The PETA Files

PETA Monkeys to NASA: Stop Radiation Tests!

2009-11-20T22:50:50Z

It was a cagey scene outside NASA headquarters in D.C. yesterday when our primates urged NASA to scrap its misguided $1.75 million plan to torment monkeys in radiation experiments. The demonstration was out-of-this-world spectacular, prompting NASA employees to approach our volunteers for some dynamic discussions. No one could walk by these guys without stopping to have a second look:

Photo | Kenneth Marty

The more than two dozen monkeys in NASA's crude experiment will be zapped with a massive dose of radiation at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island, New York, and then spend the rest of their lives condemned to a laboratory at Harvard's McLean Hospital where they'll be enlisted in a never-ending series of experiments to assess how the radiation devastates their brains and bodies. NASA has admitted that the radiation is "going to cause some cellular damage." What they really mean is that the monkeys may likely suffer from brain damage, cancer and premature aging.

It goes without saying that you should urge NASA to abandon these abhorrent experiments ASAP.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Oprah's Best Animal-Friendly Episodes

2009-11-20T22:18:27Z

athensboy / CC

It's official: Oprah will end her show in 2011. Feel that collective surge of sadness? We sure do. Oprah's groundbreaking program has transcended the talk-show format and has paved the way for social and political change. In honor of PETA's 2008 Person of the Year and her show's long run, we're revisiting Oprah's best animal-friendly episodes:

Oprah's week-long move from Chicago to Amarillo was the move followed 'round the world. She captivated millions with her court appearance to defend her 1995 episode that revealed the horrors of a beef industry rampant with mad cow disease.
Inspired by guest Kathy Freston's book Quantum Wellness, Oprah went vegan for three weeks and marveled, "I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying."
Oprah dedicated an entire episode to exposing the stifling, crippling conditions of chickens, cows, and pigs on factory farms as Californians prepared to vote on Proposition 2. The measure passed by a large majority—in part thanks to her revealing show.
After Oprah saw a billboard off the Kennedy Expressway that read, "Oprah: Do a show on puppy mills. The dogs need you," she immediately jumped at the opportunity to save lives. Just a few minutes of her horrifying exposé were enough to convince viewers that adopting from an animal shelter is the only way to go.
My food envy was raging when Chef Tal Ronnen cooked his "Chicken" Scallopini and other delectable vegan meals on a recent episode of the show.
When Charla Nash decided to show her face to the public for the first time earlier this month, it's no surprise that she chose to do it on Oprah's show.

The media mogul may be bidding farewell to her legendary talk show, but with the upcoming launch of her new cable network, we're sure that we'll be seeing a lot more of her for a long time to come.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Homeless Animals Receive Special Holiday Gift

2009-11-20T21:25:15Z

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

Super-Sized Treadmill Instead of Retirement for Ailing Elephant?

2009-11-20T21:05:20Z

PETA and ZooCheck have been campaigning to convince officials at the Edmonton Zoo, deemed Canada's worst zoo for elephants by African elephant biologist Winnie Kiiru, to release its sole pachyderm prisoner, Lucy, to a sanctuary. We've reasoned with zoo officials. We've enlisted support from experts and celebrities. And we've called on caring supporters to write letters pushing for Lucy's retirement.

Unfortunately, it took proposed litigation against the city of Edmonton for zoo officials to make a pathetic attempt to improve Lucy's sad state and announce their "plan" to improve her life by putting her on a diet, giving her some sand to stand on—and possibly providing her with a treadmill.* We responded to this craziness with a full-page ad, which ran yesterday in the Edmonton Journal.

The zoo's policy of locking Lucy inside during the long, bitterly cold winters means that Lucy spends most of her time in a small barn. When she is allowed outside, she's primarily restricted to an enclosure that is less than an acre in size. It's no surprise that Lucy exhibits signs of mental distress, and her medical records reveal that she has been suffering from arthritis as well as chronic foot and respiratory problems.

It's time that Edmonton Zoo officials made the decent decision to help Lucy by retiring her to a sanctuary where she can enjoy warmer temperatures, acres of space to roam, and the company of other elephants. Please help by sending your polite comments to Edmonton's mayor and city councilmembers.

Stay tuned for updates.

Posted by Karin Bennett

*I think if Edmonton zoo officials were serious about enriching Lucy's life and improving her health, they'd sign her up for some Jazzercize classes. I'm obviously joking, but building a jumbo-sized treadmill for the overweight elephant is just as ludicrous. (Am I right—or am I right?)

Suzanne McCabe: Ireland's First to Go Naked

2009-11-20T17:50:44Z

Right on the coattails of Ireland's fur-farm ban, here's a sizzling fur-free first: Supermodel and longtime vegetarian Suzanne McCabe has become Ireland's first celebrity to bare it all in an anti-fur ad. McCabe's sexy new ad for PETA U.K. and Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) is sure to turn heads:

A finalist for Miss Universe Ireland in 2008, McCabe has beauty and brains—she has degree in psychology from University College Dublin and a master's in business, and she recently joined ARAN's campaign against Canada's annual slaughter of baby seals for their fur. She's educating herself about how animals who are raised on fur farms are electrocuted, poisoned, and gassed for their skin, and she's making caring choices.

Who wouldn't want to look like this compassionate stunner? Follow McCabe's luscious lead and take our pledge to go fur-free.

Posted by Logan Scherer

A Bug's (Intellectual) Life

2009-11-20T15:54:43Z

ace-clipart / CC

Bugs are fascinating, and if anyone tries to tell you different, have them check out this article, which offers proof that many insects are tiny geniuses who are capable of counting, categorizing objects, and recognizing human faces. Recent studies show that even though their brains are oh-so-teeny-tiny, ants, bees, and other braniac bugs are brilliant creatures. There is overwhelming evidence that brain size has no effect on intelligence and that in many cases a bigger brain is not a smarter brain.

One study shows that honeybees, whose behavioral abilities rival that of some vertebrates, can determine whether or not shapes are symmetrical, can classify objects according to sameness and difference, and will stop flying after passing a predetermined number of landmarks.

I bet if you tried you could think of a few humans who struggle with those three tasks. I've been known to have a little trouble with that last one, myself.

So the next time you see one of these clever critters, keep in mind their ingenious minds, and let them live their complex, profound lives. We've got just the thing to help you.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Break Out the Bubbly: Greyhound Racing to End in Wisconsin

2009-11-19T21:44:56Z

puppydogweb / CC

On July 4, we celebrated Independence Day for greyhounds in New Hampshire when the state's two racetracks closed. Well, get ready to toast "New Life's Eve" for many racing greyhounds: Wisconsin's only dog-~~killing~~ racing track, Dairyland Greyhound Park, will hold its last race on December 31.

Life in the fast lane is hard and cruel for racing greyhounds, who spend long hours in cramped kennels and sometimes suffer broken legs, heatstroke, and heart attacks. Once their racing days are over, many dogs are abandoned, starved, shot, or sold to laboratories. After such hard living, it's no wonder that dogs who are rescued from racetracks have a tendency to turn into couch potatoes.

One more down, eight more to go …

Posted by Karin Bennett

Thanksgiving Comes Early: Free Tofurky Roasts!

2009-11-19T21:33:39Z

This week, PETA started a national tour to promote a cruelty-free Thanksgiving. Droves of lucky San Franciscans were the first to receive free Tofurky roasts, kindly donated by Turtle Island Foods.

The only thing I can think of that would be more worthy of thanks than gobbling (sorry, had to) up a succulent, savory Tofurky—while saving the lives of turkeys—would be to get one for free. Luckily for you, our turkeys are strutting their way through cities across the country and giving away roasts at each stop.

Join PETA's Action Team to get updates on upcoming events in your area.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Sparky the Giant Seal Unveiled

2009-11-19T21:03:41Z

When PETA's giant dinosaur attacked D.C., residents were shaking in their boots. But at the unveiling of our latest enormous animal, a 12-meter-tall baby seal named Sparky, Halifax residents let out a collective "Aww!"

As a crowd gathered to watch the Olympic torch pass through Halifax—they weren't able to miss Sparky, who was right on the heels of the torch:

We've teamed up with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to inflate Sparky and put him on a mission to educate Canadians about the annual seal slaughter. Sparky is set to visit each city that the torch travels to until it reaches the final Vancouver Olympics destination.

Once residents recover from cute overload, Sparky and our crew will be enlisting them to call on their representatives in Parliament to support legislation to end the slaughter. As the Vancouver Olympic Games approach, all eyes are on Canada—and now is the time to put an end to this cruel industry.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

Turn Thomson Into an Empathy Center

2009-11-19T19:47:45Z

The Thomson Correctional Center in Illinois is on a short list of sites that are being considered to house the Guantanamo detainees, but if the nearly empty prison doesn't get chosen, we've got the perfect back-up plan: We're asking the facility to house the Thomson All Living Beings Empathy Center. Not only would the center teach visitors about compassion, it would also create jobs for tour guides, cafeteria workers, and others, promoting economic growth in these difficult times.

We can't think of a more appropriate site for our Animal Liberation Project (ALP) than a prison. The ALP is a display that takes viewers through a history of the discrimination and suffering of humans and other beings—from the Crusades to human slavery and from animal circuses to factory farms—reminding people that suffering is suffering, no matter who the victim is.

And as if Thomson needed another reason to promote compassion (or I needed another reason to wish I were 12 again), every kid who visits the Empathy Center would get a plush "I Am Not a Nugget" chick.

Posted by Logan Scherer

10% Wool, by Jeff Corriveau

2009-11-19T16:41:14Z

Could I interest anyone in a Tofurky?

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

Glue-In at Lowe's

2009-11-19T16:14:13Z

It was literally a sticky situation for employees at one Lowe's store in Toledo, Ohio, yesterday, when a woman dressed as a mouse entered the store and "glued" herself to the floor. As the "mouse" screamed and writhed, customers surrounded her with caution signs reading, "Lowe's Tortures Animals."

The "mouse" was taken into police custody after half an hour of shrieking and struggling, and she was lucky. Being arrested is nothing compared to the days of starvation and dehydration that animals ensnared in glue traps suffer. The misery of glue traps is so painful that some animals even chew off their own legs in a desperate attempt to free themselves. No glue trap is humane—and there are effective alternatives. Urge Lowe's to end the torment and stop selling glue traps immediately.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Utah Students Protest Animal Testing

2009-11-18T22:22:45Z

In the wake of the recent release of our undercover investigation exposing cruelty and suffering inside animal labs at the University of Utah, students, local PETA supporters, and members of Salt Lake Animal Advocacy Movement gathered outside the university's Park Building yesterday and urged the swarm of spectators to help put an end to the cruelty committed against the dogs, cats, and other animals confined to the University's labs.

The demonstrators weren't just humans—some adorable companion animals campaigned for the cause too. Together, they collected signatures for a petition to scrap the law that requires government-run shelters to make homeless animals—even those who are friendly, trained, and adoptable—available to universities and private labs for experimentation and testing. How could you not put your name to something these guys are supporting:

Join the effort and urge the University of Utah to stop abusing shelter animals in its labs immediately.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Canadian Politicians to Dine on Seals?!

2009-11-18T21:19:35Z

Well, I just lost my appetite. And it's thanks to the announcement that a "members-only" restaurant will soon be serving seal meat to politicians and journalists who work on Canada's Parliament Hill.

gan.ca / CC

Back in 2008, some Canadian senators called for seal flesh to be added to the restaurant's menu as a show of support for Canada's annual seal slaughter, but they couldn't locate a supplier, since most seal-hunting firms cash in on fur sales to Russia and China. The restaurant isn't likely to sell out of seal: One of Canada's own senators said that he's heard that it tastes "horrible," and Quebec Liberal MP Marcel Proulex, who pushed for the nauseating menu item, admits that while it's unlikely that suppliers will get rich from its sale, "[a]t least we'll be sending the message that we're not afraid of seal meat."

Canada seems bent on thumbing its nose at compassion. PETA's Dan Mathews notes, "It's a very peculiar, disturbing cruelty unique to Canada, and it's just bizarre when a country like Canada, which is known for so many advanced policies in the social realm, would be so stuck in the Dark Ages about its support of such a hideous cruelty."

With people around the world voicing their disgust and taking action against the seal slaughter, I'm going to guess that Canada will soon be able to file this "show of support" in the record books right alongside the plan to include seal skin in Olympic uniforms. Epic fail!

Posted by Karin Bennett

Sir Roger Moore Named PETA U.K.'s Person of the Year

2009-11-18T20:12:39Z

virginmedia / CC

"I am deeply touched and thrilled to be awarded the PETA U.K. person of the year. When I first saw their video footage on foie gras production three years ago, I felt compelled to do something to help put a stop to this cruel delicacy. I have since become a passionate campaigner against foie gras, and am most humbled that my passion has helped make a positive difference in the lives of these animals."
—Sir Roger Moore

On the heels of its recent Selfridges victory, PETA U.K. has named Sir Roger Moore 2009's Person of the Year.

The celebrated actor's tireless and successful efforts against foie gras began three years ago when Moore narrated a video about its production that has attracted more than 300,000 viewers. Since then, Moore has written to every member of the House of Commons asking them to help end foie gras sales in the U.K. and penned many pieces for national publications in his unending attempt to spread the word against the deadly force-feeding of ducks and geese.

For his inspiring accomplishments, Moore will be honored with a plaque and a copy of PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's One Can Make a Difference.

Posted by Logan Scherer