blogs.westword / CC

… in the kitchen. Freshman U.S. Representative Jared Polis, the first openly gay person to be elected to Congress as a non-incumbent, may not be a vegan (yet), but he lives like one, thanks to his partner, animal rights activist and writer Marlon Reis.

In an article about the Colorado Democrat, Roll Call reports,

[Polis'] partner is a vegan, and although [Polis] eats meat, the couple keeps a vegan household. … [Polis'] shoes and belt are "cruelty free"—meaning no animals were involved, he says. The shoes—he pops one off casually to check the brand when asked—are a brand called "Bourgeois Bohème."

Reis is the first same-sex partner of a member of Congress to be recognized as "spouse" on his congressional ID card. His days are spent working on his vegan culinary skills and his new novel, which he hopes "will give readers the reason they've been missing to give animals the fair consideration they deserve …."

Now, PETA isn't suggesting that you should run out and start a tawdry affair, but make no mistake: We believe that slipping some Cheatin "chorizo" into the chili is always a good thing.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Yesterday morning, Procter & Gamble's annual meeting received a special guest when a PETA doggie (a gal in a costume, not a canine in Norfolk) stopped by to urge P&G—the maker of Iams dog food—to stop making animals suffer in laboratories.

PETA's ongoing campaign to end animal testing at Iams has led the manufacturer to end all invasive and deadly animal tests involving dogs and cats—but Iams refuses to end its support for experiments on other species, and it still keeps as many as 700 dogs locked up in its laboratories for feeding trials and nutritional studies.

To encourage passersby to choose cruelty-free doggie chow, PETA demonstrators passed out free samples of V-dog high-protein dog food. Not only is V-dog not tested on animals, it's also vegan!

V-dog is one of many alternatives to animal-unfriendly dog food. You can check out a complete list of cruelty-free dog foods here.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

You've got the hair. You've got the eyeliner. You've got the guitar. But wait, what's the one thing every real rock star needs? A cruelty-free guitar strap, of course.

For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we've got you covered. We're giving away one quality guitar strap from the stellar all-vegan company Couch Guitar Straps.

Leather is a co-product—not a byproduct—of the meat and dairy industries. When you buy leather, you contribute directly to the lifelong misery of cows and other animals, and you put money into the pockets of the people who exploit them.

How do you save a cow and gain a vegan guitar strap? Leave a comment about why cows are as cool as your favorite vegan musician. Whoever posts the most rockin' comment gets to choose a strap from Couch Guitar Straps (priced up to $38, including shipping and handling).

The contest ends on October 7, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on October 9, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting.

Good luck!

Posted by Heather Drennan

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

silverbearcafe / CC

Digging through tax records, deciphering difficult directions, and struggling with simple math totally sucks. What doesn't suck? The tax refund that results from this headache. Whether your tax refund is already in the bank or somewhere in the mail, here are some cool and cruelty-free things to do with that extra coin:

1. Take the tribe on a trip. Nothing says "Thanks for being such an awesome deduction" like taking your dependents (er, kids) on a little family vacation. Getting great rates on hotels, cruises, and travel packages is as easy as joining the PETA Member Advantage Program. Plan your animal-friendly vacation by clicking here.
2. Buy a house. A doghouse, that is. Think the housing market is bad? Try being an outdoor dog. Every year, PETA builds and delivers hundreds of sturdy doghouses filled with straw for dogs whose guardians won't let them inside. Help us help dogs by sponsoring one of these doghouses. And don't worry—we're all about fixed dogs, not fixed rates …
3. Purge and splurge. Are there products that blind bunnies in your cabinets—or skeletons in your closet? Make over your make-up bag with cruelty-free cosmetics and personal-care products. Lose the gruesome garb (leather, wool, and fur) and stock-up on stylin' synthetics instead. While you're at it, get rid of those stirrup pants and that tired "U Can't Touch This" T-shirt. They may not be cruel to animals, but they are cruel to anyone who has to see you in them.
4. Plan a little R&R (romantic romp) at a B&B. Looking for something more stimulating to do with your refund or stimulus check? We've got you covered. From Victorian mansions to cozy cabins and oh-so-unique yurts (you haven't lived until you've loved in a yurt), you'll find your perfect getaway on our list of vegetarian-friendly bed and breakfasts.
5. Earn your wings (and a tax deduction for next year). Resist the urge to blow your money on a butterfly tramp stamp. Help real animals instead! Donate to PETA today.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

PS If you didn't get a tax refund, don't worry—hugs (and copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit") are still free …

I'm not sure how many people heard about the “Compassionate Business” Award that PETA gave Mark Mayes, owner of Monte Carlo Cleaners in Scottsdale, AZ, last week, so I wanted to mention it here. Mark received the award for instituting a unique policy of refusing to accept items made of leather, fur and angora rabbit wool, proving that compassion and good business go hand in hand. If you live anywhere near Scottsdale, make sure to give Mark your business, he sure deserves it. Monte Carlo Cleaners is located here. And if you could use a guide to compassionate clothing, check it out here. Thanks Mark, you’re a superstar to all of us.