Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Hartford, Conn. -- 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 at least 1 foot of snow predicted for the Hartford 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 Will Give Students a Feel for Intensive Confinement That May Have Them Going Vegan 

For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Long Beach, Calif. -- Most students at California State, Long Beach have probably never been to a factory farm, so peta2—PETA's youth division—is bringing factory farms to them. As part of a national college tour, the group will set up a 20-foot-by-30-foot inflatable tent, inside of which students can confine themselves to sow gestation crates—which are so small that pregnant pigs can't even turn around or take two steps—and watch "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by PETA pal Paul McCartney, who famously said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." Students will also receive samples of vegan foods and free vegetarian/vegan starter kits with recipes and tips for helping the Earth, animals, and their own arteries by going meat- and dairy-free.

When:   Monday, February 11, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  Upper Campus Central Quad, CSULB campus, Long Beach

"College is the time to consider new ideas, and peta2's factory-farm display gives students an idea of how much suffering goes into a chicken nugget or a beef burger," says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. "Once students see what cows, chickens, and other animals go through on factory farms, in transit, and in slaughterhouses, they'll want to load up their cafeteria trays with humane vegan selections."

Pigs, chickens, fish, and cows feel pain and fear just as intensely as do the animals who share our homes with us, yet they are abused in ways that would be illegal if dogs and cats were the victims. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets are castrated and have their tails cut off without being given any painkillers, and calves raised for their milk have their horns burned out of their skulls. On the decks of fishing boats, fish suffocate or are cut open while they're still alive.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

Groups Urge Louisville Residents to Boycott Animal Abuse

For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Louisville -- An "injured elephant" will lead PETA, Animal Lovers of Louisville, and Louisville Vegetarian Initiativeprotesters in a demonstration Saturday at the Kentucky Exposition Center, which is hosting the Kosair Shrine circus. The protesters will display signs that read, "Boycott the Circus." The various Shrine circuses across the country get their animals from exhibitors that are notorious for repeatedly violating the animal-care and public-safety provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act.

When:   Saturday, February 9, 1 p.m. 

Where:  The main gate of the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Ln. (near the intersection of Phillips Lane and Freedom Way), Louisville

"Elephants and other animals used by Shrine circuses have been beaten and deprived of their precious freedom for a lifetime of cheap tricks," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "These abused animals have become ticking bombs and pose a serious risk to public safety."

Trainers use bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook at one end—as well as whips, chains, and electric-shock prods to force elephants, big cats, and other animals to perform unnatural and often frightening tricks. Also, since 1997, there have been more than 10 incidents in which animals used by exhibitors who were hired by Shriners have injured or killed people. A groomer who was killed by an elephant in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 2010 was kicked so hard that he was thrown 20 feet and died of massive traumatic injuries.

PETA urges families to patronize only circuses that use willing human performers, such as Cirque du Soleil.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA 'Animals' Will Remind Valentine's Day Celebrants to Have a Heart for Animals and Never Buy Fur

For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Newport News, Va. -- Dressed as a fox and a raccoon and holding signs that read, "Love Us—Don't Wear Us," two PETA members will lead a protest against fur outside Silverman Furs in Newport News on Saturday, five days before Valentine's Day. Their point? That every time someone buys fur—even if it's "just a little trim"—they're supporting one of the cruelest industries on the planet.

When:   Saturday, February 9, 12 noon

Where:  Silverman Furs, 10301 Warwick Blvd. (near the intersection with Main Street), Newport News

"We're encouraging people to have a heart for animals by not wearing fur on Valentine's Day—or any other day," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Every single piece of fur means that an animal endured excruciating pain and died horrifically."

PETA wants consumers to know that foxes, raccoons, and other animals on fur farms spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy cages before they are killed by poison, gas, anal electrocution, or neck-breaking. Animals trapped for fur experience excruciating pain before trappers stomp on their chests or break their necks. In China—which is now the world's largest fur exporter—animals, including cats and dogs, are sometimes skinned alive.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Youth Might Pose Danger to People, Too, Warns Group

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to Hill County Attorney David Holmes urging him to vigorously prosecute a 12-year-old Blum boy who is facing charges of cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting two of his neighbor's horses to death. The deaths of six horses, a donkey, and a cow have been reported in recent months, and several of these deaths are also being linked to the defendant.

PETA warns that such acts should never be dismissed as "childish pranks." Criminal profile studies show that many people who are violent toward animals in their youth grow up to commit violent crimes against humans. Robert Ressler, founder of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit, has described serial killers and other psychopathic torturers of people as "the kids who never learned it's wrong to poke out a puppy's eyes."

"Young people who harm animals are a threat to society, and Hill County authorities must send a strong message that violence in the community will not be swept under the rug," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "Given the strong connection between cruelty to animals and other forms of violence, it is imperative, for everyone's sake, that this case be taken seriously."

A 1999 study of suspects charged with cruelty to animals—ranging from severe neglect to intentional killing—found that 78 percent had also been charged with offenses involving violence or the threat of violence toward humans. For more information, please visit PETA.org. To view PETA's new anti-violence public service announcement featuring Sopranos star Edie Falco, please visit http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=edie_link1.

PETA's letter to Hill County Attorney David Holmes follows.

February 11, 2012

The Honorable David Holmes
Hill County Attorney’s Office
P. O. Box 253
Hillsboro, TX 76645-2353

Dear Mr. Holmes:

PETA is an international animal protection organization with more than 3 million members and supporters globally. This letter concerns a recent case that your office is handling involving an unnamed 12-year-old boy from Blum. We understand that he faces charges of cruelty to animals stemming from his alleged fatal shooting of a neighbor’s horses. According to news sources, the suspicious deaths of six horses, a donkey, and a cow have been reported in recent months, and several of these cruel deaths are being linked to the defendant.

As you likely know, mental-health professionals and top law-enforcement officials consider animal abuse to be a red flag. The American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the FBI uses reports of animal abuse in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. FBI interviews with murderers showed that 36 percent of them had tortured and killed animals as children and that 46 percent had done so as adolescents. The link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is undeniable, and the safety of the community may depend upon a vigorous prosecution of this case.

On behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in Texas, we respectfully ask that the defendant, if convicted, be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling at his family’s expense, in addition to serving a period of incarceration. Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the disturbing nature of this case, we also ask that, if convicted, the defendant be prohibited from contact with animals (a common provision in such cases) for as long as possible.

Thank you for your consideration and for the difficult work that you do.

Sincerely,

Kristin Simon
Senior Cruelty Caseworker
Cruelty Investigations Department

PETA's Valentine's Day Billboard Goes Up in Capital of Leading State for Heart Disease

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Montgomery, Ala. — Showing lovers peering dreamily into each other's eyes next to the caption "Vegetarians Have 32% Fewer Broken Hearts. Fight Heart Disease: Break Up With Meat," PETA's brand-new billboard ad has just gone up in two locations in Montgomery. Why Montgomery? Because Alabama has one of the highest rates of heart disease in the nation, and the consumption of meat and other animal products has been linked to heart disease. As part of a just-completed, decade-long study of diet and health—the largest of its kind ever undertaken—researchers found that vegetarians are 32 percent less likely to suffer from heart disease than nonvegetarians.

The billboards are located at 6837 Atlanta Hwy. (north side of the street, east of McLemore Drive, facing east) and 1314 Eastern Blvd. (west side of the street, south of Carmichael Road, facing north).

"There's nothing romantic about being rushed to the emergency room because of a meat-induced heart attack," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "The best thing that Alabamans can do on Valentine's Day—and every other day—is break off their destructive love affair with meat and dairy products."

It's no wonder that meat, eggs, and dairy products increase the risk of heart attack when they contain no fiber and are loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats and cholesterol. Consumption of animal-derived foods has also been linked to other life-threatening conditions, including obesity—not exactly a Valentine's Day turn-on. Furthermore, consumption of meat and dairy products has been associated with impotence: The cholesterol and saturated fats in meat and other animal-derived products restrict the flow of blood to all the body's vital organs—not just to the heart.

Animals raised and killed for food suffer greatly. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets have their tails and testicles cut off without being given painkillers, fish are cut open while they're still alive, and calves are taken away from their mothers within hours of birth.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Jesus Showed Compassion and So Can We, Says Group 

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Roanoke, Va. -- PETA has sent a letter to Patrick Patterson, principal of Roanoke Catholic School, urging him to remember Jesus' words as set out in the beatitudes, "Blessed are the merciful," and serve only healthy and humane vegan meals every Friday during Lent. In the letter, PETA quotes several passages from the Bible, including Proverbs 12:10, "the just man takes care of his beast." The group also points out that going vegan is the best way to keep a body healthy, combat the extensive pollution caused by factory farms, and even solve the world hunger crisis, because tons of nutritious grains that could be used to nourish humans are instead being inefficiently fed to farmed animals.

"Today's factory farms are a living hell for chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals who are intensively confined and maimed before they are sent to slaughter to face a painful and terrifying death," says PETA Director of Communications Colleen O'Brien, a devout Roman Catholic. "Jesus would be appalled to witness the meat, egg, and dairy industries' harmful effects on animals, human health, and the Earth."

PETA will assist the school in planning the vegan meals and suggests easy, tasty offerings, such as faux-chicken nuggets, veggie lasagne, and bean chili.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. I can be reached at 202-540-2202 or KaitlynnK@peta.org if you have any questions.

PETA's letter to Roanoke Catholic School follows.

February 11, 2013

 
Patrick W. Patterson
Principal
Roanoke Catholic School

Dear Principal Patterson, 

I am writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters worldwide to suggest a creative, compassionate way for students to treat their bodies as temples and honor God's creation in your school. As a former student of Roanoke Catholic School, I encourage you to prepare delicious vegan meals for all school lunches each Friday during Lent. By doing so, you will be demonstrating the Catholic Church's strong moral leadership on some of today's most pressing issues: stewardship of the planet, global poverty, and the welfare of animals.

Choosing to eat a vegan meal is a wonderful Christian response to the unholy abuse of billions of animals. Proverbs 12:10 reminds us that "the just man takes care of his beast." But in today's industrialized meat and dairy industries, chickens and turkeys often have their throats cut while they are still conscious, piglets' tails and testicles are cut off without any painkillers, fish suffocate or are cut open while still alive on the decks of fishing boats, and calves are taken away from their mothers within hours of birth. Of course, Pope Benedict XVI has publicly encouraged Catholics to view animals as kindred beings, saying, "[W]e can see that they are given into our care, that we cannot just do whatever we want with them. Animals, too, are God's creatures."

Almost 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night. Meat-eaters unwittingly contribute to this problem by consuming animal products. It takes multiple pounds of grain to produce just 1 pound of meat. The Bible instructs us to share with those in need, and choosing vegan meals is an excellent way to free up grain and help end the hunger crisis. In addition, raising and slaughtering billions of animals every year has been identified as one of the major causes of climate change as well as water and air pollution and land degradation. According to Leviticus 25:23-24, "[T]he land is mine, and you are but aliens who have become my tenants. Therefore, in every part of the country that you occupy, you must permit the land to be redeemed."

By encouraging your school community to choose vegan meals for Lent, you will be sending a strong message to your students as well as to the entire community: We must be the hands of Christ, feeding the poor, and his loving heart, showing compassion and mercy for all God's creatures. School administrators and parents should ensure a healthy, happy future for kids by feeding them tasty vegan meals that they are familiar with, such as veggie burgers, spaghetti with tomato sauce, bean chili, veggie lasagne, and faux-chicken nuggets, made with healthy plant protein. 

I would be happy to discuss with you how to help your school plan vegan meals or to serve as a resource for you in any other way. Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely,

Emily Tuttle
Special Projects Coordinator

Sexy Activists Will Hit the City for 'Fur—Out, Love—In' Rally

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382  

Des Moines, Iowa -- PETA's internationally renowned "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign will hit Des Moines on Tuesday. Sexy PETA activists will cuddle up in a bed on a public sidewalk wearing nothing but their underwear and holding a sign reading, "Fur—Out, Love—In."

PETA's message to consumers? Animals who are trapped for their fur suffer excruciating pain before they are killed by trappers, who stomp on the animals' chests or break their necks. On fur farms, animals spend their entire lives in tiny, filthy cages before workers kill them by breaking their necks or using poison or anal electrocution. In China—which is now the world's largest fur exporter—animals who are killed for their fur, including millions of cats and dogs, are often skinned alive. Video footage recorded on a Chinese fur farm shows that workers pulled rabbits out of cages by their ears and stunned the screaming animals with electrical devices. Rabbits watched as other rabbits had their throats cut and their heads and paws cut off with knives before their skin was peeled off their bodies.

"Compassion is a big turn-on, but fur-wearers leave me cold," says PETA vixen Emily Lavender. "By showing some of my skin, I hope to save animals' skins."

Many top fashion designers and retailers—including Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew, and Forever 21—are 100 percent fur-free.

When:             Tuesday, February 12, 12 noon

Where:            Northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Walnut Street, Des Moines

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

'Vegans Make Better Lovers,' Says Sexy Pair

For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Reno, Nev. -- Wearing nothing but underwear during a display of passion that's bound to raise a few eyebrows and turn lots of heads, two vegan activists, Joseph Vendome and Hayley Ray, will passionately make out in a bed that will be set up on a street in downtown Reno. While the not-so-discreet couple is getting it on beneath a banner that reads, "Vegans Make Better Lovers," PETA members will hand out copies of the group's "'Go Vegetarian, Go Vegan' Starter Kit" to gaping passersby. PETA wants people to know that they can do themselves—and animals—a big favor by going vegan.

What's so sexy about going vegan? Besides the fact that heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and various types of cancer—all of which have been conclusively linked to the consumption of meat and other animal-derived products—aren't exactly turn-ons, eating meat is also responsible for an enormous amount of animal suffering and can increase the risk of impotence. Cholesterol and animal fat slow the flow of blood to all the body's vital organs—not just to the heart.

"What could be more of a turn-on than snuggling up to someone who's both passionate and compassionate?" asks Hayley Ray. "It's veggie burgers in the kitchen for a whopper in the bedroom!"

When:   Tuesday, February 12, 12 noon

Where: At the corner of N. Commercial Row and W. Virginia Street, Reno

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Talks Prompt New Policy—Group to Donate More Sophisticated Teaching  Tools, Including Computers, Software

For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Baltimore — When students in Baltimore City Public Schools learn anatomy this school year, they won't risk a failing grade for refusing to cut into a cat or a frog.

Following discussions with PETA, the school district has adopted a progressive dissection-choice policy that will allow students to use modern teaching methods, such as computer software, instead of animals. Baltimore City Public Schools now joins every other district in Maryland and neighboring Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., which have such guidelines already in place.

PETA has also donated computers and software to the district through the group's national educational grants program so that teachers have access to state-of-the-art virtual dissection equipment, which has been shown to teach anatomy better than old-fashioned animal dissection. PETA and virtual-dissection software leader Digital Frog International will also be offering training sessions for teachers in April.

"Students no longer have to harden their hearts to study biology," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Now, students in Baltimore City Public Schools can choose the most sophisticated anatomy lesson available, and no one will get hurt."

The millions of animals who are still used in school dissection come from biological supply houses, which breed some animals and obtain others from animal shelters or capture them in the wild. Comparative studies show that non-animal teaching methods, such as interactive computer programs, are more effective for teaching biology than animal dissection. These programs also save time and money and increase student confidence and satisfaction. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the National Association of Biology Teachers, and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) all endorse student dissection-choice policies. HAPS and the NSTA also approve the use of modern non-animal methods as full replacements for animal dissection.

For more information, please visitPETA.org/Dissection.

Sexy Activists Will Hit the City for 'Fur—Out, Love—In' Rally

For Immediate Release: 
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Chicago -- PETA's internationally renowned "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign will hit Chicago on Wednesday. Sexy PETA activists will cuddle up in a bed on a public sidewalk wearing nothing but their underwear and holding a sign reading, "Fur—Out, Love—In."

When:   Wednesday, February 13, 12 noon

Where:  Northwest corner of E. Ohio Street and Michigan Avenue, Chicago

PETA's message to consumers? Animals who are trapped for their fur suffer excruciating pain before they are killed by trappers, who stomp on the animals' chests or break their necks. On fur farms, animals spend their entire lives in tiny, filthy cages before workers kill them by breaking their necks or using poison or anal electrocution. In China—which is now the world's largest fur exporter—animals who are killed for their fur, including millions of cats and dogs, are often skinned alive. Video footage recorded on a Chinese fur farm shows that workers pulled rabbits out of cages by their ears and stunned the screaming animals with electrical devices. Rabbits watched as other rabbits had their throats cut and their heads and paws cut off with knives before their skin was peeled off their bodies.

"Compassion is a big turn-on, but fur-wearers leave me cold," says PETA vixen Emily Lavender. "By showing some of my skin, I hope to save animals' skins."

Many top fashion designers and retailers—including Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew, and Forever 21—are 100 percent fur-free. 

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

'Vegans Make Better Lovers,' Says Sexy Pair 

For Immediate Release: 
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Boise, Idaho -- Wearing nothing but underwear during a display of passion that's bound to raise a few eyebrows and turn lots of heads, two vegan activists, Joseph Vendome and Hayley Ray, will passionately make out in a bed that will be set up on a street in downtown Boise. While the not-so-discreet couple is getting it on beneath a banner that reads, "Vegans Make Better Lovers," PETA members will hand out copies of the group's "'Go Vegetarian, Go Vegan' Starter Kit" to gaping passersby. PETA wants people to know that they can do themselves—and animals—a big favor by going vegan.

When:   Wednesday, February 13, 12 noon

Where:  At the corner of Eighth and Idaho streets, Boise

What's so sexy about going vegan? Besides the fact that heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and various types of cancer—all of which have been conclusively linked to the consumption of meat and other animal-derived products—aren't exactly turn-ons, eating meat is also responsible for an enormous amount of animal suffering and can increase the risk of impotence. Cholesterol and animal fat slow the flow of blood to all the body's vital organs—not just to the heart.

"What could be more of a turn-on than snuggling up to someone who's both passionate and compassionate?" asks Hayley Ray. "It's veggie burgers in the kitchen for a whopper in the bedroom!"

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Calls on Pahrump Authorities to Revoke Big Cat Encounters' Owner's Permit to Keep Big Cats

For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Pahrump, Nev.— PETA is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pursue criminal charges against animal exhibitor Karl Mitchell, owner and operator of Big Cat Encounters, who has continued to disregard federal law and public safety by exhibiting big cats without a USDA exhibitor's license. And as the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission (PRPC) will vote on Wednesday whether to revoke the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that allows Mitchell to keep big cats, PETA has also written to the PRPC to urge committee members to revoke the permit, stressing that CUPs require compliance with federal law—a requirement that Mitchell has repeatedly violated.

"Of all the despicable animal exhibitors PETA has encountered, Karl Mitchell—who thumbs his nose at public safety and the law every time he exhibits a tiger—is one of the worst," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "The time for warnings and civil penalties has long passed: The USDA must press criminal charges, and Nye County needs to enforce the local laws that make it illegal for Mitchell to have big cats in Pahrump."

As PETA explains in its letter to the USDA, Mitchell's website advertises direct contact, including for children, with dangerous big cats—a violation of federal law even for licensed exhibitors. Mitchell has even endangered visitors on an episode of National Geographic's Animal Intervention, during which he also made threatening remarks about the USDA, including that "those people could not ever come here without having one of these tigers eat them" and that if someone tried to take his cats, "I'd shoot them." 

In addition to revoking his license, the USDA has previously issued three cease-and-desist orders against Mitchell and fined him more than $100,000.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Says Wild Animals Belong in the Wild—Not on the Rink

For Immediate Release: 
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Bakersfield, Calfi. -- In response to an incident during Friday's Bakersfield Condors game—in which an animal handler repeatedly slipped and fell on the ice, dropping a female Andean condor named Queen Victoria, who escaped and ran around the arena—PETA is urging the team to ensure that live animals are never again displayed during a game. In a letter sent to the team's president this morning, PETA explains that animals in captivity are denied everything that is natural and important to them and that trotting them out in front of a screaming crowd is extremely frightening for them. The group also points out that Friday's incident—in which the handler sustained minor injuries—demonstrates that these kind of stunts can potentially lead to further injuries to animals, players, and fans.

"Anyone who has watched a video of this incident can see that a raucous ice-hockey arena is the last place that a wild condor belongs," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is calling on the Condors to make Friday's stunt the last of its kind—before more animals are terrorized and more people are hurt."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Matthew Riley, president of the Bakersfield Condors, follows.

February 12, 2013

Matthew Riley
President
Bakersfield Condors

Dear Mr. Riley,

I'm writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters regarding the incident that occurred during the Bakersfield Condors' Friday night game when a condor named Queen Victoria got loose in the arena when she was brought out onto the ice. A sports arena is no place for a bird—or any other animal, for that matter—and we are asking you to respect wildlife and not use live animals at future games.

Try to imagine how terrifying it was for this bird to be subjected to an alien environment with blindingly bright lights, thousands of screaming people, and a booming sound system. Birds can easily become frightened and disorientated in such situations, and this bird or a person in the stadium could have been seriously injured when she took flight. Even when accidents don't occur, Birds N Beasts Inc. and similar outfits cause wildlife to suffer by using them as toys. They can easily become stressed when caged and shuffled from venue to venue.

In nature, condors can travel up to 150 miles a day in search of food; they are among the largest birds in the world and need to soar freely over wide open spaces. Please also consider what message this stunt sent to children who were in the audience. Rather than being in awe of the capabilities and magnificence of wild species, our youngsters are taught that such disrespectful "entertainment" uses are still somehow acceptable.

Nowadays, most professional and college sports teams use costumed humans as mascots—and for good reason. We hope you'll agree that there are plenty of other, better ways to foster excitement for your team than by using live animals. May we please hear that you'll refrain from using live animals at future Condors events? That would be good news indeed. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President

PETA Calls On President to Order Confiscation of Animals From Abusive Bear Pits in Cherokee, N.C.

For Immediate Release: 
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Asheville, N.C. -- Holding a sign reading, "Tell USDA to Close N.C. Bear Pits," a PETA "bear" will follow President Obama as he prepares to give a speech at the Linamar auto-parts plant in Arden on Wednesday. The determined bruin's point? That following a PETA undercover investigation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended Cherokee-based Chief Saunooke Bear Park's (CSBP) exhibitor's license and slapped the abusive facility with a $20,000 fine but left the bears in place, allowing them to continue to suffer. PETA is calling on President Obama to order the USDA to seize the bears and transfer them to a sanctuary. The bears at CSBP are kept in barren concrete pits, where they circle and pace, and many have been denied adequate veterinary care, including a bear with an open cut on her face and others with broken teeth from chewing on the cage bars. One employee was caught on tape saying that it took "20 shots … square in the head" to kill a bear from CSBP and even boasted about eating the bears.

When:   Wednesday, February 13, 9:30 a.m.

Where:  Outside the Linamar plant, 2169 Hendersonville Rd. (near the intersection with Lake Julian Road), Arden

"Bears at CSBP are suffering, and the government needs to get them out of there," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on President Obama to order the USDA to do its job and remove these animals from this hellhole."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Giving First Responders a Heads-Up Can Be the Difference Between Life and Death for Companion Animals

For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Parma, Ohio— In the wake of the deaths by smoke inhalation of two dogs trapped in an early morning house fire in Parma on February 7, PETA is giving away door stickers alerting firefighters to the presence of companion animals to the first 1,000 Cleveland-area residents who request one this month. The 4½"x6" bright-yellow stickers—which read, "In Case of Emergency, Please Save Our Animals"—picture a dog, a bird, a cat, and fish and include space to write in the number of each animal living in the home.

Residents interested in receiving a free sticker should e-mail Info@peta.org to file a request.

People living outside the area can purchase the stickers at PETA.org or make their own. PETA suggests laminating homemade stickers if they'll be exposed to weather.

"Many animals have died in house fires because firefighters were unaware that they were trapped inside," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Simply alerting first responders to the presence of animals can mean that all family members survive a fire."

PETA routinely receives accounts of firefighters who have bravely rescued cats, dogs, and other animals from homes in the midst of a blaze. Even if the animals are unconscious from inhaling smoke, specially made oxygen masks have been used successfully to revive them.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog.

Group Offers Interactive Exhibit for a Hard Look at Factory Farming in Food Production

For Immediate Release:
February 13, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Washington -- PETA has sent a letter to John Gray, director of the National Museum of American History, urging him to display PETA's riveting "Glass Walls" exhibit, which gives viewers a look at factory farming from the perspective of animals. It also includes a hard-hitting video narrated by Paul McCartney, who famously remarked, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."

The move comes on the heels of the museum's introduction of a new exhibit titled, "FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000," which looks at how new innovations and technologies have changed food production and American eating habits. In the letter, PETA points out that any discussion of the advances in food production must address how many of those advances have come at the expense of animals' well-being. Guests of the PETA "Glass Walls" exhibit can literally put themselves in the animals' place by confining themselves to the tiny, cramped holding pens in which pregnant sows on factory farms spend much of their lives.

"To the millions of chickens who have their throats cut while they are still conscious and the cows who are often skinned alive on high-speed production lines, modern agriculture is hardly 'advanced,'" says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "PETA agrees that people should know where their food comes from, but by omitting the toll that factory farms and slaughterhouses take on animals, the museum would be telling only half the story."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to the National Museum of American History follows

February 11, 2013

John Gray
Director
National Museum of American History 

Dear Mr. Gray:

On behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters worldwide, I am writing about your new exhibit following the growth of the modern American farm. Modern farming has altered the landscape for the American farmer, but it has done little to end the suffering of animals on these farms. To be fair in your presentation, we ask that you include our "Glass Walls" exhibit, which shows what life is really like for billions of animals on factory farms—from their perspective.

The exhibit is an interactive 20-foot-by-30-foot inflatable tent where visitors learn about animal intelligence. In order to see what life is like from the animals' point of view, visitors have an opportunity to confine themselves to a gestation crate—which is so small that pregnant pigs can't even turn around or take two steps—and sit on chairs that simulate a battery cage for egg-laying hens while watching "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by Paul McCartney, who famously said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls,everyone would be vegetarian." It will prove to be an experience that your visitors will never forget. Please take a moment to view our traveling exhibit, which is visiting college campuses around the country and garnering great interest.

Farmed animals have the ability to suffer just as cats and dogs do. They're intelligent individuals with feelings, needs, interests, and desires. The farming of animals for food has been a colossal dark spot in our history, and while improvements to efficiency and productivity have been made for humans, they have been at the animals' expense. Will you allow us to balance out your new exhibit by telling the animals' side of the story with our "Glass Walls" exhibit?

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President

Portsmouth Native Urges Newport News and Suffolk to Ban Continuous Tethering of Dogs

Hampton Roads—On the eve of Valentine's Day, comedian Wanda Sykes is hoping that Suffolk and Newport News will show some love to dogs. In letters sent today on PETA's behalf, the comedian urges the mayors and city council members of both cities to follow the leads of nearby Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, and her native Portsmouth and enact legislation that bans or significantly restricts the continuous chaining of dogs. As Sykes explains, forcing highly social pack animals to live their lives at the end of a chain is both cruel and dangerous since chained dogs are more likely to become aggressive and attack people, children especially.

"Dogs ask for so little yet give us so much. The very least that we can do for them is to pass a law that protects them from the cruelty of being chained their entire lives," writes Sykes. "I truly hope that Newport News [and Suffolk join] dozens of other U.S. jurisdictions—including my hometown of Portsmouth—that have passed anti-chaining laws in response to public safety and animal welfare concerns."

PETA responds to more chained-dog cases in Suffolk than in any other city in the area, but the 24/7 chaining of dogs is also common in Newport News. Just this winter, a PETA fieldworker found two malnourished dogs chained in a Newport News backyard with no access to food or water. Just feet away lay the body of a third dog who, as revealed by a necropsy, had starved to death. PETA has since filed charges against the homeowner. Photos of chained dogs in both cities are available upon request.

Wanda Sykes' letter to Newport News and Suffolk officials is availablehere and here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Lakers, Raptors, and 76ers Score Big in Group's First-Ever Pro-Basketball Rankings

For Immediate Release:
February 13, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va.— First came Major League Baseball in 2002, followed by the NFL in 2008. Now, for the first time, thanks to the explosion in vegetarian options at sports venues across the continent, PETA has surveyed the Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly NBA Arenas, and the results are in.

Taking first place is the STAPLES Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers. Specialties include the protein-packed veggie burger, vegetable sushi, and the vegan sloppy Joe, drenched in barbecue sauce. Fans also enjoy the grilled veggie sandwich, PB&J, hummus with pita, and edamame. Coming in a close second is the Toronto Raptors' Air Canada Centre, where guests can feast on vegetarian burritos; veggie subs; veggie dogs with lettuce, tomatoes, and scallions; and Bollywood veggie dogs served with potato, tamarind ketchup, papadum, and mint chutney. Third place goes to the Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia 76ers. Burger lovers can choose from black-bean burgers or the brown rice–based Malibu Burger, while hot-dog lovers can treat themselves to hearty, protein-packed veggie dogs. In fourth place, the BMO Harris Bradley Center, where the Milwaukee Bucks play, offers vegan sloppy Joes and dairy-free dark-chocolate protein bars, and fans in the premium area can indulge in a grilled flatbread sandwich with marinated tofu and spicy vegan mayo. Placing fifth is the Golden State Warriors' Oracle Arena, which offers Vietnamese ginger garlic tofu sandwiches, tofu lettuce wraps, and veggie burgers. (Note that the foods listed are only a small sample of what these arenas offer.)

Rounding out the top 10 are the Rose Garden (Portland Trail Blazers), the United Center (Chicago Bulls), the AT&T Center (San Antonio Spurs), Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indiana Pacers), and The Palace of Auburn Hills (Detroit Pistons).

"Feasting on top-notch vegetarian food at an NBA game these days is a slam dunk," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "By avoiding the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fats in meat, fans can make sure that they're around to cheer on the home team for many years to come."

To see all the delicious vegetarian offerings, please visit PETA's blog.

Tireless Activist Gives Other Students—and Instructors—an Education in Animal Rights

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Columbus, Ohio — If you're on the campus of Capital University and you want to know the go-to person for all things animal rights, you're looking for first-year student Suzeii Liu. From organizing protests against McDonald's over its suppliers' cruel treatment of chickens to founding her own on-campus animal rights group, Liu is always coming up with new ways to make the world a little kinder. For her outstanding efforts in behalf of animals of all species, Liu has received a Star Street Teamer Award from peta2, PETA's youth division.

"Even in a major agricultural state such as Ohio, Suzeii is making inroads with her message of compassion for animals and the benefits of going vegan," says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. "Young people are leading the animal rights charge, and Suzeii is a trailblazer they can look to for inspiration."

While some of her classmates flock to McDonald's without giving it a second thought, the only time you'll find Liu under the golden arches is with a protest sign in her hand as part of peta2's McCruelty campaign against the company for refusing to hold its suppliers accountable for abusing chickens—including scalding the birds to death. One of her proudest accomplishments was getting more healthy and humane vegan options on the menu of the university's dining hall. Now, students can chow down on delicious vegan pizza, soups, and soy beverages. Liu's fight for justice for animals isn't limited to Columbus. She helped organize protests against the notoriously cruel Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in her hometown of McAllen, Texas. And this isn't the first time that Liu has gained recognition through peta2. She has been a finalist in the group's wildly popular Cutest Vegetarian Alive contest two years in a row.

peta2's Street Team is a group of youth activists dedicated to helping animals through in-person events, online campaigns, and social media. Liu, who also serves on peta2's Youth Advisory Board, will receive a framed certificate and will be the subject of a special blog post on peta2.com.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.