Murdering Animals Is Another Senseless Act of Violence That Must Be Addressed, Says Group 

For Immediate Release:
December 20, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Washington -- Holding signs that read, "Get All Living Beings out of the Crosshairs: Ban Hunting," PETA members will converge outside the National Rifle Association's (NRA) news conference at The Willard on Friday. PETA's point? That the NRA's promotion of hunting and its push to put guns in the hands of children of all ages in order to kill animals is a form of violence that must be stopped if we as a country are serious about keeping children—and all citizens—safe.

When:   Friday, December 21, 9 a.m. 

Where:  The Willard, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington 

 "The NRA's culture of cruelty instills violence in society by promoting the shooting of animals for fun, and this must be stopped," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "It's time we face the fact that as we strive for a more peaceful world, we must tackle all forms of senseless killing—and that includes hunting."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

After PETA Intervention and Years of Campaigning, Canadian Transportation Agency Agrees to Amendment in Airline's Cargo Policy

For Immediate Release:
December 20, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Montréal -- Following more than a year of deliberation, including input from PETA, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has just ruled that it will allow Air Canada to submit revisions to its shipping policy to ban the transport of primates destined for laboratories, where they are often poisoned, addicted to drugs, mutilated, and killed.

Air Canada requested permission from the CTA to end the cruel practice in November 2011, after being urged to take this action by PETA, other animal welfare groups, and members of the public. The airline stated that the proposed ban was "both to align our policies with those of many other major international carriers and in response to widespread public concern." Following objections from animal experimenters, the CTA initially did not approve the ban and scheduled a hearing on the issue. PETA immediately filed comments, which were included in the official record, in support of Air Canada's proposed ban. Through PETA's website, nearly 19,000 people also urged the CTA to approve the ban. Today, the CTA ruled in Air Canada's favour, leaving the airline free to re-file its proposed ban and bring it into effect.

"The CTA's decision will allow Air Canada finally to do what PETA and kind people across North America have been urging for years: Stop delivering primates to misery and death in laboratories," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Air Canada passengers will soon be able to rest assured that their ticket purchases will not fund the capturing, cutting up, and killing of primates in cruel experiments."

Every year, tens of thousands of monkeys—many of whom were torn away from their families in the wild—are flown from Asia and Africa to North America, where they are caged, experimented on, and killed in laboratories. Nearly every major airline in the world refuses to participate in this cruel practice. Air Canada's ban will leave United/Continental as the only major North American airline still willing to ship primates to laboratories.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Mexican Food Chain Nets a Libby for Making Vegans Feel Right at Home

For Immediate Release:
December 21, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Denver -- Voter turnout was heavy, as usual, but now all the ballots have been cast and tallied to help peta2, PETA's youth division, decide who should be named the winners in the group's seventh annual Libby Awards. Libby Awards ("Libby" is for "liberation," as in animal liberation) went to animal-friendly people, companies, and products in 22 categories this year, and the victor in the category of Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant Chain is Denver-based Chipotle.

"Chipotle's vegan menu items help customers looking for health-, animal-, and Earth-friendly food stay right on track," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "And with so many locations, Chipotle makes delicious vegan eating for people on the go more convenient than ever."

Chipotle uses local, organic, and fairly farmed produce when possible. Topping peta2's official tasters' list is the Vegetarian Burrito, loaded with fajita veggies, black beans, and cilantro-lime rice and topped off with preservative-free salsa and a scoop of fresh guacamole. Rather skip the gluten? No problem. Any Chipotle burrito can be made into a bowl. Also, check out the freshly made chips and guacamole to complete the meal.

Chipotle donated more than 150 burritos to Roosevelt Senior High School in Los Angeles for the premiere of the new Spanish-language version of Paul McCartney's video exposé of the meat industry, "Glass Walls."

Winners were selected based on several factors, including vote count. For more information, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Creators of Vegan Goodies From Chocolate Nut Truffles to Thick Shakes Beat Out Competition From Across the Nation to Take Home a Libby

For Immediate Release:
December 21, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Portland, Ore. -- Voter turnout was heavy, as usual, but now all the ballots have been cast and tallied to help peta2, PETA's youth division, decide who should be named the winners in the group's seventh annual Libby Awards. Libby Awards ("Libby" is for "liberation," as in animal liberation) went to animal-friendly people, companies, and products in 22 categories this year, and the victor in the category of Best Local Bakery is Portland's Back To Eden Bakery.

"Back To Eden Bakery proves every day that you don't have to sacrifice so much as a dash of flavor by leaving unhealthy and cruelly obtained milk and eggs out of pastries, pies, and other devilishly delightful sweets," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "Portland has long been seen as a vegan mecca—and that's precisely because of progressive and ethical businesses such as Back To Eden."

Back To Eden is both vegan and gluten-free and offers several soy-free, sugar-free, and raw options. All its pastries and desserts are made from scratch with local and organic ingredients whenever possible. In addition to a delicious line of cakes, cookies, raw vegan cheesecakes, quiche, and whoopie pies, Back To Eden features thick shakes in a variety of flavors and vegan soft-serve ice cream sundaes with nearly two dozen toppings and sauces to choose from. And the chocolate nut truffles and coconut "cream" pie aren't simply the best vegan versions around—they're the best period. The bakery is open for breakfast and lunch and offers such American favorites as muffins, coffee cake, and the newly introduced biscuits with gravy.

Winners were selected based on several factors, including vote count. For more information, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Eatery on Wheels Beats Out Competitors From Across the Country to Claim a Libby

For Immediate Release:
December 21, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Salt Lake City -- Voter turnout was heavy, as usual, but now all the ballots have been cast and tallied to help peta2—PETA's youth division—decide who should be named the winners in the group's seventh annual Libby Awards. Libby Awards ("Libby" is for "liberation," as in animal liberation) went to animal-friendly people, companies, and products in 22 categories this year, and the victor in the category of Best Vegan Food Truck is Salt Lake City's City Dogs street-vending cart.

"Thanks to convenient and conscientious businesses such as City Dogs, enjoying delicious, top-quality vegan food is easier than ever," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "More and more people are demanding health-, Earth-, and animal-friendly vegan food, and young people are leading the charge."

City Dogs offers all-vegan food. In addition to the Dee Dog (dairy-free cream cheese, avocado, vegan cheese, and jalapeños), the tangy City Dog (tomatoes, pickled asparagus, sport peppers, onions, and celery salt), and the Beer Brat Dog (made with Full Sail ale), City Dogs offers a host of other vegan specialties. peta2's favorites include the barbecue-rib sandwich; spicy house-made chili; the potato salad, which lives up to its claim of being the best in town; and the Mad Hatter salad, a salad wrap with local greens, steamed tempeh (made from soy), parsley, pickles, peas, onions, sunflower seeds, and dressing. Don't feel like leaving the house? No problem. City Dogs operates an all-bicycle delivery service.

Note: City Dogs is closed for the season and will reopen in the upcoming months.

Winners were selected based on several factors, including vote count. For more information, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Group Urges bebe: Ditch the Fur

For Immediate Release:
December 21, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Scottsdale -- Holding the "bodies" of a skinned "fox" and a skinned "rabbit" and brandishing signs that read, "bebe: Ditch the Fur!" and "bebe Butchers Bunnies," PETA members will hold a spirited protest outside Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale on Saturday. Their point? That the fur trade is a violent, bloody industry that beats, drowns, and electrocutes animals before ripping the animals' skins from their backs.

When:   Saturday, December 22, 12 noon

Where:  Scottsdale Fashion Square, at the intersection of E. Camelback Road and Marshall Way, Scottsdale

"Every fur jacket or piece of fur trim came from animals who were tormented and painfully killed in the name of 'fashion,'" says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "If bebe doesn't want to be a target of caring consumers everywhere, the company should drop the fur."

Undercover investigations have revealed that rabbits on fur farms in China—one of the countries from which bebe obtains fur—are pulled out of cages by their ears and stunned with electrical devices while they scream. Another investigation of a Chinese fur farm shows a skinned raccoon dog on a heap of carcasses who lifts his bloodied head and stares into the camera.

PETA urges bebe to follow the lead of companies such as Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, Forever 21, Wet Seal, and many others and remove all fur from its shelves immediately. More than 80,000 people have taken action against bebe because of its use of fur.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 26, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Lackawanna County, Pa. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With snow and low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 26, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Luzerne County, Pa. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With snow and low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Historic Efforts to Phase Out Canada's Commercial Seal Slaughter Earn Lawmaker Top Honours

For Immediate Release:
December 26, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Ottawa -- It has been a landmark year for Sen. Mac Harb, whose historic Bill S-210, which would phase out the commercial seal slaughter, was unanimously passed to a second reading in Canada's Senate, thereby ensuring that the debate will continue. And to honour the senator for his tireless efforts, PETA will present him with the group's 2012 Canadian of the Year award in his Ottawa office on Thursday.

When:   Thursday, December 27, 11 a.m.

Where:  Office of Sen. Mac Harb, 376 East Block, The Senate of Canada, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

"It's clear to PETA that with Sen. Harb's leadership and hard work, it's only a matter of time before the cruel, economically unviable commercial seal slaughter is relegated to the history books," says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews.

As Sen. Harb has explained in speeches to the Senate and on The Huffington Post, the market for seal products has all but disappeared. The European Union, Russia (which had been importing 95 percent of Canadian seal pelts), and the U.S. have all banned Canadian seal fur imports. In addition, millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted propping up this industry, which costs the country at least $7 million each year. "[T]he majority of Canadians want an end to the commercial seal hunt," Sen. Harb said in his Senate address on June 14. "[T]he [government needs] to be frank with commercial sealers and to help them move beyond the clinically dead seal hunt." 

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Historic Efforts to Phase Out Canada's Commercial Seal Slaughter Land Lawmaker Top Honours

For Immediate Release:
December 27, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Ottawa— It has been a landmark year for Sen. Mac Harb, whose historic bill S-210, which would phase out the commercial seal slaughter, was unanimously passed to a second reading in Canada's Senate, thereby ensuring that the debate will continue. Sen. Harb first introduced a bill to phase out the commercial seal slaughter in 2009, but no other senator was willing to second the motion. He introduced another such bill in 2010 and finally received a second, but other senators stopped the bill from being debated. This year, his perseverance paid off. Now, PETA is honouring Sen. Harb's tireless efforts with the group's 2012 Canadian of the Year award. He received a plaque and a letter of appreciation from PETA in his Ottawa office today.

"It's clear to PETA that with Senator Harb's leadership and hard work, it's only a matter of time before the cruel, economically unviable commercial seal slaughter is relegated to the history books," says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews.

As Sen. Harb has explained in speeches to the Senate, the market for seal products has all but disappeared. The U.S., the European Union, and Russia—which had been importing 95 percent of Canadian seal pelts—have all banned seal fur. In addition to the lack of markets, millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted propping up this industry. A study in 2010 at Canada's University of Guelph found that ending the slaughter would save the country at least $7 million each year. "[T]he majority of Canadians want an end to the commercial seal hunt," Sen. Harb said in his Senate address on June 14. "[T]he [government needs] to be frank with commercial sealers and to help them move beyond the clinically dead seal hunt." 

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Defensive Back Puts a Hit on Fur, Urges Fans Never to Wear It

For Immediate Release:
December 27, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Los Angeles— Former New England Patriots safety and current Las Vegas Locomotives defensive back Bret Lockett has been known to put some pretty mean hits on opponents, but he recently called a timeout to come to the defense of animals used for fur. Wearing nothing but his tattoos, Lockett is featured in a new PETA ad shot by top celebrity photographer Gabrielle Revere next to the words "Ink, Not Mink. Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs."

After seeing graphic video footage of animals killed for fur, Lockett, who was visibly moved, granted PETA an exclusive interview. "What really hurt me was when I saw that an animal was still able to move and lift [his] head up after he was completely skinned," said Lockett. "It brought tears to my eyes."

Every year, millions of foxes, minks, and rabbits—and even cats and dogs—are beaten, electrocuted, and strangled for their pelts. Many are skinned alive. For every piece of fur—whether it's a full-length coat or a bit of trim on a collar or cuff—animals suffered immensely.

Lockett joins fellow gridironers Terrell Suggs, Michael Strahan, Chad Ochocinco, Tony Gonzalez, Aaron Curry, and Willis McGahee as well as a growing list of other professional athletes who have teamed up with PETA to help animals.

A broadcast-quality version of Lockett's PETA interview is available here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Screen Legend Helped Convince U.S.' Top 10 Ad Agencies to Take Chimpanzees out of All Advertising Campaigns

For Immediate Release:
December 28, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

New York -- This year, Anjelica Huston's volunteer work accomplished a goal first set in 2008, when Huston filmed PETA's hard-hitting video exposé of how great apes suffer in the entertainment industry: All of the top 10 advertising agencies in the U.S. have now adopted policies stating that they will not use chimpanzees and other great apes in their commercials. And to honor Huston for her work defending animals—which this year also included speaking out against the deadly fur trade and New York's cruel horse-drawn carriage industry—PETA has named her its 2012 Person of the Year.

"Having worked with actors for many years, I find it hard to believe that anyone would have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into show business. But the next time that you see a chimpanzee in a movie, on TV, or in an ad, chances are, that's exactly what happened," Huston says in her exclusive PETA video. The actor sent her video to agency chiefs across the country, showing them exactly how great apes are torn away from their mothers shortly after birth and frequently beaten during training to perform in ads for companies such as Dodge, Europcar, Pfizer, Samsung, and Travelers Insurance, all of which pulled their ads after talks with PETA.

Huston's activism for animals in 2012 also included an appeal to the New York City Council to support a bill that would phase out the city's archaic horse-drawn carriage industry as well as a letter to the Irish government urging the country to honor its commitment to ban fur farms. "I grew up in Ireland and used to wear fur," Huston wrote. "I had a change of heart when I learned how minks and foxes on fur farms are crammed into tiny, dirty cages and driven so crazy by the confinement that many … cannibalize their cage mates."

Previous PETA Persons of the Year include outspoken vegans Bill Clinton, Ellen DeGeneres, and Russell Simmons. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

City Also Home to PETA's Person of the Year: Anjelica Huston

For Immediate Release:
December 28, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- Los Angeles became a friendlier city for animals than ever in 2012, with the Los Angeles City Council banning the retail sale of animals in pet shops in order to fight puppy mills, endorsing Meatless Mondays, and considering a ban on circuses that force exotic animals to perform. These progressive moves have earned the bustling city PETA's 2012City of the Year award—the first ever of its kind—and fittingly, the award-winning city isn't just home to the group's Bob Barker Building. It's also home to PETA's 2012 Person of the Year Anjelica Huston, whose work with the group led all of the top 10 advertising agencies in the U.S. to pledge that they will not use chimpanzees and other great apes in their commercials.

"PETA could not ask for a more progressive home for our West Coast operations than Los Angeles or for a more steadfast ally than Anjelica Huston," says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. "From promoting meat-free meals and animal adoption to fighting industries that exploit animals for 'entertainment,' Los Angeles and Anjelica Huston have inspired countless people in Hollywood and beyond to make the world a better place for animals."

In October 2012, the City Council banned the sale of animals from breeders and puppy mills in pet shops. Now, adoptions of only homeless animals from shelters and rescue groups are permitted. In November, Los Angeles became the largest city to endorse Meatless Mondays in a unanimous decision by the City Council, which cited the environmental, health, and animal welfare benefits of meat-free meals. And also this November, the City Council's Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee recommended a full City Council vote on a proposed measure that, if passed, would ban circuses and other traveling exhibits that keep exotic animals in captivity, haul them from city to city, and violently force them to perform.

Copies of Huston's hard-hitting video exposé showing how great apes are torn away from their mothers shortly after birth and violently forced to "perform"—along with, in many cases, a personal appeal from Huston herself—were sent to numerous companies that have since pulled ads featuring chimpanzees or signed PETA's Great Ape Humane Pledge. Huston's other work defending animals in 2012 also included speaking out against the deadly fur trade and New York's cruel horse-drawn carriage industry.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 31, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Champaign, Ill. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leavedogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With snow and low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

For TV:PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link to or download here. For Print: PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here. For Radio: PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 31, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Bakersfield, Calif. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Wants to Find Those Responsible for Mass Killing of Shorebirds in Cruel Vehicle Attack

For Immediate Release:
December 31, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Long Beach, Wash. -- Last Thursday, 92 dunlins were reportedly found dead with traumatic injuries—including torn wings—after a vehicle apparently plowed through the flock of shorebirds at a speed well above the beach's 25-mph speed limit. PETA is now offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for these animals' deaths. This reward comes in addition to the $500 reward offered by the Wildlife Center of the North Coast.

Dunlins—who are impressive fliers, able to reach speeds of 110 mph, and conscientious parents, mating in monogamous pairs and sharing incubation and caretaking duties—are protected under Washington state law.

"This senseless attack on these gentle birds isn't just vicious and cruel—it's also against state and federal wildlife protection and anti-cruelty laws," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "Long Beach residents have good cause to be concerned: According to law-enforcement agencies and leading mental-health professionals, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to all animals—including humans."

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact PETA at 757-622-7382 or Sgt. Dan Chadwick of the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife at 360-581-3337 immediately.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Aroostook County, Maine — Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
January 2, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

El Paso, Texas — Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With snow and low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals indoors until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

For TV:PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link to or download here. For Print: PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here. For Radio: PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Action Will Coincide With City's Ban on Plastic Bags to Make the Point That to Go 'Green,' You Have to Go Vegan

For Immediate Release:
January 2, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Oakland, Calif. - Handing out free reusable bags that read, "If Going Green Is Your Bag, Go Vegan," PETA members dressed as a giant celery stalk and a gargantuan carrot will greet shoppers outside an Oakland grocery store on Thursday. The humongous veggies' point? That while Alameda County's ban on using plastic carry-out bags is a good way to start protecting the environment, the very best thing that concerned residents can do for the planet is to chuck meat, eggs, and dairy products and go vegan.

"PETA's shopping bags point out that it's impossible really to 'go green' without going vegan," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Between polluting the soil, water, and air and gobbling up our natural resources, the meat industry is as toxic to the Earth as it is to human health."

According to the United Nations, a global shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change, and researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from a standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid. In addition, vegans are, on average, trimmer than meat-eaters are, and they're less prone to suffering from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and cancer. And, of course, every vegan spares the daily suffering and terrifying deaths of more than 100 animals every year. 

Where:           Safeway, 3747 Grand Ave., near the intersection of Grand and Sunnyslope avenues, Oakland

When:             Thursday, January 3, 12 noon

Your coverage is invited. Please RSVP to Sophia Charchuk at 202-483-7382 or SophiaC@peta.org. 

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Beauties in Green Bikinis Will Give Away Free Tofurky Sandwiches

For Immediate Release:
January 2, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

What:             Wearing nothing but strategically placed lettuce leaves and holding signs that read, "Turn Over a New Leaf: Go Vegan," PETA's sexy "Lettuce Ladies" will brave the cold in order to hand out delicious, free Tofurky sandwiches to passersby in Albuquerque on Thursday. The ladies will also give out copies of PETA's vegetarian/vegan starter kit and "Glass Walls" DVDs to help people offset holiday weight gain and resolve to do better in 2013 for their health, the well-being of the planet, and animals. 

On average, vegans and vegetarians are significantly leaner than meat-eaters are. Also, the consumption of meat and other animal-derived products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and, of course, obesity. The meat industry is responsible for the daily suffering and terrifying deaths of billions of animals and is also a top emitter of the greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change.

"Turning over a new leaf doesn't have to be difficult," says PETA Lettuce Lady Leila Sleiman. "With an abundance of delicious vegan choices now available, there's never been a better time to make the switch to a kinder, gentler, healthier diet."

Where:           Southeast corner of Central Avenue S.E. and Tulane Drive N.E., Albuquerque

When:             Thursday, January 3, 12 noon

Your coverage is invited. Please RSVP to Sophia Charchuk at 202-483-7382 or SophiaC@peta.org.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.