Professional Rocker, Daughter of Hollywood Actor and Major League Baseball Pitcher Lists Compassion as Her Number-One Turn-On

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Sarasota, Fla. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 23-year-old Sarasota resident Lindsey Landers could take home the grand prize. That's because she has beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 female contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one female and one male) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Landers was raised vegetarian and went vegan three years ago because she refuses to patronize the cruel egg and dairy industries. Her sister Kristy and her mother, Judy Landers, who appeared in several TV shows and Hollywood films, including The Love Boat and Charlie's Angels, are also vegan, and her father is former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tom Niedenfuer. Lindsey and Kristy—who as kids once skipped class because they were going to be forced to dissect animals—front the pop-rock band Official Hot Mess and volunteered to do a video ad for PETA. In addition to volunteering at local animal shelters, you'll often find Landers out on the protest line in behalf of animals. She enjoys singing, songwriting, playing beach volleyball, cooking vegan foods, and doing yoga. So what kind of guy catches this multitalented, compassionate woman's eye? "The sexiest thing a man can say is that he eats tofu and loves his dog," she says.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Bodybuilding Champ Enjoys Living for 'Something Greater Than Myself'

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Carolina Beach, N.C. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 33-year-old Edward Bauer, who grew up in Carolina Beach, could take home the grand prize. That's because Bauer has beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Bauer went vegan during his junior year at Hoggard High School in Wilmington. He now owns and operates PlantFit Training Studio, a gym that encourages members to go vegan. He has won one bodybuilding competition and competed in five CrossFit competitions. And when he travels to Austin, Texas, this summer to compete in the Naturally Fit Health& Fitness Expo, Bauer—who can deadlift 410 pounds and clean and jerk 225 pounds—will be alongside nearly 20 other vegan competitors. "My favorite part about being vegan is knowing that I live for something much greater than myself," says Bauer. "I show others that you can have the body you want and live in harmony with your ethics." He's particularly pleased about persuading his father, who almost died from dangerously high triglyceride levels, to go vegan.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Motorcycle and Karate Enthusiast Refuses to Eat Animals Because They 'Have Families and Feel Pain Just Like Humans Do'

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Saratoga County, N.Y. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 26-year-old Jared Palermo, who grew up in Charlton and now lives in Malta, both in Saratoga County, could take home the grand prize. That's because Palermo has beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Palermo went vegan seven years ago because he wanted to improve his health and also because he recognized that animals are "intelligent creatures who also have families and feel pain just like humans do." Now working for Motive Company—an all-vegan clothing business famous for its shirts, with slogans such as "I'm a Wheat and Potatoes Kinda Guy"—Palermo utilizes the often-reported boost in energy he felt after going vegan by working out at the gym, studying karate, and going snowboarding or skateboarding every chance he gets. In fact, he's so sold on beating the meat, dairy, and egg habit that he used his position as resident advisor at SUNY–Oneonta to educate other students about the benefits of going vegan and even persuaded a 61-year-old coworker to give it a try. Always on the move, Palermo also enjoys motorcycles, traveling, and going to concerts.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Bodybuilding Champ Enjoys Living for 'Something Much Greater Than Myself'

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Portland, Ore. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 33-year-old Edward Bauer, who lives in Portland, could take home the grand prize. That's because Bauer has beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Bauer went vegan during his junior year at Hoggard High School in Wilmington, N.C. He now owns and operates the Portland-based PlantFit Training Studio, a gym that encourages members to go vegan. He has won one bodybuilding competition and competed in five CrossFit competitions. And when he travels to Austin, Texas, this summer to compete in the Naturally Fit Health & Fitness Expo, Bauer—who can deadlift 410 pounds and clean and jerk 225 pounds—will be alongside nearly 20 other vegan competitors. "My favorite part about being vegan is knowing that I live for something much greater than myself," he says. "I show others that you can have the body you want and live in harmony with your ethics." He's particularly pleased about persuading his father, who almost died from dangerously high triglyceride levels, to go vegan.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Washington Heights Is Home to Two of the Country's Hottest Herbivores

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

New York -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and Noel Polanco or Jessie Lopez-Garay—two fitness enthusiasts who hail from Washington Heights—could take home the grand prize. That's because Polanco and Lopez-Garay have beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become two of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Noel Polanco, a lifelong New Yorker whose family is from the Dominican Republic, was inspired to go vegan after he saw video footage of animals suffering on factory farms—and his health has been thriving ever since. Now, Polanco is a model and personal trainer who works through social media—including Facebook and YouTube—to show how, as he says, "You can … build muscles on a vegan diet. You can … stay strong, and you can become healthier."

Jessie Lopez-Garay, who was born in Colombia and grew up in Washington Heights, works as the personal assistant for cruelty-free handbag designer—and PETA spokesperson—Cornelia Guest. He is also a fitness enthusiast and competitive runner in training for this year's New York Marathon. He and his boyfriend both decided to go vegetarian after watching the documentary Earthlings—"Before the end credits rolled, I had made up my mind," he says—and soon after, vegan triathlete Brendan Brazier's book Thrive convinced him to go vegan.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Computer Programming Major Credits Vegan Meals With Improving Her Health After Severe Car Accident

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Folsom, Calif. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 24-year-old Delaney Page, who grew up in Folsom, Calif., could take home the grand prize. That's because Page has beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 female contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Delaney, who lives in Altamonte Springs with her husband and their cat, Bagheera, went vegetarian five years ago in an effort to recover from a severe car accident that had left her with multiple broken bones and deep, painful tissue injuries. Her healthy new meat-free meals helped send the pain packing. "It was absolutely amazing," she says. Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet—as well as her younger sister, a dedicated animal advocate—persuaded her to go vegan not only for health reasons, but also to protect animals. Now, Delaney credits vegan meals with the energy that allows her to work out with her husband and play soccer several times a week.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Stella, Ava, and Anaïs Urge Kids to Report Bullies Who Hurt Animals

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- Dressed in combat boots, tutus, and cartoon wings, 13-year-old Anaïs Gallagher, 10-year-old Stella Jones, and 8-year-old Ava Jones—daughters of Oasis' Noel Gallagher and The Clash's Mick Jones—are the young stars of a brand-new PETA U.K. ad that reads, "Cruelty Doesn't Fly With Us. Be an Angel for Animals." The ad, which was shot by top celebrity photographer Pal Hansen, goes on to advise, "Only Bullies Hurt Animals. Don't Be Afraid to Report Them."

"We all know it's wrong to abuse animals, but it takes courage to speak up when we see an animal in trouble," says Anaïs. "If you suspect that somebody's hurting an animal, be brave—tell your parents, a teacher, PETA, or a police officer. You could save that animal's life."

There are more reasons to report animal abuse: Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that children who abuse animals are more likely to bully classmates and grow up to be violent adults. Parents can help instill empathy for all living beings by always teaching children to be kind to animals.

Anaïs, Stella, and Ava are part of a long list of prominent people—including Justin Bieber, Lea Michele, and Pink—who have teamed up with PETA and its affiliates to promote compassion for animals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

peta2 Throws Its Support Behind Plan to Give Students a Feel for Cetaceans' Confinement That Will Have Them Boycotting Aquariums

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Red Hook, N.Y. -- Students at Bard College will soon have a chance to experience at least some of the cruelty inherent in keeping dolphins captive. That's because for her capstone project, fourth-year student Samantha Rosenbaum is erecting a dark, cramped walk-in display—complete with ankle-high "unclean" water—to simulate the conditions of the concrete tanks in which cetaceans are placed at amusement parks and aquariums. The project will also feature images displayed by a film projector as well as information about how intelligent, free-living dolphins suffer when they're taken from their ocean homes and forced to perform tricks for a reward of dead fish. PETA's youth division, peta2, has written a special blog post about the project.

When:   Friday, April 19, 6–9 p.m.

Where:  Ludlow Lawn, Bard College, Red Hook, N.Y.

"Keeping dolphins in barren concrete tanks at aquariums is the equivalent of forcing a human to live in a bathtub," says peta2 Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. "Samantha's exhibit will have students and faculty members thinking twice before visiting aquariums that profit directly from these highly intelligent animals' misery."

In their natural habitats, dolphins swim together in family pods and travel up to 100 miles each day. Dolphins navigate by bouncing sonar waves off objects to determine location and distance. In captivity, the reverberations that occur when their own sonar bounces off pool walls drive some dolphins insane, according to the late renowned oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.

For more information, please visit peta2's blog.

Group Rushes Materials on Link Between Animal Abuse and Violence Against Humans to Houston-Area Schools

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Houston -- Following the reported discovery of an animal-dissection kit in the home of 20-year-old Dylan Quick—the man accused of the April 9 stabbings of 14 people at Lone Star College in the Houston suburb of Cyprus—peta2, PETA's youth division, is calling on local schools to replace animal dissection with humane, superior alternatives and to educate students about the link between cruelty to animals and violence directed against humans. peta2 has sent schools in Houston, Baytown, and Sugar Land educational material on both issues. In its materials, peta2 urges educators to impress upon students the urgency of always reporting animal abuse the moment that they witness it.

"When students dissect animals, they become desensitized to the suffering that those animals experienced at the hands of biological supply companies," says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way to ensure that those same students don't also become desensitized to human suffering is to cut out dissection and rely on the many superior teaching methods already in use."

Each year in the U.S., an estimated 10 million animals are killed for dissection. Many come from biological supply houses, which breed some animals or are obtained from animal shelters or the wild. Studies show that exposing young people to animal dissection can cause lifelong psychological distress and foster callousness toward animals since using animals as disposable classroom tools sends a dangerous message that it's acceptable to hurt, use, and discard animals as if they were inanimate objects. Non-animal methods, such as interactive computer programs, teach students that violence against any living being is unacceptable, and they have been shown to teach biology as well as—and in many cases better than—dissection. The National Science Teachers Association endorses the use of modern non-animal methods as replacements for dissection.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

DuPage County, Ill. -- As flooding is expected to continue in DuPage County, PETA is offering important advice for ensuring the safety of companion animals should residents experience more major flooding or be forced to evacuate. Please alert your audience to the following information, which could help save the lives of cats, dogs, birds, and other companion animals who should be included in disaster preparation plans:

• Have your animals microchipped, and put secure, legible ID tags on them.
• During a flood, never leave your animals outdoors, tied up, or confined in any way, as they will be trapped and unable to flee rising waters. (Please click on the hyperlinks to see photos of dogs who were left outside during past storms.)
• In the event of an evacuation, never leave your animals behind to fend for themselves. They aren't equipped to survive disasters any better than humans are.
  • Know your emergency destination ahead of time. Shelters for human victims don't often allow animals, but motels in the area will probably accept them in an emergency. Call destinations in advance, and find out which ones will accommodate you and your animals.
  • Never leave animals unsupervised in a car; they can panic and try to escape and/or suffer from heatstroke once ambient temperatures rise above 70 degrees, even if water is provided and the windows are slightly open. Animals can also be stolen from parked vehicles.
  • Place small animals in secure carriers and keep dogs leashed. Frightening sounds and unfamiliar surroundings may make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, your animals' favorite toy or blanket, a towel, and enough food to last them at least a week.
  • Watch for other animals in need, including strays and animals who are left behind by neighbors. If you see an animal in distress and are unable to help, note the animal's condition and location and call authorities for help as soon as possible.

Print: A copy of PETA's disaster-preparedness public service announcement is available to link to or downloadhere. TV: A copy of PETA's disaster-preparedness public service announcement is available to link to or download here. Radio: A copy of PETA's disaster-preparedness public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Shareholder Resolutions to Release Enslaved Animals Back Into the Wild to Be Filed at First Opportunity

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Orlando, Fla. -- This morning, as the stock went on sale, PETA's order, sitting in the wings, allowed the group to purchase enough shares of Orlando-based SeaWorld common stock to give the group the right to attend and speak at annual meetings and to submit shareholder resolutions. PETA, which was among the first to purchase shares during SeaWorld's initial public offering, will try to end the suffering endured by the orcas, dolphins, and other animals who are confined to tiny barren tanks for human amusement at SeaWorld facilities in Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego. PETA wants SeaWorld to stop breeding and acquiring animals and also to release the orcas and dolphins it currently holds captive to coastal sanctuaries and, where possible, have them rehabilitated and released into the ocean.

"PETA's goal is to stop SeaWorld from imposing a life of misery, confinement, and cruelty on orcas and dolphins," says general counsel to PETA Jeffrey Kerr. "Depriving these highly intelligent social animals of all that's natural to them causes them to chew on metal underwater gates and concrete, breaking their teeth out of sheer frustration and aggression."

The captive orcas often express their stress through aggression by charging each other, resulting in wounds so severe that they are left out of shows and shaken for days. They also gnaw at tank gates, sometimes breaking their teeth, and often die prematurely. SeaWorld also lists more than 100 incidents of orca aggression—including trainer injuries and death—in its own incomplete records. PETA warns that the trainer who died in a February 2010 incident will not be the last victim as long as the animals are kept so frustrated in captivity.

In the wild, orcas share intricate relationships, and males in some populations spend their entire lives with their mothers. Pods have their own cultures, including unique dialects, and the animals swim as many as 100 miles every day. At SeaWorld, orcas continually turn in circles in small concrete tanks, which, in human terms, are equivalent to the size of a bathtub, and are also forced to perform circus-style tricks for food.

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:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Storrs, Conn. -- Most students at the University of Connecticut 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, April 22, through Tuesday, April 23, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  Fairfield Way, University of Connecticut, Storrs

"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.

Disturbing Video Prompts PETA to Submit Federal Complaint and Renew Call for School to Modernize Its Medical Training Program

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2013

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

St. Louis -- PETA has just released disturbing leaked video footage of a cruel medical training exercise conducted on cats in March at Washington University in St. Louis' (WUSTL) Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) course, which is offered jointly with St. Louis Children's Hospital. PETA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture alleging violations of the Animal Welfare Act as well as complaints with WUSTL officials and the American Heart Association (AHA), the PALS course's sponsor. The AHA recommends the use of human-like manikins only and does not endorse the use of cats in PALS training.

The video, available here, shows unskilled trainees placing cats at risk for serious injuries while struggling for several minutes to shove hard tubes down the windpipes of two vulnerable cats named Elliott and Jesse for a crude intubation training drill. In the video, several trainees state that the cats they used began to wake up during the procedure, indicating that they were not properly anesthetized. Even though studies show that as few as five intubations can cause serious trauma to animals, the WUSTL laboratory veterinarian running the course discusses how each cat is subjected to as many as 15 intubations each session and admits that some cats' windpipes are injured during the exercise.

After receiving the video footage, PETA asked Washington University Chancellor Mark Stephen Wrighton to meet and discuss the issues privately, but he refused.

"Out of more than 1,000 PALS facilities nationwide, Washington University bears the shame of being the only one still abusing cats in these archaic exercises," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Forcing tubes down cats'  throats is obviously cruel—and it's no way to teach students how to save the lives of human infants."

WUSTL has continued to use cats in its PALS course, even though the AHA clearly states, "We do not endorse or require the use of animals during the AHA-PALS training because of advances and availability of simulation manikins." Cindy Tait, a nurse, a paramedic, and the original co-developer of the PALS course, has stated, "There is absolutely no evidence in the scientific literature to indicate that using animals to teach this procedure is effective on its own or that it improves the skills of those trained on simulators."

For more information, please visit PETA.org/StLouisCats.

'Super-Powered' Beauties Will Ask Attendees to Be Superheroes for Animals 

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Washington -- Decked out in their finest spandex costumes—complete with capes, boots, and masks—and holding signs that read, "Be a Superhero for Animals: Go Vegan," PETA's soy-powered, fruit- and veggie-fueled crusaders will assemble outside Awesome Con D.C. at the Washington Convention Center on Saturday. The vegan heroines hope to encourage the event's throngs of comic-book, superhero, horror, and sci-fi fans to join the fight against the evil, violence, and villainy of the meat and dairy industries that poison their victims' bodies with artery-clogging fat.

When:   April 20, 9:30 a.m.

Where:  Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Pl. N.W., Washington

"As Vulcans already know, there's nothing logical about supporting industries that mutilate and kill billions of animals every year," says compassionate-consumer crusader Christina Freeman. "We're calling on the citizens of Earth to exercise the power of the plate and fight injustice to unarmed animals by going vegan."

Today's factory farms are straight out of a super-villain's playbook: Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets have their tails and testicles cut off without being given any painkillers, fish are suffocated or cut open while they're still alive on the decks of fishing boats, and calves are taken away from their mothers within hours of birth.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

On Earth Day, Beauty in Full-Length Gown of Leaves Hopes to Turn San Francisco On to Meat-Free Meals

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

San Francisco -- PETA's "Lettuce Lady" will be in San Francisco on Monday wearing a luxurious gown made entirely of lettuce leaves and holding a sign that reads, "Go Green, Go Vegan," while distributing PETA's "Meat's Not Green" leaflets and "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by Paul McCartney. Her point? That the best thing that people can do for animals, the environment, and their own body is to go vegan.

When:   Monday, April 22, 12 noon

Where:  Corner of Powell and Geary streets, San Francisco

"PETA wants San Francisco to know that it's impossible to 'go green' without going vegan," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Between polluting the soil, water, and air and gobbling up our natural resources, the meat industry is as toxic to the Earth as it is to human health."

According to the United Nations, raising animals for food is "a top contributor to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." It takes an amount of water equivalent to six months' worth of showers to produce just 1 pound of meat, and factory farms are a major producer of the greenhouse-gas emissions that cause climate change. And, of course, the meat industry is responsible for the daily suffering and terrifying deaths of billions of animals every year.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Bodypainted Activists Will Inform Canadians That Eating Vegan Meals Is the Most Effective Way to Spare Resources, Save Our Planet 

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Vancouver -- In honor of Earth Day, seven PETA members wearing nothing but blue-and-green bodypaint to represent the Earth will gather in Vancouver on Monday with signs that read, "You Can Save the Planet! " and "Go Vegan!" to tell environmentally conscious Canadians that they can still help the planet on an individual level simply by choosing healthy, humane vegan meals.

When:   Monday, April 22, 12 noon sharp 

Where:  Intersection of W. Georgia and Granville streets, Vancouver

"According to the United Nations, the meat industry is in large part responsible for some of the most serious environmental problems that we face today, including climate change," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Each of us can help stop damage to our forests, our water supply, and the global climate—all we have to do is keep meat, eggs, and dairy products off our plates."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Reminds Passersby on Earth Day That the Meat Industry Wastes Water, Produces Greenhouse Gasses

For Immediate Release:
April 19, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

San Diego -- Naked behind a banner that reads, "Clean Your Conscience: Go Vegan! 1 lb. of Meat Equals 6 Months of Showers," two PETA beauties—including PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door finalist Nastasha Rassel—will shower together on a sidewalk in San Diego in honor of Earth Day and to let consumers know that the best way to conserve water and help the environment is to go vegan.

When:   Monday, April 22, 12 noon

Where:  Southwest corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway, San Diego

Going vegan is an easy way to cut down on personal water usage, and it's the best thing that anyone can do to help stop animal suffering. According to the United Nations, raising animals for food is "a top contributor to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." In its report, the U.N. found that the meat industry causes local and global environmental problems even beyond climate change. It said that the meat industry should be a main focus in every discussion of land degradation, air pollution, water shortages and pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

"Between polluting the soil, water, and air and gobbling up our natural resources, the meat industry is as toxic to the Earth as it is to human health," says PETA beauty Virginia Fort. "PETA wants Americans to know that each of us can personally fight climate change—and save animals—simply by going vegan."

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

Bodybuilder, Kickboxer, and Personal Trainer Defies Doubters to Explain What Animal Protein Has to Do With Fitness

For Immediate Release:
April 22, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Atlanta -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 33-year-old Atlanta resident Milton Murraycould take home the grand prize. That's because he has beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Murray, who is a personal trainer, went vegan nine years ago to improve his health but is also proud that his diet helps animals. An avid weightlifter, mud runner, rock climber, and kickboxer, he is often pelted with questions about how he performs all these strenuous activities and builds lean muscle mass without getting protein from meat. "Do I look like I need to build lean muscle?" he responds. "Sometimes I lift up my shirt, then I disclose all of the plant-based products that have plenty of protein and that help me with my lean muscle mass." He also enjoys playing tennis, basketball, and soccer and lists confidence, compassion, and kindness as his turn-ons. Murray played a "trick" on some of his meat-eating friends by inviting them to his 26^th birthday party at an all-vegan restaurant without telling anyone it was vegan until after they'd raved about the food. Now, some of them are regular customers!

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.

Lieutenant Fights Fires and Fellow Firefighters' High Cholesterol by Dishing Up Healthy Vegan Meals at the Fire Station 

For Immediate Release:
April 22, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Wakefield, R.I. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 41-year-old Warwick Fire Department Lt. John Halloran could take home the grand prize. That's because Halloran has beaten out more than 100 other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii, courtesy of HumaneTrip.com. Although the annual contest dates back to 2004, this is the first year that participants must be vegan.

"Going vegan can help make you feel better on the inside, look better on the outside, and save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Halloran went vegan at his doctor's suggestion in an effort to fight his family's history of heart disease—and he says the change was tremendous. "My cholesterol level dropped considerably to a level of 141 and continues to remain at a healthy level. I feel as good as I've ever felt in my life. I will never go back! It was the best decision I made for animals, myself, my conscience, my family, and my community at all once." He's inspired his wife and three children to move toward a more plant-based diet and even influenced a few other firefighters—particularly those concerned about their high cholesterol—to go vegan or eat more vegan food, thanks in part to the delicious and healthy vegan meals that Halloran serves at the fire station.

Voting for the finalists to help PETA determine the winners ends at 12 noon EDT on May 3. PETA will select winners based on several factors, including vote count. See full contest details here. Winners will be notified and announced by May 9.

For more information and to cast your vote, please click here.