Resident Physician Lets Patients Know That Plant-Based Food Is the Way to Good Health

For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Plantation, Fla. -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 27-year-old Plantation resident Emron Khan could 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."

Khan, who went vegan eight years ago, is taking a year off from his residency to study plant-based nutrition so that he can center his medical practice around healthy vegan eating. He's currently working in a hospital emergency room and makes sure that he's always armed with pro-vegan pamphlets to hand out to patients, and he makes a point of clearing his schedule when an important animal rights protest or other action comes up. Khan's interests include working out and training in mixed martial arts—including traveling to Thailand to study kickboxing. Why did this dedicated and fitness-minded physician decide to go vegan? "Because animals don't deserve to die while other healthier and more sustainable food alternatives exist," he says. "I'm just a regular guy trying to do the right thing."

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.

Abscess Consistent With Violent Use of Bullhook—PETA Urges Residents to Avoid Abusive Circus

For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Missoula, Mont. -- PETA has sent a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calling for an investigation into a large abscess that was photographed on the left hip of an elephant scheduled to perform with the Western Montana Shrine Club Circus in Missoula on Friday and Saturday. PETA received a photo taken by a member of the public and had it examined by a veterinarian with decades of experience working with captive elephants. The veterinarian reports that the wound is likely what is referred to in the industry as a "hook boil," which results after an elephant has been violently beaten or gouged with a bullhook—a weapon resembling a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook at one end that is used by circuses to punish elephants for failing to obey commands quickly. In the complaint, PETA urges the USDA to take appropriate enforcement action.

"Physically abusing animals forced to perform in circuses is against the law, and a wound like this one is consistent with a nasty bullhook beating," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Circuses that still use animals, keep them in shackles, and train them with force are places of misery for them, so the last place to take kids is to 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 (AWA). The Western Montana Shrine Club Circus is currently using elephants supplied by the notorious Carson & Barnes Circus. The USDA has cited and fined Carson & Barnes for numerous violations of the AWA, including abusive elephant-handling practices. Other violations include failing to provide elephants with adequate veterinary care and clean water. Last year, Carson & Barnes paid a penalty for 10 violations of the AWA, including for endangering both animals and the public.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Patricia De León Unveils New Naked Ad Campaign at Mama's International Tamales

For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2013

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- With Latinos predicted to become the majority demographic in California next year, PETA marked the official launch of PETA Latino, its new Latino outreach division, with a celebration hosted by Minuto Para Ganar'sMarco Antonio Regil at Los Angeles' vegan-friendly restaurant Mama's International Tamales.

During the celebration, Patricia De León unveiled her sexy new campaign, in which the Perro Amor star and former Miss Panamá shows off her veggie-made physique by lounging desnuda on a giant head of broccoli below the words "Eat Your Veggies—Dressing Optional." The ad, available here, was shot by renowned photographer Kike San Martin. Other special guests included Mayte Garcia and Revolution star Daniella Alonso. Photos from the event are available here, and broadcast-quality video footage is available here.

"The Latino community cares about animals, but our traditional meat- and dairy-centered diet is causing obesity and diabetes to hit us hard—and that's something that PETA Latino wants to change with healthy vegan meals," says Regil.

PETA Latino serves as the premier source of vegan and animal rights information for the quickly growing population of bilingual and bicultural Latinos. Visitors to PETALatino.com can find dual-language tips on how to combat obesity and diabetes—major concerns for Latinos, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—through healthy vegan eating as well as advocacy campaigns starring high-profile Latino celebrities, such as Kate del Castillo, Penélope Cruz, Eva Mendes, Roselyn Sanchez, Wilmer Valderrama,and Rodrigo y Gabriela. De León has also partnered with eco-friendly jewelry company Energy Muse on a special design to benefit PETA Latino (details are available here).

For more information, please visit PETALatino.com.

On-the-Go Dancer, Runner, World Traveler, and Founder of Vegan-Food Co-Op Will Drop Everything to Help an Animal in Need

For Immediate Release:
April 26, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Houston— PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 26-year-old Houston resident Kristina Carillo-Bucaramcould 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 of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Carillo-Bucaram went vegan at 18 and noticed a dramatic improvement in her health. Now, she runs her own business, a 100 percent vegan-food co-op, and still manages to get in a 6- to 8-mile run every day. She has spent a lot of time in Latin America, including in her father's native Ecuador, and has been to Lebanon, where her mother was born. Carillo-Bucaram graduated valedictorian from Houston's Second Baptist School and later graduated from Rice University with a triple major, including in kinesiology, the study of human movement. This woman of many interests enjoys reading, going to the beach, and traveling, and she teaches salsa dancing. But no matter how busy she gets, Carillo-Bucaram always stops to help an animal in need—including recently, when she found an opossum who had been hit by a car and helped save the animal's life.

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.

Compassionate and Super-Fit Model's Inner Beauty Shines Through

For Immediate Release:
April 26, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Las Vegas— PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and 29-year-old Las Vegas resident Rachelle Ryersoncould 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 of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

"I love what I am doing for myself, the animals, and the environment," says Ryerson. "I never had so much energy. I wake up and feel good every day." In fact, Ryerson—who counts French acting legend and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot among her role models— recently convinced two of her closest friends to kick the meat habit, and she created a Facebook page titled "Vegan 2013." A model who's used to being in the public eye, Ryerson has worked as a ring-card girl for boxing matches at The Palace of Auburn Hills in her native Michigan, graced the pages of Maxim magazine, and also done some acting. Her interests include working out, cooking, traveling, writing, photo editing, cosmetology, and fashion.

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.

One a Model, the Other a Marathoner—Both Prove That Radiant Looks and Kindness Toward Others Go Hand in Hand

For Immediate Release:
April 25, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Chicago -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and one of two Chicago-area women—Yerika Sojo from Bolingbrook or Annie Fosnacht from the city—could take home the grand prize. That's because they have beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become two 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 of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Sojo, who grew up in Puerto Rico, is a freelance model, an event photographer, a makeup artist, and a professional baker, whose Azucar Vegan Bakery is known for its creative and delicious line of vegan cupcakes in a variety of Latin tropical flavors. What else does this super-energetic girl on the go enjoy? "I absolutely love vegan food," she says. "I also love to advocate about animal rights!"

Fosnacht describes herself as "obsessed with fitness" and loves cooking vegan food. She has run three marathons—her most recent after going vegan. "I had more energy, more endurance, and I recovered faster than while eating animal products!" she says. What turns on this runner and professional trainer? "Men who stand up to others for exploiting innocent animals. Now that's a turn-on!"

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.

Model, Photographer, and Top-Flight Baker Radiates Beauty and Kindness

For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

San Juan, Puerto Rico -- PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door 2013contestis down to the wire, and Chicago-area resident Yerika Sojo,who was born in San Juan and grew up in the San Juan–area municipalities of Bayamón and Guaynabo, 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 of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "On average, vegans are fitter and trimmer than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier, too."

Sojo moved to Chicago when she was 15 and has lived in suburban Bolingbrook for the past three years. She tries to visit Puerto Rico every year because her mother and grandmother still live there. This high-energy woman is now a freelance model, a photographer, a dental assistant, a substance-abuse counselor, and a professional baker, whose Azucar Vegan Bakery is known for its creative line of vegan cupcakes in a variety of Latin tropical flavors. Her favorite dishes include "vegan versions of any Puerto Rican food," and she'll do whatever it takes to draw attention to the plight of animals, including going naked in a risqué PETA protest. Her dedication to a healthy and humane vegan lifestyle influences nearly everyone around her. In fact, after learning from Sojo how animals are abused on factory farms, her friend went vegan on the spot. Says Sojo, "To witness that and to be the spark that ignited that fire of compassion is the best feeling!"

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.

For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

New York -- Want to get buff without beef? That's the theme of a free talk by vegan fitness specialist Zach Koval at the David Barton Gym at Astor Place on Wednesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. Koval, a gay model who won PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian contest, also stars in a new vegan poster campaign at Barton's gyms. The ad (viewable here), part of PETA's first-ever gym partnership, shows Koval displaying his super-buff torso next to the caption "Killer Body. Clear Conscience. Try Vegan."

When:   Wednesday, May 8, 7:30 p.m.

Where:  David Barton Gym, 4 Astor Pl. (near the intersection with Broadway), Manhattan

Koval's talk will address how to bulk up without beef, the best vegan proteins for bodybuilding, and why personalities ranging from Carrie Underwood and Natalie Portman to mixed martial arts fighters Jake Shields and Mac Danzig are eating vegan for vitality.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

Event Poses a Deadly Risk to Bulls as Well as Human Participants and Bystanders, Warns Group

For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2013

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Dade City, Fla. -- This morning, PETA sent a letter to the operators of Dade City–based Little Everglades Ranch calling on them to cancel their plans to host an event called "The Great Bull Run" in February. As PETA explains in its letter, bull runs are cruel to the animals who, in this case, would be trucked around the country and forced to run in a panic through arenas packed with thousands of screaming people. The events are also potentially fatal for human participants and bystanders, hundreds of whom are trampled, gored, or otherwise injured every year during the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

"Bull runs mean collisions, falls, broken legs, trampling, and other potentially fatal outcomes for everyone involved, from the bulls to the bystanders," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on arenas across the country to turn away these cruel and controversial events before anyone is hurt or killed."

This morning, PETA also sent a letter to the organizers of The Great Bull Run urging them to switch to an animal-free event.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to the Little Everglades Ranch follows.

April 29, 2013

Katie Carris, General Manager
Little Everglades Ranch

Dear Ms. Carris,

I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Florida, to express concern over "The Great Bull Run" scheduled to take place at Little Everglades Ranch in February 2014 and to urge you to consider cancelling this event and hosting alternate activities that don't involve live animals.

No matter how cautious the organizers may appear to be, there is no way to be sure that the animals won't suffer or become injured at these events. After having been loaded onto trucks, driven thousands of miles across the country, and herded into an arena filled with thousands of screaming people, the bulls will bolt out of the pen in panic when the starting gate opens, running out of confusion and terror. As they rush through the chute, they can crash into the barriers, fall and break their legs, or collide with and injure each other.

They can also seriously hurt runners and bystanders. Every year, an average of 200 to 300 humans are injured—by being trampled or even gored—during Pamplona's Running of the Bull, and there have been many deaths. The recklessness inherent in these events can't be denied. Although the human participants are warned of the very real danger, the bulls are not able to opt out. Because it is cruel to animals and dangerous for humans, the Running of the Bulls is condemned worldwide.  

There are countless fun, adrenaline-packed events that your venue could host that would not put animals at risk. New Orleans, for instance, holds an annual event in which The Big Easy Rollergirls roller derby team chases participants through the French Quarter. Another option would be to replace the live bulls with humans in bull costumes for a fun, family-friendly event that does not put animals in harm's way.

May I hear that in light of this new information, you will consider cancelling the cruel and dangerous Bull Run at your venue?

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
PETA

CEOs From Contract-Testing, Cosmetics, Airline, and Big Tobacco Corporations Win Top Dishonors for Cruelty to Animals

For Immediate Release:
April 24, 2013

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- Twelve executives from a wide variety of industries have landed on PETA's list of the Worst CEOs for Animals in Laboratories. "Winners" were chosen based on four criteria: conducting the most painful and invasive experiments, refusing to use available non-animal test methods, lagging behind industry standards for animal care, and having histories of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act.

"These CEOs are profiting from the misery and death of millions of animals every year," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "The 12 companies on PETA's list have repeatedly shown a disregard for animal welfare—and in many cases, for the law—as they perpetuate the abuse of animals in laboratories and refuse to use modern, reliable non-animal tests."

Charles River Laboratories CEO James C. Foster comes in at the top of the list, as his company is responsible for breeding and testing on millions of animals each year. Rounding out the "Dirty Dozen" are the CEOs of other contract-testing laboratories Covance, The Jackson Laboratory, and Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories as well as pharmaceutical companies Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Pfizer. All these international companies force-feed test compounds to animals in painful and lethal experiments and leave many animals to suffer with no pain relief or other much-needed veterinary care. Marshall Farms Group, Ltd., one of the world's largest breeders of beagles, ferrets, miniature pigs, and dogs, who are warehoused in tiny cages before being sold to laboratories around the world for deadly poisoning tests, also nabbed one of the top 12 spots.

The other "winners" are Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris, which still forces animals to inhale cigarette smoke; cosmetics giant Avon, which recently began secretly paying for poisoning tests on animals in China; Tier 1 Group, a notorious military contractor that mutilates animals in archaic training drills; and Air France, one of the last airlines in the world that still transports primates for the violent experimentation industry.

For more information and to read more about each of the Dirty Dozen, please click here.

Group Will Grill Company Execs at Annual Meeting About Dairy Suppliers' Painful Dehorning of Calves

For Immediate Release:
April 30, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Louisville, Ky. -- Papa John's 2013 annual meeting will include a statement from a representative of PETA, which owns stock in the company, in support of a shareholder resolution filed by the group. PETA will call on Papa John's to require that its dairy suppliers begin phasing out dehorning, a painful process in which calves have their horns gouged out or their horn tissue burned out of their heads. PETA will point out how breeding for naturally hornless, or polled, cows—which is an established industry practice—eliminates one of the most painful things done to cows on dairy farms:

When:   Wednesday, May 1, 11 a.m.

Where:  Papa John's headquarters, 2002 Papa John's Blvd., Louisville

"Calves endure excruciating pain when their horns are gouged out or their sensitive horn tissue is burned off by dairy suppliers," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Instead of standing idly by, Papa John's should be taking action to help phase out this painful mutilation of baby cows."

As shown in PETA's dehorning video exposé, narrated by Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck, workers on dairy farms burn searing-hot irons into calves' heads to destroy horn tissue or use sharp instruments or other tools to saw, gouge, or cut out the horn and sometimes the surrounding tissue. Cows struggle desperately and cry out in pain during these procedures, which are routinely performed without giving them any painkillers. By breeding for polled cattle—which causes at least half the calves to be born hornless—dairy farmers can eliminate this cruel procedure.

Papa John's is the world's third-largest pizza chain, with approximately 3,900 locations in the U.S. and 30 international markets.

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 30, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Evanston, Ill. -- Most students at Northwestern University 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:   Wednesday, May 1, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  Norris East Lawn, Northwestern University, Evanston

"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.

Citations, Fines for Public Endangerment, Animal Abuse—Some Based on Evidence Supplied by PETA

For Immediate Release:
May 2, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Crownsville, Md. -- The Cole Bros. Circus is heading to Crownsville next week, and PETA wants the media and parents to know about its repeated violations of federal laws aimed at protecting animals and members of the public. Elephants used by Cole Bros. are supplied by the notorious Carson & Barnes Circus, and the circus act includes elephant trainer Tim Frisco, who was caught on camera viciously beating terrified elephants with a bullhook—a weapon that resembles a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook on the end—and shocking them with electric prods. Carson & Barnes also paid a fine for 10 separate violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) last year, including for public endangerment.

"Abuse is the common thread running through Cole Bros., Carson & Barnes, and other circuses that beat, whip, and shock animals into performing," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Because children love animals—and for the children's own safety—the last place that parents and grandparents should take them is to the circus."

Some of Carson& Barnes 2012 violations cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) occurred while it was supplying elephants to Cole Bros. The violations include one in which an elephant escaped and ran directly past a line of customers waiting to buy tickets, sending some running toward the parking lot. The elephant was on the loose for 30 minutes and was injured after falling into a ravine. In another incident, a USDA inspector observed a handler using excessive force with a bullhook on an elephant and noted that "the handlers frequently left the animals unattended" during the elephant rides. Cole Bros. also paid a separate $15,000 penalty to the USDA to settle charges after PETA pointed out that two elephants, Tina and Jewel, were hundredsof pounds underweight. Additionally, Cole Bros. is on probation after pleading guilty to selling these elephants in violation of the Endangered Species Act and paying a $150,000 penalty.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Airline Backtracks From Ban and Continues Cruel and Deadly Trade; Campaigns by PETA and Its Affiliates Span Mumbai to D.C. 

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Washington --  Wearing prisoner uniforms and dog, rabbit, and rat masks; crouching in stacked cages; and holding signs that read, "Air India Ships Animals to Deadly Experiments," six PETA members will plead for animals' lives outside the Indian Embassy in Washington on Thursday. The action is in protest of Air India's about-face on its ban on transporting animals to laboratories, where they are caged, cut into, poisoned, and killed. This marks the first action that PETA has taken against Air India. PETA India has been campaigning against the airline since it lifted its ban.

When:   Thursday, May 2, 12 noon

Where:  Embassy of India, Q Street N.W. between Massachusetts Avenue N.W. and 21^st Street N.W., Washington (See this map.)

"Air India's repeated assurances that it will refuse to transport animals to laboratories apparently meant nothing—the airline has gone right back to shipping animals to their deaths," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Air India officials are every bit as guilty of the pain, suffering, and death that these animals are subjected to as the experimenters who wield the poisons and scalpels."

Many of the largest and most well-known carriers in the world, including U.S. Airways, Virgin Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, EVA Air, FedEx, and UPS, prohibit shipping animals to laboratories. Jet Airways, India's second-largest airline, also recently committed to a ban on transporting animals slated for experimentation.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Marks Teacher Appreciation Month by Seeking Educator Who Best Gives Students Vital Lessons in Compassion for Animals

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- We all can remember a teacher whose care and inspiration helped shape our lives. One of the most important lessons that kids can learn is showing compassion for others, including animals. That's why TeachKind—PETA's humane-education division—is launching its 2013 Teacher Appreciation contestjust in time for Teacher Appreciation Month. Students, parents, school administrators, and anyone else who knows of a teacher who has gone above and beyond to help animals can submit a nomination simply by visiting PETA.org. The winner will receive a vegan food party for his or her class and a certificate of appreciation for being kind to animals.

"Teachers who use their influence to promote kindness and respect for others—including animals—deserve to be recognized," says PETA Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. "With humane education, everyone benefits, because once children learn to respect other species, they're more likely to extend compassion to their peers."

Past winners have included a teacher from Kentucky for starting the Critter Club at her local animal shelter to teach children about animal welfare and how to treat animals kindly. Another winner, from Arizona, developed a program in her Spanish class to teach kids about greyhounds and how they suffer in the racing industry.

The TeachKind website allows teachers, administrators, and librarians to download free lesson plans or order free books and other resources.

Any teacher of grades K through 12 is eligible. Nominations will be accepted until May 19. The winner—who will be selected by TeachKind staff—will be announced and featured on both TeachKind's and PETA's respective websites during the last week of May.

For more information and to submit a nomination, please click here.

Latest Deadly Crash Caused by Truck Operator With a Slew of Charges on Record Dating Back 18 Years

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Goldsboro, N.C. -- PETA has fired off a letter to Bob Ivey, general manager of Goldsboro, N.C.–based Goldsboro Milling Co., urging him immediately to prohibit using any drivers who have repeated driving-related offenses or are found to have been at fault in any crash. PETA's letter follows the April 19 crash of a truck loaded with Goldsboro Milling pigs and operated by David Lambert that ran off U.S. 258 in Isle of Wight County, Va., killing 55 pigs and leaving as many as 129 more to suffer. Lambert has been charged with at least 15 traffic offenses in North Carolina since 1995, including reckless driving, speeding (five violations), and seeking to evade federal safety regulations. Lambert was charged in the April 19 crash and is due in a Wayne County, N.C., courtroom on May 3 to answer for his most recent charges in that state.

"David Lambert's driving record reads like a rap sheet, but he was still handed the keys, allowing him to cause the painful and terrifying deaths of scores of animals—as well as endangering the lives of other motorists," says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "PETA hopes this incident serves as a wake-up call to Goldsboro Milling to hire and contract with only drivers with clean records."

This isn't the first highway crash involving Goldsboro Milling pig-transport trucks. Following Goldsboro Milling truck crashes in Suffolk, Va., in 2004 and again in 2008, PETA investigators documented that injured pigs were abused—including by being struck in the face and dragged by the ears—before being loaded onto replacement trucks and taken to slaughter.

In 2010, PETA sent a similar letter to Smithfield Foods, Inc., after one of its subsidiary's drivers was involved in two deadly crashes within three months while transporting live animals.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog. 

PETA's letter to Goldsboro Milling Co. follows.

May 1, 2013

Bob Ivey, General Manager
Goldsboro Milling Co.

Dear Mr. Ivey:

I am writing to share the disturbing driving record of David Earl Lambert—who, while hauling 184 pigs for Goldsboro Milling Co., crashed a tractor trailer in Isle of Wight County, Va., on April 19—and to ask you to take immediate corrective personnel measures to protect all whose safety wrecks such as this put at risk. Lambert, of Goldsboro, N.C., ran off the dry, defect-free surface of U.S. 258—in clear weather conditions—while headed toward Smithfield, Va., and overturned the vehicle. Several pigs were ejected, and 55 were killed on impact and in the hours that followed as a result of severe injuries and related trauma. The 129 survivors were sent to Smithfield Packing Co. Lambert was cited for failure to maintain his lane of travel.

Lambert’s driving record is remarkably bad: He has been charged with at least 15 traffic offenses in nine North Carolina counties since 1995, including reckless driving, speeding (five citations), using a radar detector, operating an uninsured vehicle, and seeking to evade federal motor carrier safety regulations. Lambert was ordered to pay at least $510 in fines and court costs after being found responsible for six offenses. On May 3, he is due in a Wayne County courtroom on his latest North Carolina charges (stemming from a March 26 incident) of operating a vehicle without a valid inspection and having an expired registration—for which he was also cited in Wayne County in October 2009.

I have witnessed the aftermath of multiple crashes such as these—including those involving Goldsboro Milling Co. in 2004 and 2008 in Suffolk, Va.—and seen the shredded remains of those who were killed on impact. I have seen debilitated and terrified survivors dragged by the ears and electro-shocked onto replacement trucks bound for the slaughterhouse, and I’ve watched the most critically injured animals finally be killed by having bolts driven into their brains—bolts that sometimes malfunction. But one need not have personally been present at a crash scene to grasp the urgency with which your company must act to prevent these deadly wrecks.

We urge Goldsboro Milling Co. to review all company and contract drivers’ records and fitness to haul live animals immediately and prohibit using any drivers who have repeated driving-related offenses or are found to have been at fault in any crash. Doing so would be in the best interests of the public, animals, and your company.

Sincerely,

Dan Paden, Senior Research Associate
Cruelty Investigations Department

Group Will Give Students a Feel for Intensive Confinement That May Have Them Going Vegan

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Glen Ellyn, Ill. -- Most students at the College of DuPage 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:   Thursday, May 2, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  Student Lounge (SSC 1200), College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn

"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.

Dog Rescued by PETA Awaiting Adoption at Portsmouth Humane Society

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Portsmouth, Va. -- Today, Wayne J. Taylor—the former legal owner of Jabber, a dog whom PETA rescued from a filthy backyard pen in late February and whose name has been changed from Blackie—was found guilty of cruelty to animals and sentenced to pay a $250 fine and spend one month in jail. Taylor is also forbidden from owning "pets of any kind" for two years. If he does not maintain good behavior for two years, his sentence will increase to a $500 fine and six months in jail.

During the trial, the PETA volunteers who first encountered Jabber testified that they were in Portsmouth to deliver straw for doghouses when Taylor told them that he "wanted to get rid of the dog" and showed them to a backyard pen that was covered with trash, filth, and waste and had no food, drinkable water, or dry shelter (photos available here). Jabber was given to PETA and taken to PETA's Norfolk office, where he was discovered to be infested with fleas and covered with dander. A veterinarian determined that Jabber was 20 percent underweight and suffering from a severe hookworm infestation. During the trial, Judge Morton V. Whitlow found the conditions in which Taylor had kept Jabber "shocking" and told Taylor that this was "no condition to keep a dog in."

"Thanks to the good work of the Portsmouth Commonwealth Attorney's Office, this man will never again leave a neglected dog to suffer alone and ignored in a filthy pen," says PETA Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. "PETA thanks our volunteers for getting Jabber to safety, and we encourage everyone always to speak up whenever criminal neglect is seen or suspected."

Since late February, Jabber has gained 11 pounds. He is awaiting adoption at the Portsmouth Humane Society. Anyone interested in adopting him is encouraged to call 757-397-6004.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Catholic Elementary School Welcomes Modern Teaching Tools That Make Compassion a Part of Science Classes

For Immediate Release:
May 1, 2013

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Virginia Beach, Va. -- When students at Star of the Sea Catholic School start learning about anatomy, none of them will cut into an animal, thanks to software donated by PETA.

To help the school implement a state-of-the-art, all-virtual dissection laboratory that uses computer software to teach the students, Norfolk-based PETA—through its national educational grants program—has donated Punflay's Virtual Frog Dissection software, which features 3-dimensional organ views, anatomical comparisons of human and frog organs, and dissection tools. Interactive software such as Virtual Frog has been shown to teach anatomy better than animal dissection.

"PETA's donation will help Star of the Sea Catholic School take the lead in teaching biology using humane, modern methods," says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Countless frogs, pigs, cats, and other animals are still killed for dissection at less progressive schools, even though non-animal methods for teaching biology are far superior."

The millions of animals used in school dissection come from biological supply houses, which breed animals, or are obtained from animal shelters or the wild. Comparative studies have repeatedly shown that non-animal teaching methods, such as interactive computer programs, are more effective at teaching biology than crude animal-based methods. These programs also save time and money and increase student confidence and satisfaction. The National Science Teachers Association endorses the use of modern non-animal methods as replacements for animal dissection.

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

Hundreds of Students Join a Successful Drive to Have Healthy, Humane Fare Served in the School's Dining Halls

For Immediate Release:
May 2, 2013 

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Huntsville, Ala.— Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered a whopping 270 student signatures in one day, the University of Alabama in Huntsville has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. The University of Alabama joins a fast-growing list of colleges and universities that are acceding to the demands of students for more vegan options. Dining Services has confirmed that it is working to add vegan cheese and almond milk and thatits renovated dining facility will have vegan and vegetarian entrées at each meal.

"More students than ever are choosing vegan meals out of concern for their health, the environment, and animals," says peta2 Director Marta Holmberg. "Young people go to college to learn, but it's nice to see a university that's open-minded enough to learn a lesson or two from its students."

According to a study by food-service provider Bon Appétit, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent since 2005 and the number of vegan students has more than doubled during the same period. Just in the last year, the University of North Texas and the University of California–San Diego have opened fully vegan dining halls.

In addition to causing animal suffering on a massive scale, meat, eggs, and dairy products contain no fiber and are loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, raising animals for food is a leading cause of water pollution, land degradation, and the greenhouse-gas emissions responsible for climate change.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.