This week Windsor, North Carolina, officials cut the red ribbon that wrapped PETA's very special gift to animals in this small Southern town. For nearly a decade, PETA has been working with Windsor and other area towns to provide homeless animals in their care with better housing conditions and a peaceful end when euthanasia is the most humane option.

In 2000, PETA was alerted by a caring police officer to terrible suffering and appalling conditions at several "animal shelters" in North Carolina, some of which were nothing more than outdoor shacks, like the one in Windsor. Dogs and cats left inside these outdoor "coops" suffered without heat in the winter and air conditioning, or even fans, in the scorching summer. As a result, some animals literally drowned or froze to death at some town facilities. When no homes could be found for them, many were killed by gas poisoning or gunshots.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that this week, PETA representatives were joined by Windsor's mayor, Robert Spivey, and several other county officials to celebrate the town's new animal shelter, funded entirely by PETA, to ensure that homeless animals in Windsor are housed comfortably and humanely from here on out. Get ready for a pretty amazing reveal:

As for the old shack, we're planning a very special demolition party that will take place soon.

Since receiving that initial complaint nearly a decade ago, PETA has become a lifesaving presence in many impoverished areas near our headquarters in Southern Virginia. We have provided hundreds of doghouses, free and low-cost spay/neuter services, food, toys, no-spill water receptacles, and more to local citizens and their animal companions, and we regularly work with local law-enforcement officials to prosecute those who harm animals. Every dollar PETA spends helps to ensure that a needy animal receives warmth during winter, shade during summer, fresh food, and clean water. Considering the difficult economic situation and winter's frigid temperatures, we—and animals—need your help now more than ever. Visit HelpingAnimals.com to learn how you can help neglected and homeless animals in your own neighborhood and beyond.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Since we posted our action alert about Brookstone's boneheaded decision to sell live frogs and snails who are confined to minuscule "Frog-O-Spheres," we've heard from lots of people who've confirmed our worst fears about the likely fate of these animals.

Brookstone has admitted that they aren't screening potential "Frog-O-Sphere" customers, and their woefully inadequate recommendations for care—changing the water twice a year and feeding the frogs twice a week—are leading to snap decisions by unprepared people, as is likely the case with the person who posted this comment on Brookstone's Web site:

"[T]he snail died in about a week (but really, who cares?). And the recommended 2 pellets a week is not enough (the frogs are so hungry they don't move to conserve energy). When I started tripling their recommended meals, they became very active and cool. … Hopefully, they'll last until I can buy a pet snake and feed them to it."

People who are a bit more kindhearted have been flooding PETA with calls and e-mails about frogs and snails getting sick or dying, while callers to Brookstone's customer service department who complain that their frogs appear to need medical attention are merely told to put the frogs in a separate bowl. Those who call about dead frogs and snails have been told that they should throw the corpses in the garbage and that new animals can be shipped or picked up at their nearest location. As a testament to Brookstone's level of care, "replacement" animals are sent through the mail and handed to customers at the stores in plastic sandwich bags.

Other well-meaning folks are asking whether they should release the frogs into the wild, but putting non-native species into area waterways and habitats can wreak havoc on local ecosystems.

The continued sale of Frog-O-Spheres poses a clear threat to these vulnerable animals. Please add your voice to those of people who are demanding that Brookstone stop selling live animals once and for all.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

Today is National Take Your Dog to Work Day, which means that dogs across the U.S. left their casual doggie sweaters in the closet and opted for something a bit more business-like.

Here at 501 Front St., we are overflowing with lucky dogs who don't have to wait for a special holiday to accompany their human companions into the office. They come to work every day, rain or shine, and diligently distract each and every employee by asking for belly rubs, distributing kisses, and just being so darn cute. Want to meet a few of them? Of course you do.

Tyler works in PETA's Campaigns Department, but he routinely makes the rounds of the building. Tyler likes to sunbathe, but he's conscious of his tan lines and will flip from side to side to ensure that he's getting evenly toasty. Contrary to what you might think, he's not as worried as he looks (he uses those wrinkles to his advantage—namely, to get treats).

Sugar, whose full name is Princess Sugar Pants, hangs out in the PETA Foundation's Interactive Media Department. She was found cowering in the rain outside a local grocery store on Valentine's Day 2007. She lives to gut every toy she's given, play tug of war, give the sincerest doggy kisses, wrestle, and love on her human friends in the office. She can jump higher than any dog she's ever met and can outrun most of them too!

Over in the Foundation's Human Resources department, Whimsey rules the roost. She's been coming into the office since 1998, and she loves playing in the PETA dog park. She can never get enough treats (especially peanut butter), and she even tries stealing them from other dogs around the office (they still love her anyway). Give her a high-pitched squeal and she'll wiggle her butt with joy.

Cooper and Louie help out the PETA Foundation's Development Department on a daily basis. Louie is a wonder-genius and has repeatedly shown compassion to many other species by helping track down lost animals since she was a puppy. If you want to get her out of bed without giving her a belly rub, you'll have to pick her up. Cooper is always smiling and ready to go. He came to the PETA Foundation after his former human family decided that it couldn't care for him anymore. If you need a good laugh or a great game of fetch, Cooper's your man.

Does your dog ever visit the office? Tell us all about it below.

Posted by Shawna Flavell