sportsillustrated.cnn / CC

Georges Laraque (or "Big George" to friends and fans) is known for duking it out on the ice as the star enforcer for the Montréal Canadiens, but these days he's fighting for animal rights.

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

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

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

Posted by Karin Bennett

dhakamirror / CC

This past weekend, Pamela Anderson was in Austria with Bill Clinton, Eva Longoria, and Katy Perry for Vienna's annual Life Ball AIDS benefit. But before she wowed the Life Ball crowd in her gold bikini, Pam bared her heart of gold, behind closed doors, to Austria's justice minister, Claudia Bandion-Ortner.

Bandion-Ortner invited Pamela to meet with her after the bombshell's letter urging the minister to stop stifling free speech made front-page news. See, the Austrian police are trying to classify all animal rights groups as "criminals," despite the fact that very few engage in illegal activities. In her letter, Pamela made compelling points against such blanket persecution, noting that the Austrian government seemed to be behaving more like a dictatorship than a democracy. The minister assured Pam that she'd monitor the situation—and that there would be no witch hunt on her watch. Then she stood beside the blonde babe and smiled as staffers snapped away with their cameras.

Pamela and PETA's Dan Mathews then high-tailed it to the Life Ball, where Pam wriggled into her bikini and opened the festivities.

Posted by Karin Bennett

gossipcheck / CC

Pamela Anderson and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin? It turns out that the two of them have more in common than you might think. Namely, they are both opposed to the mass slaughter of seals.

Pamela has written to Putin suggesting that he use his political influence to help her—and many other Canadians, Russians, and people worldwide—end Canada's shame. Putin recently banned the killing of baby harp seals in Russia after calling the hunt a "bloody industry that should have been banned long ago." Pamela, a Canadian who is always a stunning PETA ambassador, has hand-delivered thousands of petition signatures to her homeland's parliament, protesting the fact that Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper still allows the beating and skinning of approximately 338,200 seals every year. PETA and Pamela believe that if Putin directs his opposition of the seal slaughter at Prime Minister Harper, Harper will sit up and take note.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

quickblogcast / CC

You never can tell where PETA's bombshell BFF—and honorary director—Pamela Anderson might pop up. Could be Finland. Or France. Or Oz. Or even a Vegas homeless shelter. No wonder her show is called Girl on the Loose!

The latest dispatch comes from The Netherlands. The thing about Pam that's so awesome is that no matter where she goes, you know she's gonna be helping out animals. Kinda like a globetrotting superheroine for compassion.

In this case, Pam was in Amsterdam for the opening of a luxury-goods expo called the Millionaire Fair. And while she's totally down with luxury, she wanted to make it clear that that doesn't include animal fur—after all, what's so luxurious about draping yourself in torture and death? So she dropped a note to Queen Beatrix, asking her to go all the way. Um, that is, to back a current legislative bill that would ban all fur farms in the Netherlands (the Dutch have already banned several kinds of fur farming).

Well, like most things Pam does, hardly anyone noticed. Just kidding! More like "total media frenzy." Or, in the case of the Millionaire Fair, "widespread panic." It turns out that some of the heartless fur floggers at the expo don't much care for being called out on their cruelty (go figure). No matter, though, because the media (who love 'em some Pam) demanded more, so we put together a news conference to promote the fur-farm bill. This should lead to a lot of Dutch love for the ban, even if Her Maj doesn't get on board.

Go, Pam, Go!

Posted by Jeff Mackey

popcrunch/CC

Is there anything more surreal than surviving countless bouts of painfully truthful admissions from the number one most-feared judge on American reality television? Yeah, of course! Just ask Kellie Pickler. The country singer went head-to-head with Simon Cowell in season five of American Idol, but it turns out that she couldn't look her own food in the face and still finish her meal.

People Magazine reports that this country gal, who has been blazin' her own trail of stardom since her elimination from the show, has recently adopted a vegetarian diet. It looks like all that palling around with fellow vegetarian and friend Carrie Underwood has paid off—for Kellie's health and for animals. Oh, and did I mention that Kellie's decision was partly influenced by a Pamela Anderson television PSA that was put out by a somewhat well-known animal rights group that you might have heard of—ah, shucks, it was a PETA ad!

Kellie says: "One night I couldn't sleep, and I was up and just Googling random stuff, and I'm like, 'Hmmm, PETA.' I saw all the videos, and I just thought it was horrible. It's animal cruelty. A lot of it has to do with knowing what happens to the animals, and it really bothered me, and so I will not eat meat."

Props to Kellie for ditching her beefy ways. It's not always easy, especially when many of the songs in her music genre aren't so—shall we say—vegetarian-friendly. The former rare meat junkie says she already feels healthier, and that is a mighty good thing considering that she just released her self-titled second album.

Maybe on her next album she can sing about pigs in gestation crates or veal calves confined to tiny stalls. No?

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

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

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

9. Topshop's Window Display
Topshop, one of the U.K.'s largest clothing retailers, refuses to sell fur or exotic skins. Their February 2008 window display drew some much-needed attention to the cruelty inherent in the exotic skin trade.

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

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

5. PETA India's 'Boycott All Snake Shows' Ad
Around the holiday of Naga Panchami (held in honor of the Serpent God), PETA India did a little charming of their own with this ad urging people to boycott snake shows. The ad features supermodel Jesse Randhawa and Hollywood/Bollywood dance instructor Sandip Soparrkar, with the tagline "Snakes Are Not Natural Performers—We Are." It's not about exotic skins directly, but it certainly shines an important light on other exotic animal issues.

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

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

2. Lisa B Ad for PETA Europe
Lisa B., the stunning star of Bridget Jones's Diary, posed for PETA Europe as a half-human, half-snake in what's definitely an eye-catching display. We know you'll be saving this one as your desktop wallpaper, guys.

And the number one exotic skin feature is …

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

Posted by Carrie Ann Harris

E!'s newest documentary series, Pam: Girl on the Loose, follows our favorite animal rights advocate, Pamela Anderson, around in her everyday adventures. We admit that it's our latest guilty pleasure.

Tonight, you can catch Pam and Dan Mathews, PETA's senior vice president, as they attend the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C. E! calls the episode "Crazy Bitch," but Pam and Dan fondly refer to it as "Washington or Bust" (Tuesday, August 19, 10:30 p.m. EST, E!, in syndication all week). This was Pam's first visit to D.C. since becoming a U.S. citizen and the same visit during which Pam hand-delivered a PETA report to Capitol Hill blasting animal testing. Pam says: "Being a citizen excites me not just because I can vote, but because I can crack the whip on Capitol Hill to defend animals."

The show's behind-the-scenes footage includes everything from Pam and Dan's planning their upcoming escapades during a camping trip to Dan discussing talking points from the bathtub before their appearance on Larry King Live.

Oh, Pam. You make our hearts happy.

Pamela Anderson, PETA's honorary director, was in Canada, her home country, today. Where'd she have lunch? At a KFC with local animal rights advocates, just to sample the new faux-chicken Classic Vegetarian Sandwich!

For the past five years, Ms. Anderson has been a big part of PETA's international campaign against KFC, whose suppliers have been responsible for some serious Kentucky Fried Cruelty. While the KFC boycott continues to rage outside Canada, the United Purchasing Group of Canada—which is responsible for coordinating the purchasing of all chickens for Canadian KFCs—entered into an agreement with PETA to dramatically improve animal welfare standards and reduce suffering. Yes, before you comment—we'd rather all the KFCs were all-vegan and we'd rather the whole world went vegan. But if you were a chicken with the choice of whether or not you wanted to have a wing painfully broken and be scalded to death, and PETA could help you get that relief but didn't control the whole world, I'm guessing I know which option you'd go for.

The new faux-chicken Classic Vegetarian Sandwich is available at most KFCs in Canada, so head on up north of the border and try one yourself!

Pam wearing a ‘Ban Horse Drawn Carriages' button

The big A is in the Big Apple this week, and she's spreading a little love and gratitude for one man in particular: NYC Councilmember Tony Avella. Yes, the wonder woman of animal protection (aka Pam Anderson)—who is in town promoting her new E! television show Girl on the Loose (which premiers on E! this Sunday at 10:00pm)—took a little extra time to give the city a much-needed reality check. The actor sent Avella roses and a note expressing her appreciation and support for his sponsoring of a bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages in the city.

Here's what Pam had to say:

Dear Tony,

I'm in New York this week, and although I dread seeing the carriage horses being forced to work in the summer heat, I'm thrilled that you've introduced a bill to ban this cruel old trade. I hope you're successful in getting New York to join Toronto, Paris, and Beijing in getting horse-drawn carriages off the streets. Good luck and best wishes from me and all your pals at PETA!

Pamela Anderson

Nice work, Pam! Boarding a horse-drawn carriage in a busy city like New York City is as senseless as playing a game of Russian roulette. City noises such as construction, loud music, and even car horns easily spook horses, putting not only horses but also passengers, car drivers, and pedestrians in danger.

Conditions are very cruel for these working animals. Horses are exposed to drastic weather changes and a lack of shade during summer months, and they often do not receive veterinary checkups on a routine basis. Consider this: If you dislike walking on the hot sand during the summer, you better believe that working horses don't enjoy stepping on the city asphalt—which can climb up to 30 degrees warmer than the ambient air temperature. Then try breathing exhaust fumes as you pull a cart.

To show your support for this bill, trot (geddit?) on over to our action alert and contact NYC's VIPs to let them know what you think about horse-drawn carriages. Also check out our NYC Horse Drawn Carriage MySpace page and friend us already!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Pamela Anderson Visits a KFC in Australia

OK, how predictable was that title? Here's something else that's predictable (in a good way this time): Devoted PETA supporter Pamela Anderson has taken yet another opportunity to speak up for animals.

The walking fantasy with a heart of gold is in Australia for the filming of the reality show Big Brother. Earlier today, Pam hand-delivered a copy of her letter to Albert Baladi, managing director of KFC's parent company in Australia, to speechless-but-drooling staff at a local KFC. She also gave the manager a copy of her explicit video—no, not that video…the other startling exposé (narrated by Pam), which reveals that KFC suppliers scald chickens to death in defeathering tanks and use other outdated and cruel gathering and slaughter methods.

In her letter, Pam writes:

I've been in Australia filming Big Brother, in which my housemates and I are confined and sealed off from the outside world, much like the chickens who are crammed inside barns for KFC. Fortunately, I won't be stomped to death, have my legs broken or be scalded to death in a tank of hot water—yet, as PETA's undercover videos have revealed, the chickens raised for KFC's restaurants in Australia often suffer these abuses.

Pam urges Baladi to adopt the same animal welfare standards now applied to chickens killed for KFCs in Canada, which are a result of PETA's campaign and will substantially improve the living and dying conditions of chickens.

And a little eye candy for your day: pictures of Pam in action!

The Scene In Gold Coast

Posted by Grace Friedan

cbc / CC

We all know that Pamela Anderson is an actress, a mother, and an incredible advocate for animals. But have you ever wondered how she really spends her days or what she eats, for that matter?

The ever-lovely Pamela Anderson is back on television, and to the delight of all her fans—including those of us right here at PETA—this time, she'll be playing the person that she knows best: herself! Her documentary series, Pam: Girl On the Loose, premiers August 3 on E!, and it's sure to satiate the needs of gossip queens everywhere.

Pam says, "Aside from keeping up with my kids, I don't exercise much, so I credit my veggie diet for my good health. Los Angeles is the easiest place in the world to eat vegan."

So while you're anxiously waiting for a hugely fun dose of Anderson reality, check out some of Pam's favorite places to eat at in Los Angeles. And if you don't live in the City of Angels, well, don't fret! It doesn't mean your future is full of boring green salads. Just visit HappyCow.net, and search for vegetarian restaurants in your city. Here's the list from Pam herself:

1. Flore Vegan Cuisine
   You've never—even when you ate meat—eaten a Rueben sandwich as rich and yummy as the one Flore cooks up.
   
2. Madeline Bistro
   Beet tartare to beat the band and you don't have to like beets! And vegan chocolate soufflé.
3. Pure Luck Restaurant
   Fried pickles, vegan sloppy joes and BBQ sandwiches. And they cook with jack fruit, which is an amazing fruit they use to make the mock meat tangy.
4. Astro Burger
   Lastly, if you are a fast food junkie you can always count on the Astro Burger on Melrose near Paramount Studios for veggie chili dogs and soy chicken fajitas.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Our very own Pam Anderson has auctioned off her Dodge Viper. Why did she give up this super speedy racer? Because she cares more about real reptiles—and all other exotic animals whose skin is torn from their flesh for fashion. (Don't you love the alliteration bug that I caught today?) Pam has pledged to give the proceeds from the auction to PETA so that we can use the money to inform people who think that they might want a reptile-skin bag about how these amazing animals are treated when they're converted from captivating creatures to cruel clothing. (There I go again!)

Snake skin and alligator skin—heck, all animal skin—were designed for the original occupants' use only. Several thousand years of evolution went into making their scales and hides fit them beautifully—not some misguided fashionista who's going for the "I just got kicked off the island" look.

Posted by Sean Conner

That's right! Just when you were wondering if she could be any more fabulous, actor and devoted PETA supporter Pamela Anderson continues to set the bar high when it comes to helping animals. She recently announced that she'll be selling her 2000 Dodge Viper (customized with white racing stripes and the whole shebang) along with other personal items at Julien's Auctions' Summer Entertainment Sale of Hollywood Memorabilia and handing profits over to PETA. "I've been working with PETA for 15 years," Pam said to the Associated Press. "They're kind of my ethical advisers. With them, I see actual results."

Pam told the media that she attends charity auctions on a regular basis but doesn't do much collecting herself. "I get sports stuff for my kids," she said. "But me? I, just on a whim, give everything away. This is another one of those opportunities, but it's specific. It goes to the cause."

Whether it comes to talking politics in D.C., hosting news conferences in Paris, doing charity work, speaking out against KFC, and narrating videos, Ms. Anderson has always been a true hero for animals.

You can check out Pam's upcoming new series on E!, Pam: Girl on the Loose, to see scenes from the auction.

—Christine

Posted by Christine Dore, Marketing Special Projects Coordinator

askmen / CC

There’s a big heart in that big chest. In her first visit to the Nation’s Capital since becoming a U.S. citizen, Pamela Anderson made a personal appeal to the government on Friday to drag itself out of the dark ages as far as animal testing is concerned.

Pam (who also stuck around to lobby the guests alongside PETA VP Dan Mathews at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday) hand-delivered a PETA science report—the impetus for a recent front-page Washington Post story—condemning the failure of the Department of Health and Human Services to use sophisticated, non-animal test methods widely used in Europe, in place of decades-old, cruel and crude animal tests for toxicity. Asked about her decision to act as a courier on PETA’s behalf, she said, "Being a citizen excites me not just because I can vote, but because I can crack the whip on Capitol Hill to defend animals."

And she does it all with a smile. You rule, Pam.

P.S. If you want to help out yourself by contacting your members of Congress about this issue, you can do so through the webform here.

askmen/Creative Commons

I got the following e-mail yesterday from PETA Director Michael McGraw, who was in Paris to accompany Pamela Anderson after she was asked to fill in at Brigitte Bardot’s annual press conference to protest the Canadian seal slaughter. Brigitte Bardot has been an advocate for animal rights since before most people had even heard of the concept, and she has some mighty big shoes to fill—but if there’s anyone in the world who can do it, it’s Pam. Here’s how it all went down, according to Michael:

"Brigitte Bardot asked Pamela to fill in for her today at her annual news conference to protest the Canadian seal slaughter (Brigitte is ill and couldn't make it). Pam of course did an amazing job. We arrived at Bardot's offices to a swarm of press. Pam read a 1-page statement about how, as a Canadian, she is appalled that the seal hunt continues...she described in graphic detail how the seals are beaten to death, and encouraged consumers to boycott designers who work with any fur. She then screened a graphic 2-minute video of the seal slaughter. The press were stunned. After a few words from the Bardot Foundation's campaigns director, Bardot herself called and was put on speakerphone...in front of all of the press, she thanked Pamela for continuing on the campaign in her place, and in broken English called Pam her daughter and her Valentine. Pam was so moved; it was very sweet. Pam was then presented with a heart-shaped bouquet of roses and a personal letter from BB. Then off we went to the Canadian embassy (with AP reporter and photographer and about 15 paparazzi in tow) where Pamela asked to see the Canadian ambassador so she could personally deliver a letter from BB to him in protest of the seal slaughter. Photographers went wild. We were turned away at security, but it made a great photo and a shocked guard promised to hand over the letter for her."

If you want to know what all the fuss is about, you can watch the footage Pam screened for press (and sign a petition asking the Canadian government to stop the seal hunt) here, and there are a few pics from the event here. Thank you Pam and Brigitte!

The wonderful Pamela Anderson, who was once paid to promote M&M's, has come out against Mars Candy for funding inhumane experiments on animals in violation of its own written policy. Pam faxed a letter to Mars President Paul S. Michaels this week expressing her support for PETA’s Mars Campaign, and letting him know that she will be encouraging her fans to boycott the candy this Holiday season. "When my friends at PETA showed me evidence that Mars continues to fund cruel and pointless animal tests,” she writes, “I was shocked—and it takes a lot to shock me."

You can read the full letter here.

Update: The event was a huge success! Pam dished out plate after plate of the faux turkey, which was a big hit with the guests at the homeless shelter. Check out these exclusive pics:

Pamela Anderson will be spending some time at a homeless shelter in Las Vegas this evening to serve an early Thanksgiving dinner to homeless families in the area. And Pam’s act of charity will also be setting an example for people who want to make Turkey Day a bit kinder on the turkeys, as the dinner she’s serving is 100 percent vegetarian, with Garden Protein’s amazing faux turkey as its centerpiece. All of the veggie turkey (which you can get in any Whole Foods, btw) was donated by the folks at Garden Protein. Here’s what Pam had to say about the event,

"The holiday season can be especially hard for those who find themselves homeless. And it's murder on turkeys. With so many healthy and delicious options nowadays, it's easy to have a holiday meal that gives even turkeys something to be thankful for."

Pam was inspired to host the event after she saw video footage from PETA's recent investigation at a turkey slaughterhouse, which showed workers striking and handling birds so roughly that the animals suffered broken bones. Not to be too much of a downer here since this is a really positive story, but the footage is heartbreaking, and it shows standard practices in turkey slaughterhouses around the country, which should make anyone think twice about eating turkeys this Thanksgiving.

The good news is that there are some wonderful alternatives, and if you’re trying to come up with a menu for your Thanksgiving dinner this year, you could do a whole lot worse than the feast that Pam is serving tonight, including Veggie Stuffed Turkey Roast with wild rice and cranberries donated by Garden Protein, mashed potatoes with veggie gravy, and garlic-braised collards.

I’ll have pictures of the event up later tonight, so be sure to check back!

And if you’re still undecided about whether to have an all-vegetarian Thanksgiving this year, this is the footage from our recent investigation which inspired Pam to host the event.

Other Viewing Options

Remember what Pam Anderson said a few months ago about the whole Uggs craze?

"I feel so guilty for that craze being started around Baywatch days - I used to wear them with my red swimsuit to keep warm - never realizing that they were SKIN! Do NOT buy UGGs! Buy Stella McCartney or Juicy boots - I'm looking for alternatives myself for my boys and the men in my life! I'm designing some right now for my family and will try and have some available on my Web site soon."

Well, Pam dug the original Uggs out of her closet and offered them to us to help draw attention to the cruelty involved in the Australian wool industry (Uggs are made of Australian sheep skins), and this is where you come in. We want to hear your best ideas on how to use them to bring attention to this important issue. Feel free to post your ideas as comments or send them to me directly. We’ll announce the best idea on the blog in couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of my own ideas to get you started, though admittedly these aren’t the most exciting.

1. Offer them to the Hard Rock Café to be displayed along with Pam’s quote.
2. Use them in some kind of demo with the slogan being “Give Cruelty the Boot”
3. Use them in an ad saying “Uggs . . . Australian for Cruelty”

Pamela Anderson and PETA prez Ingrid Newkirk celebrated a joint birthday party in Florida yesterday with a gigantic vegan birthday cake at Sublime restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Asked how she felt about turning 40, Pam said ''I have no problem with being 40. … I think 40 is the new 20,'' which—I can't help but point out here—is easy to say when you look like Pamela Anderson. Happy Birthday, ladies! Check out the beautiful pics:

A lovely pic of Pam from her new-look website

I'm going to come clean with you guys and admit that I didn't know what Uggs were until I heard about this. I try to be trendy and keep my ear to the ground about this sort of thing, but apparently the whole Ugg thing has completely eluded me for, like, 10 years. Anyway, I'm told by my colleagues that they were this huge fashion phenomenon that got off the ground in a big way when Pamela Anderson started wearing them in her Baywatch days. Well, Pamela isn't wearing them anymore, and the story has gone everywhere—starting with People magazine. Here's what she had to say on the topic.

"I feel so guilty for that craze being started around Baywatch days - I used to wear them with my red swimsuit to keep warm - never realizing that they were SKIN! Do NOT buy UGGs! Buy Stella McCartney or Juicy boots - I'm looking for alternatives myself for my boys and the men in my life! I'm designing some right now for my family and will try and have some available on my Web site soon."

No wonder they call them Uggs

I know I've said this before, but I love you very much, Pamela. On a related note, you should check out the new design for Pam's website. It's very, very animal friendly. Did I mention that I love her?