Mayor Gray Called Upon to Enforce Cruelty-to-Animals Laws When Ringling Bros. Comes to Town 

For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Washington -- Armed with signs that read, "Don't Make Sick Animals Work" and "Mayor Gray: Enforce All Animal Cruelty Laws," a group of PETA members—including a costumed "elephant"—will gather outside City Hall on Thursday in advance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' opening night at the Verizon Center later this month. As PETA has pointed out in a letter to Mayor Vincent Gray, Ringling chains the elephants overnight so that they cannot move even two steps and forces ones who suffer from painful arthritis and lameness—including Karen and Nicole, part of the Ringling unit headed to town—to perform, both violations of district law. Citing budgetary constraints, the Department of Health has refused to conduct evening inspections and has refused to hand over evidence to the Washington Humane Society, the congressionally empowered animal law enforcement agency in the district—meaning that these laws have gone unenforced.

When:   Thursday, March 7, 12 noon sharp

Where:  City Hall, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (near the intersection with 14^th Street)

"For years, district officials have shamefully turned a blind eye to cruel practices, including chaining elephants overnight in such a way that they cannot take two steps, forcing them to urinate and defecate in the same space where they must lie down, and making lame elephants perform painful tricks," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on Mayor Gray to act to ensure that the circus isn't allowed to flout the law again this year."

Alec Baldwin's video exposé reveals other ways that Ringling abuses elephants, including beating them with sharp metal bullhooks to keep them in constant fear of punishment.

For more information, please visit PETA's website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.

Lawsuit Pends, but Fresh Exposé Shows Ducks Forced to Stand on Metal, Unable to Move Around or Spread Their Wings—PETA Appeals for Owner Action

For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- This morning, PETA sent a letter to Sean Chaney, co-owner of Hot's Restaurant Group, appealing to him to stop serving foie gras—the sale of which is illegal in California—at Hot's Kitchen in Hermosa Beach because of new, direct evidence of cruelty to ducks at the Canadian farm that supplies the restaurant. PETA's action comes on the heels of its just-concluded investigation of the duck factory farm in Carignan, Québec, that supplies Hot's and is operated by Palmex, Inc. PETA also sent video footage showing that the ducks at Palmex's farm spend the final weeks before slaughter in barren metal cages not much larger than their own bodies, where they can't take two steps in any direction or spread even a single wing, must stand with their webbed feet on metal grating, and are denied water to bathe and swim in.

Past exposés of foie gras farms have shown that workers repeatedly ram pipes down ducks' throats and pump up to 4 pounds of grain and fat into them to sicken and enlarge their livers.

"PETA has presented Mr. Chaney with all the evidence that a compassionate person would ever need to see to be convinced that ducks cannot be allowed to suffer this way to make little bites of food for greedy people," says PETA Senior Research Associate Dan Paden. "Exposés have repeatedly revealed that foie gras farms deny ducks all that is natural and important to them and force-feed them, sometimes until holes are punched in their throats—it is so cruel and barbaric, which is exactly why California outlawed the sale of foie gras."

Hot's Kitchen has been attempting to skirt the law by changing the name of its Foie Gras Burger to THE Burger and keeping it on the menu, advertising that it comes with a "complimentary" serving of foie gras. PETA filed a lawsuit against the company in November 2012. The case is pending.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Hot's Restaurant Group co-owner Sean Chaney follows.

March 6, 2013

Sean Chaney, Co-Owner
c/o Kellie Motte
Hot’s Restaurant Group, Inc.

Dear Mr. Chaney:

PETA has taken a recent firsthand look at the living conditions imposed on ducks at Palmex, Inc., the factory farm outside Montréal that supplies the Rougié brand foie gras illegally sold at Hot’s Restaurant Group, Inc. (“Hot’s”). We hope you do not know what goes on there and ask that you consider the facts and decide to do the right—and legal—thing and swear off foie gras for good.

Please see how these gentle ducks—living beings who, as anyone who works with them, has kept them as pets, or has observed them in a non-exploitative way in nature will assure you, are ordinarily full of life and delight—spend the last weeks before they are slaughtered in barren, metal cages with slatted floors that they must stand on with their webbed feet, cages that are only slightly larger than their own bodies and that do not permit them to take a single step in any direction or to spread even one wing. They are prevented even from stretching, which is natural for ducks, or turning around. They cannot preen, a behavior that is integral to their well-being. There is no water for them to bathe or swim in or eat from. In other words, for this little bit of fatty liver that is being produced by force-feeding them—another horror—these tormented ducks are denied everything that is natural and important and pleasant to them. They are allowed to exist only as fatty liver–producing machines. Yet they are animate and alive, they are not machines, they feel and they suffer.

Dr. Anthony Pilny, an avian veterinarian who viewed our footage, said, “This housing denies and frustrates the ducks’ basic, biological needs, and it is cruel and inhumane.” Dr. Ian Duncan, world-renowned avian welfare expert, said that these “individual cages … prevent the birds from carrying out natural behaviour that is essential for their physical and psychological health.”

This misery is imposed on ducks who are cruelly force-fed huge amounts of grain to benefit Hot’s. I won’t reiterate the other forms of cruelty involved in force-feeding but ask you to look at how the ducks are kept, something that you may not have known about or considered. There is no question that the treatment of these ducks is cruel and grotesque. It is done just to produce one culinary treat. I am asking you to reconsider and please decide no longer to support this degree of suffering. Will you please join the many wonderful chefs and restaurants and catering services that no longer serve foie gras? I look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dan Paden
Senior Research Associate
Cruelty Investigations Department

PETA Unveils Undercover Video of Ducks Subjected to Severe Cruelty in Their Final Weeks Before Slaughter

For Immediate Release:
March 6, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Carignan, Québec -- PETA has just debuted shocking video footage from its recent undercover investigation of a Carignan factory duck farm operated by Marieville-based Palmex, Inc., part of Rougié, the self-proclaimed "world's #1 producer of foie gras." The investigation follows the continued sale of foie gras from Palmex at Hot's Kitchen, a Los Angeles–area restaurant, despite a California law banning the sale of the cruelly obtained product. PETA filed a lawsuit against Hot's in November. PETA's new video footage from Palmex unveils how the ducks spend their final weeks before they're killed in barren metal cages not much bigger than their own bodies, where they can't take two steps in any direction or spread even a single wing and are denied water to bathe and swim in.

"Exposés have repeatedly revealed that foie gras farms deny ducks all that is natural and important to them and force-feed them until holes are punched in their throats—it's nothing short of barbaric, which is exactly why California outlawed foie gras sales," says PETA Senior Research Associate Dan Paden. "The grotesque suffering shown in PETA's new video should be a wake-up call to restaurants and distributors to drop this cruel product from their shelves and menus for good."

Previous exposés at foie gras farms have shown that workers repeatedly ram pipes down ducks' throats—often resulting in gaping puncture wounds—and pump up to 4 pounds of grain and fat into them to sicken and enlarge their livers. Those who survive the feedings suffer from a painful illness that causes their livers to swell to up to 10 times their normal size. Some birds can no longer walk and can only propel themselves over the cage floors by pushing with their wings.

According to Dr. Anthony Pilny, an avian veterinarian who reviewed PETA's Palmex footage, "This housing denies and frustrates the ducks' basic biological needs, and it is cruel and inhumane." World-renowned avian welfare expert Dr. Ian Duncan notes that "individual cages … prevent the birds from carrying out natural behaviour that is essential for their physical and psychological health."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Lentils for Lent? PETA Donates Vegan Soup to Denver Shelter

For Immediate Release:
March 7, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Denver -- PETA is embarking on a new project that involves donating vegan lentil soup by Amy's Kitchen to the Samaritan House in Denver in order to help feed those in need during Lent. Our message is that Lent isn't always about giving something up. It's also about compassion and discovery—including discovering new foods!

"Jesus taught compassion for all of His creations, yet animals who are killed for food are usually treated cruelly and can die a frightening death," says PETA Director Colleen O'Brien, a devout Roman Catholic. "PETA is appealing to everyone to go vegan for Lent—and keep it up all year long."

Going vegan is a powerful way to adhere to the true teachings of Jesus and the Bible, which include caring for each other, animals, and the Earth. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has said that humankind's "degrading of living creatures to a commodity seems to me in fact to contradict the relationship of mutuality that comes across in the Bible." PETA and its tens of thousands of Catholic supporters agree that going vegan is one of the most Christian things that anyone can do.

Visit PETA.org for additional information.

Lentils for Lent? PETA Donates Vegan Soup to St. Louis Shelter

For Immediate Release:
March 7, 2013

Contact: 
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

St. Louis, Mo. -- PETA is embarking on a new project that involves donating vegan lentil soup by Amy's Kitchen to St. Vincent DePaul Parish in St. Louis in order to help feed those in need during Lent. Our message is that Lent isn't always about giving something up. It's also about compassion and discovery—including discovering new foods!

"Jesus taught compassion for all of His creations, yet animals who are killed for food are usually treated cruelly and can die a frightening death," says PETA Director Colleen O'Brien, a devout Roman Catholic. "PETA is appealing to everyone to go vegan for Lent—and keep it up all year long."

Going vegan is a powerful way to adhere to the true teachings of Jesus and the Bible, which include caring for each other, animals, and the Earth. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has said that humankind's "degrading of living creatures to a commodity seems to me in fact to contradict the relationship of mutuality that comes across in the Bible." PETA and its tens of thousands of Catholic supporters agree that going vegan is one of the most Christian things that anyone can do.

Visit PETA.org for additional information.

Preakness, Kentucky Oaks Winner Recovering From Second Hospitalization for Foaling Complications

For Immediate Release:
March 7, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Lexington, Ky. -- As 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra continues to recover from the life-threatening injuries that she sustained while giving birth to her second foal, PETA has sent a letter to Barbara Banke, Rachel Alexandra's owner, urging her to retire the horse from life as a broodmare. As PETA points out in its letter, Rachel Alexandra has a history of birthing complications: She was hospitalized for pain following the birth of Jess's Dream, her first foal, and had to have large parts of her intestines removed just last month. Such complications can be life-threatening, and many prize-winning horses—including Lady's Secret, Meadow Star, Typhoon Tracy, and Urban Sea—have died after giving birth.

"Surely, after earning more than $3 million for Stonestreet Farm, Rachel Alexandra deserves to live a long, peaceful life free of the risk of more frightening injuries," says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. "PETA hopes that Stonestreet Farm will agree that Rachel Alexandra's well-being is more important than her value as a broodmare."

Rachel Alexandra's mother, Lotta Kim, also has a history of foaling complications: She had one foal who was born prematurely and died, another died at just 2 years of age because of wobbler syndrome, and she rejected Rachel Alexandra, who then had to be raised by a nurse mare. Nurse mares who are used to produce milk for orphaned foals and those whose mothers are being rebred are routinely forced into a cycle of serial breeding, only to have their own babies torn away from them.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Laramie County, Wyo. -- 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.

As snow and low temperatures affect the greater Cheyenne area, would 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:
March 8, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Albany County, Wyo. -- 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.

As snow and low temperatures affect the greater Laramie area, would 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 to Give Festival Attendees a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Factory Farms and Slaughterhouses

For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Austin, Texas -- "Can you spend 60 seconds in hell?" That's the challenge that PETA will bring to South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, this weekend with a brand-new video booth that allows passersby to get a firsthand look at the meat industry by watching its "Factory Farming in 60 Seconds" video. PETA will also distribute free vegetarian/vegan starter kits with recipes and tips so that people can do the Earth, animals, and their own arteries a favor by going meat- and dairy-free.

When:   Saturday, March 9, 4 p.m., E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Congress Avenue, Austin

               Sunday, March 10, 4 p.m., W. 27^th and Guadalupe streets, Austin

       Monday, March 11, 4 p.m., W. 21^st and University streets, Austin

"South by Southwest is all about discovery, and PETA's video booth will help attendees see for themselves just how much suffering goes into every ounce of meat," says PETA's Ashley Byrne. "Once South by Southwest attendees find out what cows, chickens, and other animals go through on factory farms, they'll be swapping their hamburgers for delicious, healthy veggie burgers."

PETA's other outreach efforts during SXSW will include a giveaway of delicious, heart-healthy vegan sandwiches with the bikini-clad "Lettuce Ladies" and demonstrations featuring PETA's bodypainted "Mother Earth" and "Clean Your Conscience!" sidewalk shower, which will call attention to the meat industry's devastating impact on the planet, including its waste of water.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Japanese Restaurants Are Proving That Every Type of Seafood Under the (Rising) Sun Can Be Made Cruelty-Free—and Spectacular

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- If you think of raw fish when you hear "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi—that is, rolls free of the flesh of fish who are impaled, yanked out of the water, and cut open—by dishing up vegan lobster, scallops, and salmon in colorful rolls packed with fresh, flavorful fruits, vegetables, and much more. So PETA scoured the land to determine North America's top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi, and the results are in.

Taking the title is Loving Vegan, where the Amazing Roll—loaded with faux lobster, avocado, and cucumber and topped with grilled mushrooms—and the spicy "tuna" Dynamite Roll have won fans in Albuquerque, N.M., and beyond. Coming in a close second was Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, which specializes in vegan eel dishes, such as the unsurpassed faux eel with avocado roll. New York City's all-vegan Beyond Sushi grabbed third place, thanks to crisp, vegetable-packed rolls, such as the Mighty Mushroom, an enoki, shiitake, and tofu roll served with a rich shiitake teriyaki sauce.

Rounding out the top 10 are Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; Sticky Rice in Baltimore, Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C.; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Vegan House in Los Angeles. Garnering an honorable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we humans learn about how fish feel pain and fear and value their own lives, the less interested we tend to be in eating them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is proud to recognize these restaurants for going above and beyond when it comes to offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

All the winners and honorable mention will receive a framed certificate to display on their walls. For more details on all the restaurants,click here.

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Seattle -- Students at Albert Einstein Elementary could have celebrated the scientist's birthday on March 14 with a healthy meat-free (and cost-free) meal donated by PETA in honor of Einstein's vegetarian legacy—but school administrators have rejected the group's offer.

"At a time when school budgets and childhood obesity are hot topics, we're surprised that Einstein Elementary rejected an offer that would've saved the school money and introduced kids to healthy eating," says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews. "It would have been the perfect way to honor Einstein's vegetarian legacy."

PETA had offered to foot the bill for the day's meals and to supply the school with free copies of its colorful, kid-friendly Einstein leaflet, which quotes the icon's vegetarian philosophy: "So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, but am feeling quite well this way. It almost seems to me that man was not born to be a carnivore." And he was right—meat causes animals to suffer immensely and is also full of saturated fats and cholesterol, which are linked to health problems such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Meat is even linked to Alzheimer's disease, and the mercury in fish can cause learning problems and memory loss. Vegetarian meals are humane and offer low-fat, nutrient-packed brain food that can help students' growing minds reach their full potential.

For more information, visit PETA.org.

 

Melissa Pointer
Principal
Albert Einstein Elementary

Dear Ms. Pointer,

Greetings from PETA. This year, we're working to highlight the vegetarian legacy of your school's namesake, Albert Einstein. Given the obesity epidemic and young people's natural affinity for animals, we hope you'll consider working with us on this unique one-day promotion. Since your school promotes Mr. Einstein's legacy through education, would you serve only vegan foods on his birthday, March 14? It would be a simple way to honor Einstein and teach kids about healthier eating options. We'd be happy to work with your cafeteria and even sponsor the lunch.

As you can see in this PETA leaflet, Einstein once stated, "So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, but am feeling quite well this way. It almost seems to me that man was not born to be a carnivore." And he was right—meat not only causes animals to suffer immensely but also is full of saturated fats and cholesterol, which are linked to health problems such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Meat is even linked to Alzheimer's disease, and the mercury in fish can cause learning problems and memory loss. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, contain powerful nutrients to help students' growing minds reach their full potential.

Please let me know how we might work with you to make this happen. Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

Dan Mathews
Senior Vice President
PETA

Fishing Teaches Children That Violence Is Acceptable, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Burlington, Vt. -- After the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department released a statement requesting more volunteers for its "Let's Go Fishing" program, which aims to teach children and their families how to fish, PETA has asked the department to cancel "Let's Go Fishing" and allocate its funding to nonviolent educational youth programs.

"Teaching children to fish tells them that it's OK to inflict pain and suffering on someone who is different from them," says PETA Executive Vice President (and mom) Tracy Reiman. "Particularly at this impressionable young age, we should be teaching our children lessons about nonviolence, empathy, and acceptance."

PETA also points out that multiple scientific studies have concluded that fish feel pain acutely. Fish suffer while being held out of water just as humans would if drowning. Their mouths and lips are particularly sensitive, and fish who are caught and thrown back endure painful injuries and infections, and often die soon afterwards.

The money saved by canceling the "Let's Go Fishing" program could fund many recreational activities along Vermont's scenic waterways that would be safer for children and more humane for fish.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. To view PETA's new anti-fishing public service announcement starring Joaquin Phoenix, click here. 

PETA's letter to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department follows.

March 11, 2013

Patrick Berry
Commissioner
Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Dear Commissioner Berry,

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Vermont, to respectfully urge you to cancel the "Let's Go Fishing" program for the sake of kids, parents, and the fish themselves, who suffer as a result of this misguided program.

The only lesson that fishing teaches children is that violence is acceptable when it is directed against those who don't look like them or are smaller and weaker than they are. Fish have particularly sensitive mouths and lips that they use in much the same way that we use our hands. Removing a hook often results in painful injuries to a fish's lips, throat, mouth, and/or face, which can easily become infected. Research shows that fish who are caught and thrown back into the water ("catch-and-release" fishing) often die from their injuries, stress, and/or the loss of their protective outer coating. If cats or dogs were the victims of similar abuse, the perpetrators could be thrown in jail for cruelty to animals. A lack of understanding and knowledge about fish, especially among young people, allows this cruelty to continue.

There is irrefutable scientific evidence that fish feel pain. The journal Fish and Fisheries cited more than 500 research papers on fish intelligence and concluded that fish are intelligent animals with sophisticated social structures. Dr. Donald Broom, scientific adviser to the British government, has said, "The scientific literature is quite clear. Anatomically, physiologically, and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals." Furthermore, if participants use the "skills" that they acquire in the "Let's Go Fishing" program to catch fish to eat, they could be putting their health at risk. Fish flesh tends to contain large amounts of toxins, including mercury and PCBs, which accumulate in the bodies of people who eat them and can promote brain damage, cancer, and birth defects.

Please take a second look at this program and redirect this money and time to other useful, nonviolent state programs that everyone can get behind.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
PETA

Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine Serves Up More Than a Dozen Delectable Cruelty-Free Rolls, From Vegan Crab and Salmon to Sweet Yam and Spicy Broccoli

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Markham, Ont. -- If you think of raw fish when you hear the word "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi—that is, rolls free of the flesh of fish who are impaled, yanked out of the water, and cut open—by dishing up vegan lobster, scallops, and salmon in colourful rolls packed with fresh, flavourful fruits, vegetables, and much more. It's hard to find a restaurant that does a better job of offering creative, delicious fish-free fare than Markham's Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine, which ranks number four on PETA's list of the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America.

Located at 8362 Kennedy Rd., Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine offers sushi featuring faux meat—including vegan crab, shrimp, squid, salmon, tuna, and ham. And the menu doesn't stop there: Its varieties of fruit- and vegetable-rich rolls include mango, spicy broccoli, sweet yam tempura, cucumber, radish, and more.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we humans learn about how fish feel pain and fear and value their own lives, the less interested we tend to be in eating them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is proud to recognize restaurants such as Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine for going above and beyond when it comes to offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Top honours go to Loving Vegan in Albuquerque, N.M. Second place goes to Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, and New York's Beyond Sushi has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 are New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; Sticky Rice in Baltimore, Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C.; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Los Angeles' Vegan House. Garnering an honourable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.

For more information, please click here.

Minako Organic, Cha-Ya Serve Up Dozens of Delectable Cruelty-Free Dishes, From Vegan Eel and Avocado Rolls to Shitake and Portobello Rolls

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

San Francisco -- If you think of raw fish when you hear the word "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting the growing demand for vegan sushi that didn't cost a fish a fin and a tail by dishing up colorful rolls packed with faux fish and other mock meats; fresh, flavorful fruits and vegetables; and more. PETA has ranked the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America, and two Bay Area eateries have made the grade.

Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant, located at 2154 Mission St. in San Francisco, has taken the number two spot, thanks to its extensive menu featuring seven types of vegan eel sushi, three variations of tofu-based sushi, and a whopping 36 sushi dishes with vegetables, including the delicious avocado rolls and the takuan (pickled radish) and cucumber maki.

With two area locations—one at 762 Valencia St. in San Francisco and the other at 1686 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley—Cha-Ya has garnered an honorable mention. It offers five types of soy-filled sushi, including the standout sobo, which uses buckwheat noodles instead of rice and includes spinach, shitake mushrooms, and more. Also exceptional is the portobello roll, one of 21 types of vegetable sushi.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we learn about how fish feel pain and fear, the less likely we are to eat them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA salutes Minako Organic and Cha-Ya for offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Top honors go to Loving Vegan in Albuquerque, N.M. Rounding out the top 10 are Beyond Sushi in New York; Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy& Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; Sticky Rice in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va.; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Los Angeles' Vegan House.

For more information, please click here.

Renee Olstead Appears in New peta2 Ad Promoting Empathy for Fish

For Immediate Release:
March 11, 2013

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- Hugging peta2 mascot Tiffany Tuna next to the caption "Fish Are Friends, Not Food," singer and star of The Secret Life of the American TeenagerRenee Olstead is featured in a brand-new ad for peta2, PETA's youth division. The ad (available here) goes on to say, "Stand up for all animals and go vegan today." Her point? That even many people who have reservations about eating land animals often swallow the myth that fish don't feel pain or possess intelligence, when nothing could be further from the truth.

Olstead—a big peta2 fan who stopped eating meat at age 12 and went vegan a year ago—also sat down for an exclusive peta2 interview and talked about why she won't eat fish.

"I'm often asked, 'Do you want to get sushi?' … Fish aren't vegetables," says Olstead, who points out that delicious vegan options are available nearly everywhere these days. "Fish that are killed for food die the same way any other animal would for food, so there really is no difference between a cow or a fish or a chicken—it's all suffering. And why would you want to eat suffering?"

The experts back Olstead up. Scientific studies show that fish are intelligent, sensitive animals who experience pain and fear when they are hooked or netted and pulled from the water. The scientific journal Fish and Fisheries cited more than 500 research papers on fish intelligence that prove that fish are smart, can use tools, and have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures. Fish have even been observed talking to each other in low-frequency sounds that humans can hear only with the aid of special instruments.

Justin Bieber, Cody Simpson, Megan Park,Christian Serratos, Angela Simmons, and Kellan Lutz are just a few of the other celebrities who have teamed up with peta2 to fight animal abuse.

For more information, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Kevin Nealon to Host Q&A With Bill Maher's Favorite 'Radical at Large' About Campaigns to Get Animals off Plates and Backs

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Los Angeles -- PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk is no stranger to shaking things up for animal rights, whether that means spending time in a Pennsylvania prison for disrupting a pigeon shoot, taking over a fur designer's office, pulling a horse carriage through the streets of Mumbai, languishing in a cage in a Taiwan market, or lying naked in a coffin in Times Square. And on Thursday, she'll deliver the "naked truth" about the animal rights movement—and how it must reach beyond pelts and "pets" to persuade people to view all animals as fellow citizens worthy of respect—in a special address at The Ebell of Los Angeles. The event, which will include a lively stage interview hosted by Weeds and Saturday Night Live star Kevin Nealon, marks the launch of Newkirk's Naked Truth speaking engagements across the country.

When:   Thursday, March 14, 8 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)

Where:  The Ebell of Los Angeles, 743 S. Lucerne Blvd. (near the intersection with Wilshire Boulevard), Los Angeles

"Sometimes you have to titillate, shock, and annoy people in order to call attention to an emerging social issue, as even surprising facts are rarely enough to get people to change their habits," says Newkirk. "Everyone from schoolkids to President Bill Clinton is going vegan, but there's a breadth and depth to animal rights that is still mysterious to many people."

In addition to her work as PETA's cofounder and president, Newkirk is the author of more than a dozen books about how to help animals—including One Can Make a Difference and The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights—and a frequent guest on national news programs, including those on CNN and NPR as well as The Daily Show.

Sticky Rice Serves Up More Than a Dozen Delectable Cruelty-Free Sushi Dishes, From Tofu With Scallions and Peanuts to the Red-Hot Gardens on Fire

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Washington -- If you think of raw fish when you hear the word "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi that didn't cost a fish a fin and a tail by dishing up colorful rolls packed with faux fish and other mock meats, fresh and flavorful fruits and vegetables, and more. PETA has ranked the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America, and Sticky Rice, with four locations—one at 1224 H St. N.E. in Washington, one at 1634 Aliceanna St. in Baltimore, and two in Richmond, at 2232 W. Main St. and 2227 W. Main St.—has taken the number-eight spot.

Sticky Rice offers two types of tofu-based sushi, including the Hot Hippy made with spicy marinated tofu, scallions, peanuts, cucumbers, and carrots. A dozen sushi dishes with vegetables run the gamut from the Dirty South (vegan tempura fried sweet potato and sesame seeds) to the aptly named Gardens on Fire with tempura carrots, cucumbers, and avocados rolled with optional vegan wasabi mayo and umeboshi (pickled fruit) paste as well as a loud and clear warning on the menu: "really spicy!!!" Other standouts include the G.I. Jane—cucumbers, optional vegan cream cheese, scallions, and sesame seeds rolled in crushed wasabi peas.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we learn about how fish feel pain and fear, the less likely we are to eat them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA salutes Sticky Rice for offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Top honors go to Loving Vegan in Albuquerque, N.M. Second place goes to Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, and New York's Beyond Sushi has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 are Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Los Angeles' Vegan House. Garnering an honorable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.

For more information, please click here.

Loving Vegan Serves Up Dozens of Delectable Cruelty-Free Rolls, From Vegan Lobster to BBQ Mushroom

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Albuquerque, N.M. -- If you think of raw fish when you hear "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi—that is, rolls free of the flesh of fish who are impaled, yanked out of the water, and cut open—by dishing up vegan lobster, scallops, and salmon in colorful rolls packed with fresh, flavorful fruits, vegetables, and much more. No restaurant does a better job of offering creative, delicious fish-free fare than Albuquerque's Loving Vegan, which tops PETA's list of the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America.

Located at 5109 Coors Blvd. N.E., Loving Vegan offers nearly two dozen varieties of sushi featuring faux fish, including the Amazing Roll—loaded with vegan lobster, avocado, and cucumber and topped with grilled mushrooms—and the spicy "tuna" Dynamite Roll. And the menu doesn't stop there: Its 20 varieties of fruit- and vegetable-rich rolls include the barbecue mushroom Caterpillar Roll and the roasted green chili–topped Forever Green Roll.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we humans learn about how fish feel pain and fear and value their own lives, the less interested we tend to be in eating them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA is proud to recognize restaurants such as Loving Vegan for going above and beyond when it comes to offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Second place goes to Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, and New York City's Beyond Sushi has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 areTenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; Baltimore, Richmond, and D.C.'s Sticky Rice; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Vegan House in Los Angeles. Garnering an honorable mention isand Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley.

For more information, please click here.

Sticky Rice Serves Up More Than a Dozen Delectable Cruelty-Free Sushi Dishes, From Tofu With Scallions and Peanuts to the Red-Hot Gardens on Fire

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Baltimore -- If you think of raw fish when you hear the word "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi that didn't cost a fish a fin and a tail by dishing up colorful rolls packed with faux fish and other mock meats, fresh and flavorful fruits and vegetables, and more. PETA has ranked the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America, and Sticky Rice, with four locations—one at 1634 Aliceanna St. in Baltimore, one at 1224 H St. N.E. in Washington, and two in Richmond, at 2232 W. Main St. and 2227 W. Main St.—has taken the number-eight spot.

Sticky Rice offers two types of tofu-based sushi, including the Hot Hippy made with spicy marinated tofu, scallions, peanuts, cucumbers, and carrots. A dozen sushi dishes with vegetables run the gamut from the Dirty South (vegan tempura fried sweet potato and sesame seeds) to the aptly named Gardens on Fire with tempura carrots, cucumbers, and avocados rolled with optional vegan wasabi mayo and umeboshi (pickled fruit) paste as well as a loud and clear warning on the menu: "really spicy!!!" Other standouts include the G.I. Jane—cucumbers, optional vegan cream cheese, scallions, and sesame seeds rolled in crushed wasabi peas.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we learn about how fish feel pain and fear, the less likely we are to eat them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA salutes Sticky Rice for offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Top honors go to Loving Vegan in Albuquerque, N.M. Second place goes to Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, and New York's Beyond Sushi has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 are Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Los Angeles' Vegan House. Garnering an honorable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.

For more information, please click here.

Sticky Rice Serves Up More Than a Dozen Delectable Cruelty-Free Sushi Dishes, From Tofu With Scallions and Peanuts to the Red-Hot Gardens on Fire

For Immediate Release:
March 12, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Richmond, Va. -- If you think of raw fish when you hear the word "sushi," think again. That's because top Japanese restaurants today are meeting consumers' growing demand for vegan sushi that didn't cost a fish a fin and a tail by dishing up colorful rolls packed with faux fish and other mock meats, fresh and flavorful fruits and vegetables, and more. PETA has ranked the top 10 restaurants for vegan sushi in North America, and Sticky Rice, with four locations—two in Richmond, at 2232 W. Main St. and 2227 W. Main St., one at 1224 H St. N.E. in Washington, and one at 1634 Aliceanna St. in Baltimore—has taken the number-eight spot.

Sticky Rice offers two types of tofu-based sushi, including the Hot Hippy made with spicy marinated tofu, scallions, peanuts, cucumbers, and carrots. A dozen sushi dishes with vegetables run the gamut from the Dirty South (vegan tempura fried sweet potato and sesame seeds) to the aptly named Gardens on Fire with tempura carrots, cucumbers, and avocados rolled with optional vegan wasabi mayo and umeboshi (pickled fruit) paste as well as a loud and clear warning on the menu: "really spicy!!!" Other standouts include the G.I. Jane—cucumbers, optional vegan cream cheese, scallions, and sesame seeds rolled in crushed wasabi peas.

"There's a sea change taking place in North America's eating habits—the more we learn about how fish feel pain and fear, the less likely we are to eat them," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA salutes Sticky Rice for offering creative sushi that is as delicious as it is kind to animals."

Top honors go to Loving Vegan in Albuquerque, N.M. Second place goes to Minako Organic Japanese Restaurant in San Francisco, and New York's Beyond Sushi has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 are Tenon Vegetarian Cuisine in Markham, Ontario; New York's Soy & Sake; Kotobuki in PETA's hometown of Norfolk, Va.; Los Angeles' Shojin Organic & Natural; New York's Franchia Vegan Cafe; and Los Angeles' Vegan House. Garnering an honorable mention is Cha-Ya in San Francisco and Berkeley, Calif.

For more information, please click here.