theus50 / CC

One hot, humid afternoon in July, I was apartment hunting and checking out an old factory in Brooklyn that was undergoing renovation for loft rentals. As I entered the bathroom in one unlit, unfinished space, two pigeons flapped frantically in the darkness—apparently they were as startled by my presence as I was by theirs. The birds had found a way into the building but were unable to get out because the windows had been boarded up.

After tearing a board off a window, I managed to catch and release each of the frightened birds. Both of them paused on the scaffolding outside to allow their eyes to adjust to the bright sunshine and to take in fresh air before flying off into the distance. If I hadn't helped them out of that stifling, sawdust-filled space, they surely would have succumbed to the searing heat, as well as hunger and thirst.

Around that same time, a similar situation was unfolding in a small, rural town in Kansas. A distraught resident called PETA to report that countless birds were roasting to death in a dilapidated building that the city had recently boarded up. With summer temperatures climbing, we immediately contacted city officials and urged them to take action for the birds, but the person we spoke with told us that the city had bigger problems to deal with. Um, wrong answer.

We raced to place an action alert on our Web site, and we fired off a letter to city commissioners. Realizing that PETA and our caring members weren't going to back down, city officials acted. Less than 24 hours after our initial contact, the fire and police departments were sent to rescue the surviving birds. They provided them with water and tore holes in the roof to create escape routes and ventilation.

By not turning a blind eye to animal suffering, and by making a call to PETA, one "little bird" prompted the rescue of countless others from certain death.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Sure, I'm kind of bummed that summer is winding down—no more lazy days at the beach or Saturday afternoon veggie barbecues. But then I remember how awesome fall can be—long walks under canopies of changing leaves, followed by warm apple cider. Bring it on.

For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we've got just the prize to help you ease back into work and back to school—PETA stencils that will help you jazz up that plain T-shirt, boring school binder, or blank wall—virtually any flat surface—with a lifesaving message for others to consider. Add a little fabric paint, spray paint, or Sharpie strokes, and you've got instant style and action for animals.

You can win a stencil set by sharing your favorite simple way to get others to think about animals. Maybe you've got an animal-friendly message on your car's vanity plate, or maybe you rock a different PETA shirt every time you go to the gym. Share in the comments section below.

We've got one set to give away. The contest ends on September 23, 2009, and we'll choose the most inspiring comment on September 25, 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

You know what I like best about the summer—besides grilling veggie dogs until they turn black?

Summer concerts!

I'm especially excited this year because The Pretenders are going on tour and PETA has first dibs on their upcoming tour dates.

To find out where you'll have a chance to see PETA pal Chrissie Hynde live and in-person this summer, keep reading—but first:

Check out the awesome, one-of-a-kind PETA T-shirt that Chrissie designed for her summer tour wardrobe.

Here's that sneak peek at a few of The Pretenders' summer dates. Enjoy! And, hey, maybe I'll see you in Central Park this August.

8/10, New York, New York
8/14, Washington, D.C.
8/18, Chicago, Illinois
8/22, Denver, Colorado
8/26, Vancouver, British Columbia
9/3, Los Angeles, California

Posted by Amanda Schinke

pelotes.jea / CC

With the weather warming up, a lot of fur-wearers will be retiring their pelts to closets and vaults until autumn. But that doesn't mean that "fur season" is over.

Consider this—right now, the following is happening around the world:

• Baby seals are being shot and beaten on the ice floes off Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada while their helpless mothers watch and mourn.
• Also in Canada, mother bears are in danger of being shot—leaving their cubs to starve to death—so that their fur can be used to make pointless ceremonial caps for The Queen's Guards in the U.K.
• Animals on fur farms are being packed into tiny cages, going insane from stress and captivity, or being poisoned, electocuted, or even skinned alive.
• Elsewhere, wild animals—or perhaps your cat or dog—are caught in cruel steel-jaw traps, terrified and in anguish.

But while those winter coats are forgotten about for a few months, there are some people who will still have fur on their mind this summer, including the entire nation of Israel. Israeli Knesset Member Nitzan Horowitz has introduced the world's first nationwide bill to prohibit the fur industry. If it becomes law, this bill would prohibit the production, sale, and importation of all fur products throughout Israel. Very cool news for a hot season!

Check out PETA Asia Pacific's site to encourage continued support for this historic bill. And if that just whets your appetite for some serious warm-weather fur-fighting, check this out too.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

gamesmuseum / CC

… a good thing. In fact, whether you're bored with the Olympics or simply can't wait for the new fall television season to start, there's plenty to see right here and right now on PETA TV.

Are you into the classics? Then be sure to check out "Meet Your Meat," narrated by Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated—and Golden Globe-winning actor—Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, The Cooler). If you see—or show a meat-eater—only one video this year about factory farming, make it "Meet Your Meat."

Then, over on peta2, there's a video the entire family can agree on—Full House of Horrors, starring everyone's favorite (and by "favorite," I mean most hated) twins, Hairy-Kate and Trashley Trollsen! They're all grown up, although you wouldn't know it by the way they act.

Remember Kentucky Fried Movie? Of course you don't! Well, you'll never forget Kentucky Fried Cruelty. You'll laugh, you'll cry … actually, you'll probably just cry. It's a real tear-jerker. Show it to someone you love. Speaking of love …

Love those gritty detective shows with storylines "ripped from the headlines"? Also, love all things China, especially after the Beijing Olympics? Well, while the networks have chosen to ignore this demographic, PETA TV invites you to go undercover with investigators from Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International in C.F.F. Hebei. Travel deep into China's Hebei Province to expose the "living hell" that is a Chinese fur farm.

So, the next time you get tired of channel surfing, surf on over to PETA TV. With hundreds of videos you can watch on-demand and free of charge, you're sure to find a video that will allow you to kill a little time and, hopefully, save an animal from being killed.

The people from peta2 are hitting the road, just as they do every summer. They're going to concerts, festivals, and all the other things that hip, young people (read: not I) attend. This year, peta2 is rolling out its cutest campaign ever: WOOF!

The idea is pretty simple: Tests show that pigs are actually smarter than dogs, and it's obvious that they can feel complex emotions and experience pain, just as dogs do. So why on earth do folks (rightly) love their dogs so much but turn a blind eye to the pigs who are beaten and butchered on factory farms to make meals for people?

To help the peta2 crew turn heads as they road-trip it across the country, we've gone so far as to get their RV detailed with a sweet (that word is still "in," right?) campaign banner, which is certain to inspire thought—and choruses of "Aww"—from all who see it. If you want to see the RV in real life, check out the peta2 MySpace page to find out when the peta2 road crew will be at a venue near you!

Posted by Sean Conner