggestions in the comments section below.

Posted by Karin Bennett

"Why?" That was the response I received each time I told someone that I was going to intern at PETA this summer. They were apprehensive that I would be thrust into a world of crazed, paint-throwing vegans, but I assured them that I'd be working for a great cause with passionate—and, yes, completely normal—individuals. So, ready to fight for animal rights, I hopped on a plane and was transported to a world of animals, exciting work, and great food. Here are a few highlights from my month-long stint as an intern:

• My very first demonstration was against UniverSoul circus, which unwisely decided to set up shop here in Norfolk, Virginia. When I arrived at the venue and saw the dejected tigers lying in their cramped cages, I realized just how important this protest would be.
• At the office, not only did I get to play with all our canine friends, I was also able to work on creative research projects, speak with enthusiastic activists, and finally have a legitimate reason to go on Facebook and MySpace!

• I got to travel! Before I knew it, I was packing my handbag and heading out to Coney Island for a demonstration on the opening night of Ringling Bros. Circus. We set up directly in front of the entrance to the enormous blue and yellow striped tents—where countless animals suffer for "entertainment"—and proceeded to capture the attention of every circusgoer who walked past us. I was touched when one couple came up to me to learn more about the ways circuses often beat their "animal performers" and then decided to turn around and deny Ringling their business!

• I also got to protest the grand opening of a McDonald's in Virginia Beach. Even though the owner offered us cheeseburgers and turned the sprinklers on us, it was great to see everyone's animated response to our presence—not to mention our "chicken," who danced around and hugged children.

My PETA internship was one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences an animal lover could have because, in the end, it's all about the animals. Oh, and the delicious vegan lunches that were served every day didn't hurt either!

Posted by Sarah Hamshari

dawkinswatch / cc

First came word that cotton-top tamarin monkeys can "acquire an affixation rule that shares important properties with our inflectional morphology." Gotta love scientific jargon, huh? Put a bit more simply, they can recognize when a word doesn't have the suffix or prefix they expect to hear. So if you're striking up a conversation with a monkey, watch your language because you're not the only one who knows what "caging" and "killing" means.

Then we learned that rhesus monkeys use the same mechanism—"configural perception" (well, natch)—as humans do to recognize faces. Turns out that monkeys also experience the "Thatcher Effect," which, yes, is named after the former British prime minister. If you don't know what the Thatcher Effect is—I didn't—here's more about it. (If you don't know who Margaret Thatcher is, I can't help you.)

So let's see. Monkeys can recognize Margaret Thatcher upside down. They know prefixes and suffixes, can speak in sentences (and with accents), and can even do math. Heck, they have a stronger skill set than some people I've worked with—although not at PETA, of course. But they're definitely overqualified to be caged and tortured in laboratories at Columbia University or Covance. What really blows my mind is how experimenters can discover all of this and still torture and kill monkeys. Maybe we should be conducting tests on experimenters' empathy instead.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

thehollywoodgossip / cc

We are, of course, rooting hard for Ethan and Jenna—remember when they posed au naturel for our "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign? And we were elated to learn that one of the first steps they took toward battling Ethan's cancer was to switch immediately to a vegetarian diet.

We recently had the opportunity to ask Ethan and Jenna a few questions about the couple's switch to a vegetarian lifestyle, and as you can see from their answers, they couldn't be more pleased with their decision. More energy and the chance to help animals and the environment? As Jenna says, "You can't get any better than that, in my mind!"

What made you decide to go vegetarian?
Jenna: When Ethan was diagnosed with cancer, we decided that we need to be careful about what we put in our bodies. So we went vegetarian together!

Have you ever considered going vegetarian in the past?
Ethan: I was on a macrobiotic diet when I was younger and my father was ill. My entire family made the change to macro to help my father and the cancer he was battling. In addition, I was a vegetarian for 14 years before going on Survivor.

How did you make the transition? Was it gradual, or did you stop eating meat cold (faux) turkey?
Jenna: We actually made the transition pretty quickly—just cutting out everything right away. Now, with so many great faux-meat products, it's not as hard as people think anymore to go vegetarian. For instance, in the grocery store are many great faux-meat options, like Gardenburger meatless buffalo chicken wings. Ethan was a huge fan of buffalo chicken wings, so these are a good replacement!

How do you feel since making the switch to a vegetarian diet—any different?
Ethan: Yes! We feel like we have more energy and do not consume that many calories during the day.

Studies have shown that the meat industry is deadly to the environment—not only does it contribute to water pollution and deforestation, it's also the biggest contributor to greenhouse gasses and climate change. What do you think about going vegetarian as a way to help the environment?
Jenna: I think that any way to help the environment is a bonus, and going vegetarian not only helps the environment but also helps animals too! You can't get any better than that, in my mind!

Posted by Amanda Schinke

This week is the one-year anniversary of Jeff Corriveau's nationally syndicated comic strip, DeFlocked! If you aren't reading it already, you should start checking it out daily.

Click for a larger version

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

It's National Veggie Dog Day! This means that vegetarians across our great nation are pulling out the charcoal and gathering their friends for a summer feast that they won't soon forget. In honor of this year's "holiday," we assembled several of our nation's finest ladies, including Playboy Playmate of the Year—and stunning vegetarian—Jayde Nicole, on Capitol Hill.

Wearing only a lettuce bikini and her 1,000-watt smile, Jayde helped us get our healthy, humane, and tasty veggie dogs to our nation's finest congressmembers. While serving up the "dogs" to politicians and passersby, Jayde reminded each person that "the best way to safeguard your health, reduce your carbon footprint, save animals' lives, and look your very best is to go vegetarian."

For those of you who can't get enough of Jayde, there are more photos of her after the jump.

Posted by Christine Doré

theage / CC

The mulesing mutilation is the practice of slicing chunks of flesh from around sheep's tails—without any pain relief—to prevent "flystrike" (i.e., to prevent sheep from being eaten alive by maggots in the folds of flesh on their rump). Flystrike is awful, of course, but there are plenty of humane alternatives to mutilation for flystrike prevention that are in use by many wool farmers. In fact, New Zealand has done away with mulesing altogether!

Sunshine's action will hopefully force folks like Australian Wool Innovation Chair Wal Merriman to abandon this cruel practice once and for all. In a recent article, Merriman thumbed his nose at retailers and consumers by admitting that he will continue to mules his sheep, despite the fact that a growing list of retailers, including H&M, Perry Ellis, Adidas, and many others, want only nonmulesed wool.

Sunshine said in its letter to the Federation of Australian Wool Organisations: "In the last three years, increasing requests have been made from our major international customers to provide product as made from non-mulesed Australian wool due to the strong pressure of the animal liberation movement."

In other words, keep those cards and letters coming!

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Oh, and we can't forget about the addition of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Naval Woman to this year's crew. For all of you who are just as thrilled by the addition of Jane Taylor to the Steve Irwin crew as I am, I'll let you in on a little secret: She may be back in the future. Want to know more? Just read our interview with her below:

How did your training in the Navy prepare you for your position with Sea Shepherd?
I spent my six and a half years in the Navy as a surface warfare officer, where I was assigned to a marine transport ship in San Diego, California, and a frigate out of Seattle, Washington. On both of those vessels, I was required to be a small-boat officer, which made me very familiar with Sea Shepherd's Delta and Gemini launching, recovery, and general small-boat operations. I've spent countless hours in a Navy small boat. I was also required to qualify as an officer of the watch, so I had experience with ship maneuvering (but not through ice!), navigation, rules of the road, helicopter operations, radars, radio communication, and everything else that comes along with being on the bridge of a 300- to 500-foot ship. As a bonus, I was also a helicopter control officer on the frigate, ensuring the safety of a helicopter when launching and recovering.

The difference: Sea Shepherd plays music on the bridge, we get to ride the bow in major storms, our ship's log has drawings and colorful stamps (after three mistakes in the Navy, you have to rewrite the log) ... and the Steve Irwin is vegan!

What was the most rewarding part of your post with Sea Shepherd?
I would say being able to utilize my skills in an appropriate arena—the ocean—and feeling useful. The ultimate for an animal activist is to go on campaign and be in the action and feel the wind and sea spray and life as opposed to being in an office, which, of course, is important as well.

It was wonderful. The day we found the fleet, a minke whale crossed in between us and the factory ship, Nisshin Maru, and we knew we were his or her protector. The whale could safely carry on and live another peaceful day, and to do that for at least one whale was a mission accomplished. But we knew we couldn't stop there ... whaling needs to end.

What was one of the most difficult things about fighting against whalers?
When we were out in the Southern Ocean, it was four against one. The harpoon ships are so fast and maneuverable (they could do a 180 in their own wake!) and easily did circles around us. It made it difficult to ever feel as though we had the upper hand, and we often felt a bit like a tin can. It would be amazing if we were no longer outnumbered.

Here are some stats:

	Length	Tonnage
Steve Irwin	60 meters/196 feet	885 gross register tonnage
Harpoon ships (Yushin Maru)		1025 gross register tonnage
Factory Ship (Nisshin Maru)	130 meters/425feet	8000 gross register tonnage

What animal rights issues are you most passionate about?
It was very difficult to decide where to focus my efforts, but I thought Sea Shepherd was the perfect place since I have skills for ship-handling, guts for action, and a heart for humanity.

Immediately, I would like to work on getting Sea Shepherd another ship to use down in Antarctica. But in addition to focusing on marine life, I will also be concentrating my efforts on ending vivisection—another arena of extreme cruelty to animals.

Whale Wars can be a pretty intense show. Have you ever had a moment where you thought you couldn't keep going? What made you persevere?
There was never a moment when I thought I couldn't keep going. All the action was extremely intense with lots of adrenaline going through everyone's blood. The action became very addicting, and when we had to leave the whaling fleet, it was very, very disappointing. I was not ready to leave. We definitely need more ships out there.

Now for the question on everyone's mind: How has being named PETA's Sexiest Naval Woman positively affected your life?
It's a very fun title to have, and who wouldn't be honored to have the title of PETA's Sexiest Naval Woman? I thought there might only be two vegetarians out there to compete with, but what a wonderful surprise to hear that there were so many! I'm looking forward to wearing my winning T-shirt and sparking some interesting conversations with animal lovers, as well as educating those who want to debate the issues.

Can we look forward to a third season of the show?
Oh, yes. There is a third season. Sea Shepherd has just merged with Earthrace, a round-the-world, record-breaking trimaran, so I suspect that the tactics next year are going to be completely different. Anything could happen when you bring a boat that looks like a spaceship down to the Southern Ocean!

Will you be on deck again?
Oh, I got so addicted to Sea Shepherd's campaigns that I want to go on all of them! Before the merge, I met Earthrace in New Zealand and loved the boat, so I will be trying out to crew on it. With Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's new popularity, there are so many new, interesting, skilled, and keen volunteers, so I'm not sure if I will be selected, but my fingers are crossed!

Posted by Shawna Flavell

movies.msn / CC

(pause)

… Shoot, what was that one?

… Oh, yeah, Jurassic Park! Anyway, Sam Neill's fossilizing career now has him plugging the consumption of artery-clogging meat from abused cows, pigs, and other animals in commercials for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).

In the ads, MLA has Mr. Neill suggesting that eating meat will make a person smarter (hardly) and more energetic (not so). And as if that weren't offensive enough, Sam's co-star in the two spots is an orangutan named Dennis.

Jason Baker, director of PETA Asia-Pacific, wasted no time—or words—in his letter to Mr. Neill:

"Seeing you pimp for an industry that is linked to the main killers of human beings as well as of animals is, well, sad."

Jason continues:

"Some of the most accomplished and brilliant thinkers in history were vegetarian—including Einstein, Leonardo de Vinci, Plato, Pythagoras, Mahatma Gandhi and Isaac Newton. Studies published in the British Medical Journal have shown that people with a higher IQ are more likely to go vegetarian—yes, it really is the smart choice."

It's a no-brainer. A vegetarian diet is better for your brain, animals, and environment. Hopefully, Mr. Neill will realize this and get out of the meat-promoting business before his career reaches full-blown extinction.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winner of the Bella Dog Bed is Jeanette Rampersad. Congratulations!

Years ago, I used to bring my dog, Lulu, to work with me at the PETA office. Lulu was content to snore the afternoons away, burrowed deep in a box of recycled paper. She was comfy in her eco-friendly dog bed, but I thought it was a bit undignified. She was, after all, sleeping in a waste bin.

dogtime / CC

If Lulu were around today, I'm sure she'd be ecstatic to learn that today's canine siestas can be comfortable and eco-chic, thanks to the Bella Dog Bed, which is made from recycled plastic soft drink bottles. The folks at Modern Eco Homes, an online emporium that sources all its eco-friendly products from the Internet's most innovative green merchants, were able to contribute one Bella Dog Bed for us to give away. And if you want it, you got it—if you leave a comment with the most appropriate caption for the photo below:

flickr / CC

The contest ends on July 29, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on July 31, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Posted by Karin Bennett

baseballevolution / CC

Not that I had any doubt in Prince. After all, this vegetarian is the youngest player in history to hit 50 homers in a season.

Prince's ability to knock the socks off the crowd while knocking ball after ball out of the park got us thinking about the power of tofu and the rest of the derby participants. It's no secret that they could benefit if they followed in Prince's footsteps and made the switch to a vegetarian diet. Not only would they likely see an improvement in their health, they might see an improvement in their game, too—as Prince Fielder is home run–hitting proof. So, in the hopes of "beefing" up the competition for next year's derby, we are sending a copy of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" to each of this year's sluggers. Hopefully, they'll learn that by dropping the ballpark franks and picking up veggie dogs, they'll be hitting a grand slam for baseball fans and animals.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Yesterday, PETA's "Soy Cream" Ladies were willing to brave the 107-degree Arizona high-noon heat in order to bring delicious—and cruelty-free—frozen desserts to the citizens of Tucson. Not a single person who ventured past these lovely ladies was able to resist a free Tofutti Cutie or a sexy smile. The PETA gals gave away 200 of the frozen treats and even more leaflets explaining why dairy-free is always the way to go.

I can't tell you how much I love these retro-inspired "Soy Cream" Lady outfits! Where can I get one?

"Which do I love more—my skateboard or Tofutti Cuties?" Don't worry, friend. You can have both!

Speaking of cuties—cow's milk is the number-one source of allergies in children, so Tofutti Cuties are not only delicious but much healthier than dairy products.

And remember: If it's iced coffee weather, it's absolutely Tofutti Cutie weather.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

rd / CC

Bolivia is no stranger to looking out for animals. The country already set a precedent when it banned its military from mutilating dogs and other animals during training exercises. And with the passage of this new law, elephants, lions, tigers, horses, dogs, and all other animals who are forced to live in shackles or cages—and are routinely beaten into submission in order to perform unnatural circus "tricks"—will no longer be subjected to these cruelties in Bolivia.

And as if that weren't enough, PETA is now working closely with the Bolivian government on the country's first national animal protection framework law. If the measure is adopted, it would make Bolivia a global leader in animal welfare.

With the way things are moving, it seems that animals in Bolivia are on a fast track to having all the simple inalienable rights they deserve.

On behalf of animals in Bolivia, muchas gracias to President Morales, Member of Congress Ximena Flores, and concerned citizen Ana Serrano Revollo for all their hard work in making this law prohibiting animal circuses a reality!

Posted by Missy Lane

Celebrate by watching this Creole (not cruel) "Running of the Bulls."

Posted by Karin Bennett

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) held its annual convention in Seattle this weekend and—despite public outcry—allowed attendees to participate in a dead-fish toss.

I don't know about y'all, but when I'm looking for an "outrageously fun" time, I go dancing. I don't throw around corpses. So to remind the AVMA that sea kittens feel pain just as dogs and cats do—and to provide a memorable image of the suffering that the AVMA willingly supports—we held a stunning demonstration in front of the conference for all attendees and Seattleites to see:

Our eye-catching display reminded people that the AVMA was responsible for suffocating sea kittens.

Is it just me, or did the guy in the middle kind of luck out with the seating arrangement?

Weekend shoppers and media personnel spent much of their time admiring these "dead fish."

In the words of PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman, "The AVMA is a trade group that often sides with animal abusers, not with animals. People expect more from the very people who are charged with helping and protecting animals."

Hopefully the attention-grabbing demonstration armed people with some future lifesaving knowledge.

Posted by Christine Doré

The G8 Summit has been all over the news this weekend. And one of the top stories to emerge from this gathering of great minds? Sarah Brown, wife of British prime minister Gordon Brown, shunned veal—not once but twice! She even tweeted about it:

img.thesun.co / CC

This isn't the first time Mrs. Brown has refused to support the cruel veal industry. At the NATO Summit in Strasbourg earlier this year, she refused to eat veal or foie gras!

Mrs. Brown apparently realizes that in the veal industry, calves are ripped from their mothers' care immediately after they are born. They are then tethered in small, dark pens—unable to move more than a single step in any direction—and fed a diet lacking in necessary nutrients. All this is done in order to keep their flesh "tender" for when these babies are killed for someone's dinner.

Kudos to Mrs. Brown for taking a stand against animal abuse. You can follow her lead by ordering a free copy of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" today.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

flickr / CC

Last week, we received word from a whistleblower that a dolphin named Dixie, who is exploited in SeaWorld's Discovery Cove "swim with dolphins" attraction in Orlando, gave birth to a stillborn infant. What's more, even though SeaWorld knew that Dixie was due to give birth, the park apparently did not have a veterinarian available for Dixie at any point during or after her labor. She was forced to endure this traumatic experience—and its aftermath—without proper care.

This information came to us just a few short weeks after another dolphin, Scarlet, and her unborn fetus died at Discovery Cove. In that case, we were told that the necropsy revealed that Scarlet's uterus had ruptured while she was pregnant, causing the calf to be released into her body cavity.

These disgraceful incidents clearly show that SeaWorld and other aquariums don't really care about the well-being of the animals they incarcerate, so we have filed a complaint with the USDA calling for investigations into Scarlet's death and the lack of care provided to Dixie.

We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, if you're going to Florida this summer (or any other time), there are lots of great places to visit where your money won't go toward hurting smart, sensitive animals.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Animals—from horses to birds as well as those killed for their fur, skin, and flesh—have a friend in Dan Piraro, creator of the wonderfully offbeat internationally syndicated cartoon Bizarro.

Now Dan has stepped up for cats used in excruciating (and scientifically inferior) pediatric intubation training at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Trainees who are enrolled in the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course at the facility repeatedly force plastic tubes down cats' windpipes. This painful procedure often causes bleeding and swelling in the tissues of the cats' throats and can also lead to scarring, collapsed lungs, and even death! Manikins and advanced simulators have proved superior to the use of animals for intubation training, and the sponsor of the PALS course, the American Heart Association (AHA), exclusively recommends the use of these humane methods—not animals—for this training. The AHA has also distanced itself from the few facilities such as St. Louis Children's Hospital that continue to use animals in PALS.

Dan, a former student at Washington University in St. Louis (which offers the PALS course in conjunction with St. Louis Children's Hospital), has fired off a letter to the editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, writing, "It doesn't take a medical degree to recognize that practicing intubation on a limp cat is nothing like doing the same procedure on a larger, crying, squirming and/or coughing human child." And to make that point even clearer, he included this cartoon:

Click for a larger version

Definitely worth a thousand words! But you don't have to be an artist to tell St. Louis Children's Hospital that "first, do no harm" should include our feline friends—all you have to do is click here.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

earthfirst / CC

Homeless cats at the Odessa animal shelter—just a stone's throw away from the star's birthplace in Midland—are purchased by the university's Health Sciences Center and then abused and killed in medical training exercises. Faculty members and trainees force plastic tubes down the cats' throats and stab needles into their chests for procedures that invariably result in pain and death for the animals. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association exclusively endorse the use of modern, human-like manikins—not live animals—for this kind of training in their courses.

Here's part of Woody's letter to Texas Tech President John Baldwin:

Harming and killing shelter animals for these exercises is unjustifiable, especially as realistic manikins that more accurately represent human anatomy and better prepare medical professionals to treat injured and sick children are readily available. . . . I and countless others around the state are deeply discouraged to learn that Texas Tech is taking advantage of the tragic abundance of abandoned animals.

Cheers to Woody for speaking out against these cruel exercises. Wood you (ouch) join him in protesting these cruel, outdated procedures?

Posted by Karin Bennett

The year was 1989. Grandpa Bush moved into the White House. Actor/dolphin protector Hayden Panettiere was born. And most Americans had never even heard of the Internet.

That same year, experiments were initiated at the University of Wisconsin in which rhesus monkeys were crammed into tiny, barren metal cages, slated to spend their entire lives as experiments in order to study the effects of diet on aging.

Fast-forward to 2009: These highly social animals are still isolated in cages—they've been there for two decades. One half of the population of 76 monkeys has been deliberately underfed for the past 20 years. All of them have been unable to take more than a step or two in any direction since arriving at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and—if researchers have their way—all these monkeys will continue to suffer until they die, which could take another 15 years.

supercentenarian / CC

The results of this experiment: After years of starvation, the "calorie-restricted" animals looked "less wrinkled and flabby."

The senior author of this grossly inhumane study, University of Wisconsin-Madison's Richard Weindruch, is blatantly ignoring the positive effects of exercise on the human heart, bone health, and body weight. And dozens of highly social, active animals have been condemned to a lifetime of isolation, without even the simplest yet meaningful benefit of cagemates, because of it. So, we've filed a complaint with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture stating that the positive health effects of caloric restriction have already been confirmed in short-term human trials and that the suffering endured by these monkeys is not justified by the perceived benefit of the experiment.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Photo © Rommel Manuel

Since 1981, Sisi had been incarcerated at the Manila Zoo. Although orangutans are tree-dwelling animals, Sisi was forced to live much of her life in a tiny, litter-filled concrete-and-steel enclosure. She was on display continually in a cage that was surrounded by noisy souvenir stands and food vendors, and she was provided with nothing to hold her interest, help her pass the time, or stimulate her keen senses.

Sisi's death, reportedly from cancer, is just one indication of how animals have been left in deteriorating health without veterinary care at this atrocious zoo. Because PETA Asia-Pacific remains concerned about the well-being of the surviving animals at the Manila Zoo, who all lack the space, exercise, privacy, and mental stimulation that they require, the organization has decided to send a funeral wreath to the zoo in Sisi's honor. The wreath includes a ribbon emblazoned with the message "Sisi: Suffered in Life, Peace in Death" and will be accompanied by a card calling on zoo officials to close the facility's doors.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

If you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint, changing your light bulbs is a good start—but PETA's Lettuce Ladies are on a mission to let people know that there's a better (and more delicious) way to go green. Our environmental crusaders' first stop was the Consumers Energy building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they gave passersby free veggie burgers and—for some instant gratification to show the environmental impact of adopting a vegetarian diet—coupons for $10 off their energy bills.

Eat to save the planet? Sign me up!

A local man declared, "Wow! This is way better than McDonald's."

Grand Rapids couldn't resist our environmentally friendly veggie burgers.

Be on the lookout for PETA's Lettuce Ladies in your town!

According to Environmental Defense, if every American replaced meat with vegetarian foods just once per week, the carbon dioxide savings would be equivalent to taking more than half a million cars off U.S. roads. So, how about cooking up a vegetarian meal for dinner tonight?

Posted by Liz Graffeo

For the first time in nearly 15 years, a human has died after being gored by a bull at the Running of the Bulls.

How many bulls have died this time around as a direct result of being gored by humans?

All of them.

banbloodsports / CC

Every year, all bulls who are sent charging down the narrow, winding streets of Pamplona end up in the bullring. We're not talking about one bull here. We're talking hundreds and hundreds over the course of 15 years.

Nobody has died at the Running of the Nudes.

You do the math.

Watch video footage of the Running of the Bulls and goring here.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

flickr / CC

10. Musician Kevin Eubanks—former World's Sexiest Vegetarian—is as sweet as strawberries.
9. The king of improv, Fred Willard, struggles to name our spay-and-neuter campaign.
8. Jewish, lesbian, or vegan? Comedic genius Carol Leifer is all three. Watch her gush about the pluses of a vegetarian diet.
7. Legendary tennis champ John McEnroe shows his awesome sense of humor—and the importance of spaying and neutering.
6. See "Brad Pitt" star in funnyman Kevin Nealon's veggie testimonial.
5. Our scorching veggie vixens have a fetish for broccoli in "Veggie Love." Are you laughing or just blushing?
4. A zucchini gets an "X" rating? It's hard to believe—until you see our "Sexy Sausage" ad.
3. Phew! See what really stinks in PETA's "Litterbox" ad.
2. Sex and the City's saucy Samantha Jones, played by Kim Catrall, seems like a meek kitten compared to the stars of "Sex and the Kitty."
1. Our "Milk Gone Wild" ad was nixed from the lineup of Super Bowl ads. I suspect network executives didn't want breast-fixated male viewers to stress about their own milk-induced "doobs" (that's short for "dude boobs").

I admit that the order of this list was subjective, so why don't you leave a comment to tell us which PETA PSA you think is the funniest?

Posted by Karin Bennett

Finally, I'll be able to watch Top Chef with a clear conscience! Have you heard the deliciously good news? The Bravo show has announced its list of guest judges for the upcoming season, and on the roster is none other than the stunning vegan actor Ms. Natalie Portman!

realitywanted / CC

I can't not love this show!

While it crushes my little heart each time the show's chefs spotlight animal unfriendly cuisine, you and I both know what must be in store if they're open to featuring Natalie. Given that the gal won't even wear leather for a big-screen role (instead ensuring that producers find her cruelty-free synthetics) and is an ethical vegan, we can be sure that the show's contestants will cook up some dishes that we'll all want to devour.

Posted by Missy Lane

thisislondon.co / CC

Believe it or not, the organizers of this year's Iowa State Fair are considering erecting a statue of M.J. made out of butter. While we can definitely appreciate the creativity of their suggestion, we think that they are going about it all wrong. Michael devoted much of his life and fortune to children's health charities, and the notion of promoting artery-clogging butter to young passersby is quite the opposite of "healing the world"—and enough to make Mike roll over in his golden casket.

We do respect Iowans' right to honor the late icon, so we've come up with a solution—one that's good for children, cows, and Michael's legacy. We're suggesting that the fair make the statue out of Earth Balance, a dairy-free natural "buttery" spread, instead. By keeping their tribute to Mr. Jackson dairy-free, they'd be honoring his memory in a (cholesterol-free) way that's fit for a king.

Posted by Christine Doré

In the wake of the death of Oscar G. Mayer, we are offering those at Kraft Foods our condolences and support during these difficult times. We understand that laying someone to rest is often a time when we try to find the silver lining to an otherwise gray cloud, and we can think of no better way to derive something positive from this death than by burying the Wienermobile along with Mr. Mayer.

The Wienermobile traverses the countryside and entices children to try Oscar Mayer meats, which can set them on the road to developing life-threatening illnesses. And while the late Oscar G. Mayer famously gave his meat a first name and a last name too—there are millions of cows who will never be given a name and will end up slaughtered—possibly for Kraft's B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

We have written to the people at Kraft Foods letting them know that while we are saddened by their loss, the burial of the Wienermobile with Mr. Mayer not only would give people a chance to pay their respects but also would spare children from future health complications and save millions of animals' lives.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

I'm willing to bet my last Goldenberg Peanut Chew that you love comedian/writer Carol Leifer just as much as I do. Even if her name doesn't sound familiar, millions of Seinfeld fans can thank her for penning countless "I-laughed-so-hard-vino-shot-out-of-my-nose!" moments.

Carol recently tossed all animal products from her fridge—no more milk stolen from calves, no more eggs from miserable hens, and no more bacon from pigs gone crazy from confinement—and she sat down with PETA to film the following vegetarian testimonial (Before you watch it, I suggest you put that wine down, lest you spray Chardonnay all over your keyboard):

One of my favorite lines: "I recently became vegan because I felt that as a Jewish lesbian, I wasn't part of a small enough minority. So now I'm a Jewish lesbian vegan."

If that video wasn't enough hilarity for you, you can check out here and here for other versions of the video. Plus, we've got 10 copies of Carol's book—When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror—to give away too. Win yours by letting us know, in the comments section below, the funniest thing you tell people when they ask why you went vegetarian.

The contest ends on July 23, 2009, and we'll choose the 10 most hilarious comments as the winners on July 24, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Posted by Karin Bennett

Yesterday, crowds descended on Los Angeles' Staples Center to pay respects to the "King of Pop," but it was "Her Royal Hotness," PETA's Lettuce Lady, who stole the show outside Michael Jackson's memorial. Wearing only her signature lettuce bikini and a single, white sequined glove, Christina Cho held a mirror reading, "Go Vegetarian for the Man in the Mirror."

A line of reporters from local television stations and newswires, including Associated Press and Reuters, waited to talk to PETA's Lettuce Lady.

Her message was inspired by Michael Jackson's hit, "The Man in the Mirror," which pondered the impact of personal change:

I'm gonna make a change,
For once in my life,
It's gonna feel real good,
Gonna make a difference,
Gonna make it right . . .

What's the easy answer for those who want to make a difference in their health, animal suffering, the environment, and starving children like those featured in the song's video? Go vegetarian!

Our message was simple: Take a moment to reflect, and then "make that change."

Posted by Karin Bennett

McDonald's corporate headquarters is located near Chicago, so ever since we launched our McCruelty Campaign, the city's residents have seen some pretty interesting demonstrations asking the company to stop abusing birds immediately. We've been keeping our latest stunt under wraps—but last night, two groups of stealthy crusaders were in the Windy City, projecting this pretty scary image on the façades of Chicago's buildings:

While everyone loves a good light show, I have a feeling that these antics didn't elicit any "oohs" or "ahs" from McDonald's executives. That's because our display definitely caught the attention of potential McDonald's customers who now know that chickens slaughtered for McDonald's "happy meals" are still conscious and able to feel pain—even though there are more humane slaughter methods available.

So, Chicagoans, keep the light on for us. Until McDonald's makes the decision to require its U.S. suppliers to switch to a less cruel slaughter method, we'll be in town.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winner of the Devoted Creations gift basket is nicole linklider. Congratulations!

For me, opening a package of cruelty-free body products is like Christmas, so imagine how giddy I was when I got a peek at this week's "Win It" Wednesday prize. PETA is partnering with compassionate company Devoted Creations to offer one giant gift basket full of body lotions, face creams, and tanning products. There are 15 full-size bottles in this basket, and while I'm tempted to keep them all for myself, we're sharing the wealth with one lucky commenter.

What's the best thing about this week's prize? None of the products have been tested on animals. They proudly display PETA's cruelty-free bunny logo, so your day at the spa won't be interrupted by pangs of guilt.

How do you win? Big event coming up? Kids stressing you out? Tell us why you deserve some pampering. The most convincing comment will take home the prize.

The contest ends on July 22, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on July 24, 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 Shawna Flavell

banbloodsports / CC

It turns out that bombed bull abusers are scaling back their bar tabs. This means fewer euros for merchants during this year's Running of the Bulls. In the past, these businesses have cashed in on the annual torment and killing of hapless, hopeless bulls. But this year, the global recession means that local businesses won't be making as much of a profit from the misery of the bulls.

Not only that, but according to NPR, polls show that most Spaniards have no interest in bullfighting. In Catalonia alone, nearly 200,000 people have signed a petition asking the regional parliament to ban this barbaric "ritual."

While this is hopefully the beginning of the end for an industry that should have died off with the Spanish Empire, you can save money and animals by doing more than simply tightening your belt. Sign up to take that belt—and the rest of your clothes—off altogether as a member of PETA's Action Team. It won't cost a dime, but the potential to raise awareness is priceless.

Posted by Shawna Flavell