mamapop / CC

Just think—if wasn't for Louise Brooks, Audrey Hepburn, and Brooke Shields, Americans might never have discovered the glories of the bob, the LBD, and bushy eyebrows (which, BTW, I hear are making a comeback). And if it wasn't for today's celebrities* like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, who "accessorize" their red carpet looks with Chihuahuas, animal shelters wouldn't be deluged with pint-sized cast-asides. Oakland Animal Services reports the facility sometimes receives 10 Chihuahuas a day. That's mind-boggling, don't you think?

Sure, it takes only a minute to fall in love with the perfectly trained pooches on starlets' arms or featured in films like Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but in real life, dogs chew, bark, make messes, and require a lifetime of love and commitment. They may be small, but like all dogs, Chihuahuas need daily training and walks, expensive veterinary care, and a ton of love and attention.

New York Post columnist Cindy Adams recently wrote, "Paris Hilton with her kennel-to-kennel Chihuahuas? She hasn't even been in bed with as many TWO-legged dogs." While PETA pleads with Hilton to curtail her consumption of Chihuahuas (and other animals), please remind everyone you know that dogs are not "fads." They're a lifetime commitment. Forward our beautiful new ad featuring Joanna Krupa to everyone in your e-mail address book—and learn more at HelpingAnimals.com.

Posted by Karin Bennett

*I use that term very loosely.

images.eonline / CC

Paris has done it again. She's gotten herself another animal. This time she's purchased a pot-bellied pig who will surely be tossed aside faster than last year's "it" bag when the skeevy socialite tires of her.

Pot bellied pigs are inquisitive animals who require a lot of care and attention. Paris has burned through Chihuahuas, ferrets, and kinkajous in the past, so there's no reason to think that an animal who will undoubtedly root through her precious Manolos will grow old by her side as her BFF.

Pot-bellied pigs were all the rage in the 80s, a decade that had some truly unfortunate trends, but Paris seems bent on resurrecting them all. It's one thing for her to rake up fashion violations like this, but it's quite another to make animals suffer. If we could have the ex-con arrested for being so uncaring, we would.

Posted by Karin Bennett

crimerant / CC

In the three years since Paris Hilton had a bouquet of flours (millet and plain baking) tossed at her—sorry, on her—by an animal rights activist, she's come a long way. But, like some others who have graced PETA's annual "Worst Dressed" list, Paris has gotten the message about the cruelty of the fur industry and now proudly proclaims her fur-free stance. For real! Even her mom is on board with the compassionate clothing thing:

"Nicky wanted me to get her this photograph. It is of a beautiful swan because she loves swans, so I got her that. And Paris, I am going to get her a very cool faux fur coat. Like a bomber jacket."

—Kathy Hilton, discussing Paris' faux-fur Christmas present

Bravo, Paris!

Based on these results, Lindsay Lohan's mom can expect a fabulous faux to show up on LiLo's wish list in the near future.

h/t ecorazzi and eonline

Posted by Joel Bartlett

ChinaDaly/Creative Commons

As PETA Vice President Dan Mathews pointed out in his letter to Paris Hilton today, the pair of them now have a common bond: they’ve both spent time in the big house. Dan’s hope is that Paris’ experiences being locked away with a bunch of disgruntled chicks will give her just a bit of insight into the lousy conditions that the chicks who are routinely crammed into tiny cages for KFC have to suffer on their way to the fast-food chain’s buckets, and he’s asked her to narrate a brief video for PETA detailing KFC’s abuse of birds. Dan, who obviously has a soft spot for imprisoned celebrities, has had success with this tactic in the past—when Martha Stewart was incarcerated, she was so moved by his letter that she gave up wearing fur and later narrated an anti-fur video for us, so here’s hoping that Paris will have the same open-minded response to this little overture. As Dan points out, “Unlike inmates at the jail in L.A., these animals get no reprieve or medical treatment.” And Paris has plenty of time to mull it over. You can read the letter here.