Former Baywatch Star and Bigg Boss Guest Appeals to Maharashtra Member of Legislative Assembly to Send Abused Baby Elephant—the Same Age as One of Her Sons—to a Sanctuary Posthaste

For Immediate Release:
August 10, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Washington -- Moments after learning about the plight of a young elephant kept in chains who had been beaten so badly by his mahout (or handler) that he sustained an eye injury, Pamela Anderson fired off a letter to Mr. Vinay Kore, a member of the legislative assembly of Maharashtra state and the leader of the Jan Surajya Shakti Party, from her home in Malibu, Calif. The beloved star with a big heart, who went to India in November 2010, wants the little elephant, named Sunder, to be removed from Jyotiba Temple in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra and sent to a sanctuary before he endures more suffering. The elephant was donated to the temple by Mr. Kore. Former Beatle Paul McCartney interrupted his Olympics rehearsals to send an urgent appeal to Forest Minister Dr. Patangrao Shripatrao Kadam to help free Sunder from chains.

"I am in tears over the plight of the little elephant, Sunder, who you so kindly gave to Jyotiba Temple with the best of intentions. I am sure you are also crushed by what has been done to this little soul. He is the age of one of my sons, and as sensitive as anyone's child. Like other victims of abuse, he will be scarred for life mentally, as he already is physically," writes Anderson, the mother of two. "I'm sure you feel as I do that elephants are precious creatures of God, and it is a crime against Heaven that he could have been allowed to be treated like this. Sunder must be rescued without delay. May everyone, including me, count on you, please, to save this youngster?"

Anderson's plea follows PETA India's discovery that Sunder was being abused by his mahout, who has gone on the run from the police since the group became involved. Sunder has a severe injury in his right eye from being jabbed with an ankus (a sharp, hooked metal poker-like weapon) by the boy mahout. He is also held by chains with sharp spikes and kept alone inside a dark shed that is so small that he is unable to take even a single step in any direction. Sunder is denied all that is natural and important to him and lives in fear. Lesions all over his body indicate past beatings by the mahout.

A scandal is growing over the way that some elephants used in Indian temples to represent the Hindu god Ganesha are being housed and mistreated. Frequently controlled through beatings and prodded and gouged in sensitive areas behind their knees and ears with a bullhook, they languish without veterinary care for even serious conditions, sustain leg injuries and are fed unsuitable food. Many elephants at Indian temples also show signs of severe psychological distress, such as swaying, head-bobbing, and weaving—behavior not found in healthy elephants in nature. Elephants also suffer from a lack of exercise and years spent standing in one position on hard concrete surfaces amid their own waste, which can lead to painful and crippling foot ailments and arthritis.

For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com.

Animal Charity Demands $1,050 Refund From Fair Organizers as Multimedia Display Is Disbanded

For Immediate Release:
August 10, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Des Moines -- PETA's interactive booth has been thrown out of the Iowa State Fair after a video—which initially had been approved—sparked complaints over profane language used by meat-trade workers who abused animals on factory farms. PETA has demanded fair officials return its $1,050 fee for the booth—which drew throngs of visitors on opening day. (See photos below.)

The scene that led to the booth's dismissal spotlights a worker on a turkey farm who unsuccessfully attempts to break the neck of a struggling bird. He exclaims, "Sometimes they're fucking hard [to kill]." In the wake of Iowa's controversial new law to ban undercover investigations inside factory farms, the booth also contained video footage from PETA's investigation of an Iowa pig farm, which documents supervisors and workers beating pigs with metal rods and jabbing clothespins into the animals' eyes—evidence that led to convictions for the abuse and neglect of animals. The video, hosted by Paul McCartney, is viewable here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Evidence Provided by PETA of Physical and Psychological Threats to Two Elephants Leads to Government Action

For Immediate Release:
August 13, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Cape May County, N.J. -- After PETA filed two complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the physical safety and psychological well-being of two elephants with Cole Bros. Circus, the circus has agreed to pay a $15,000 penalty to the USDA to settle formal charges against the circus, which is scheduled to perform in Seaville on August 20 and 21 and in Rio Grande on August 22 and 23. The charges came after PETA pointed out that two elephants, Tina and Jewel, were hundreds of pounds underweight and had been deprived of adequate veterinary care, including for a protruding spine. They were also sent to an unlicensed exhibitor with a long history of violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The more than 10 charges that Cole Bros. settled with the USDA include failure to provide the elephants with adequate veterinary care and failure to hire personnel capable of caring for them.

In 2009, the USDA felt that the case was so serious that the agency confiscated Jewel and also removed Tina. However, Cole Bros. continues to use other elephants in old-fashioned circus acts, and PETA sent the USDA alarming video footage taken at Cole Bros. Circus in Lanesboro, Mass., on June 17, 2011, that shows a handler who repeatedly struck an elephant using a bullhook (a rod with a solid, steel-pointed end that resembles a fireplace poker), including forcefully hitting the animal twice in the face. Also in June of last year, the USDA cited an elephant exhibitor with Cole Bros. for multiple violations of the AWA, including the use of "excessive force while tugging at" an elephant by digging a bullhook into her flesh. Elephant trainer Tim Frisco, who was caught on camera viciously beating terrified elephants and shocking them with electric prods, just joined Cole Bros.

"We hope that the USDA's action against Cole Bros. puts all animal circuses on notice that, sooner or later, they must pay for animal abuse," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "We are appealing to parents and grandparents not to take children to animal circuses because every ticket purchased supports suffering."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

A list of the violations named in the charges follows.

The violations of the Animal Welfare Act for which Cole Bros. Circus was ordered to pay a $15,000 penalty include the following:

Elephants

• Failure to provide adequate veterinary care to two underweight elephants, including one with a prominent spine and sunken body image
• Failure to have records for vet exams and tuberculosis tests
• Failure to handle an elephant in a way that minimizes the risk of harm to the public and the elephant
• Failure to employ personnel capable of caring for elephants
• Failure to house elephants at a facility that could provide for their needs
• Failure to follow recommendations of an elephant specialist
• Failure to store medications properly
• Transporting elephants to another person who was not equipped to care for them against the recommendation of an elephant specialist
• Inadequate enclosures
• Handlers who lacked training and knowledge and weren't regularly on site   

Tigers

• Employing a handler who lacked training, knowledge, and experience
• Selling tigers without a dealer license

First College Student Group to Convince an Entire Dining Hall to Stop Serving Meat—Permanently—Will Receive $1,000

For Immediate Release:
August 13, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Los Angeles -- In recent years, college campuses across the country have responded to the growing demand for vegan food by expanding their dining halls' selection of vegan meals. Now, as part of its efforts to help students make their campuses even more vegan-friendly, peta2—PETA's youth division—is offering a prize of $1,000 to the first college student group that can persuade a dining hall that currently serves meat to go completely vegan.

Just in the last year, fully vegan dining halls have opened at the University of North Texas and the University of California–San Diego. 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.

"More students than ever are choosing vegan meals out of concern for their health, the environment, and animals," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "peta2's contest might just provide student groups with the extra incentive to convince their dining halls to go from vegan-friendly to all-vegan, all the time."

College dining halls are getting more creative than ever with vegan meals: After receiving thousands of petition signatures gathered on campus, Youngstown State University started offering vegan pepperoni pizza and vegan meatball sandwiches. The University of Colorado–Boulder, which has repeatedly landed on peta2's list of top vegan-friendly colleges, recently added a cashew-based vegan mac 'n' cheese and vegan chocolate rice crispy treats to its menu.

Vegan meals are low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol, so students who stick to vegan options have a far easier time keeping off the dreaded "freshman 15." Vegan meals are better for the environment—and they're far kinder to animals, too.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions Out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Medford, Ore. -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing the dog with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if the car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of the truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

PETA's warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online).

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions Out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Las Vegas -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing the dog with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if the car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of the truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

PETA's warm-weather public service announcement featuring Elisabetta Canalis is available for download here.

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Bakersfield, Calif. -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature of a car can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, or lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing him or her with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

TV: PETA's warm-weather public service announcement featuring Elisabetta Canalis is available for download here. Print: PETA's warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online). Radio: PETA's warm-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For even more tips, visit PETA.org.

Group Pushing for Charges After Tech XX Succumbs to Heatstroke While Left Outside in 102-Degree Weather

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Ruston, LA -- PETA has sent a letter to Chief Steve Rogers of the Ruston Police Department thanking him for launching a criminal investigation into the death by heatstroke of Tech XX, the bulldog mascot of Louisiana Tech University. According to news reports, on July 29, Tech was left outside by an employee of the Sexton Animal Health Center in summer temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees. The employee—who tried to cover up the incident by claiming that Tech XX had escaped from the clinic and was missing—has been terminated. In its letter, PETA points out that the circumstances of Tech XX's death indicate a direct violation of Louisiana law.

"Death from heatstroke is agonizing, and Tech XX surely suffered before he died," says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. "We commend the Ruston police for giving this incident the serious attention that it deserves, and we hope charges are filed against the person who left Tech XX outside in the blistering heat and anyone else who might share responsibility for Tech's death."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Ruston Police Chief Steve Rogers follows.

August 14, 2012

Steve Rogers
Chief of Police
Ruston Police Department
401 N. Trenton
Ruston, LA 71270

Dear Chief Rogers:

We hope this letter finds you well. I am writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters globally, including our many members in Louisiana, to thank you for initiating a criminal investigation into the recent death of Tech XX, Louisiana Tech's 4-year old English bulldog mascot. Our office has been flooded with calls from people outraged by reports that Tech XX died from heatstroke on July 29 after a Sexton Animal Health Center employee left the dog outdoors in 100-degree temperatures.

Death by heatstroke is agonizing—animal victims are essentially cooked from the inside out. Heatstroke symptoms in dogs begin with heavy panting and difficulty breathing followed by vomiting. As the condition progresses, dogs become increasingly unsteady and pass bloody diarrhea. As shock sets in, the lips and mucous membranes turn gray and collapse. Seizures, coma, and death follow. While high temperatures can be deadly for any animal, bulldogs are especially susceptible because of their shortened air passages, which make it harder for them to breathe and cool themselves. (Dogs do not sweat—their only means of reducing body heat is through panting.) This is basic knowledge when it comes to bulldog care.

According to a published statement by the owner of Sexton Animal Health Center, veterinarian Patrick Sexton, Tech XX died from heatstroke when, "through the negligence of an employee, Tech XX was left outside too long." After learning that the employee had negligently caused the dog's death and had attempted to cover it up, Dr. Sexton terminated the person's employment. As you know, Louisiana's anti-cruelty statute, La. Rev. Stat. § 14:102.1, prohibits "mistreat[ing] any living animal by any act or omission whereby unnecessary or unjustifiable physical pain, suffering or death is caused to or permitted upon the animal." It is our hope that the person responsible for Tech XX's suffering and death will be charged accordingly.

Thank you for the difficult work that you do. May we hear from you soon?

Sincerely,

Gemma Vaughan, M.S.W.
Emergency Response Team
Cruelty Investigations Department

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions Out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Lake Havasu, Ariz. -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature of a car can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, or lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing him or her with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

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

PETA's warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online).

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions Out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Riverside, Calif. -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing the dog with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if the car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of the truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

PETA's warm-weather public service announcement featuring Elisabetta Canalis is available for download here.

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions Out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 14, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Phoenix -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing the dog with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if the car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of the truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

PETA's warm-weather public service announcement featuring Elisabetta Canalis is available for download here. PETA's warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online). PETA's warm-weather public service announcement is available to link to or download here.

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Evidence Provided by PETA of Physical and Psychological Threats to Two Elephants Leads to Government Action

For Immediate Release:
August 15, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Newark, Del. — After PETA filed two complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the physical safety and psychological well-being of two elephants with Cole Bros. Circus, the circus has agreed to pay a $15,000 penalty to the USDA to settle formal charges against the circus, which is scheduled to perform in Newark from August 24 to 26. The charges came after PETA pointed out that two elephants, Tina and Jewel, were hundreds of pounds underweight and had been deprived of adequate veterinary care, including for a protruding spine. They were also sent to an unlicensed exhibitor with a long history of violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The more than 10 charges that Cole Bros. settled with the USDA include failure to provide the elephants with adequate veterinary care and failure to hire personnel capable of caring for them.

In 2009, the USDA felt that the case was so serious that the agency confiscated Jewel and also removed Tina. However, Cole Bros. continues to use other elephants in old-fashioned circus acts, and PETA sent the USDA alarming video footage taken at Cole Bros. Circus in Lanesboro, Mass., on June 17, 2011, that shows a handler who repeatedly struck an elephant using a bullhook (a rod with a solid, steel-pointed end that resembles a fireplace poker), including forcefully hitting the animal twice in the face. Also in June of last year, the USDA cited an elephant exhibitor with Cole Bros. for multiple violations of the AWA, including the use of "excessive force while tugging at" an elephant by digging a bullhook into her flesh. Elephant trainer Tim Frisco, who was caught on camera viciously beating terrified elephants and shocking them with electric prods, just joined Cole Bros.

"We hope that the USDA's action against Cole Bros. puts all animal circuses on notice that, sooner or later, they must pay for animal abuse," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "We are appealing to parents and grandparents not to take children to animal circuses because every ticket purchased supports suffering."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

A list of the violations named in the charges follows.

The violations of the Animal Welfare Act for which Cole Bros. Circus was ordered to pay a $15,000 penalty include the following:

Elephants

• Failure to provide adequate veterinary care to two underweight elephants, including one with a prominent spine and sunken body image
• Failure to have records for vet exams and tuberculosis tests
• Failure to handle an elephant in a way that minimizes the risk of harm to the public and the elephant
• Failure to employ personnel capable of caring for elephants
• Failure to house elephants at a facility that could provide for their needs
• Failure to follow recommendations of an elephant specialist
• Failure to store medications properly
• Transporting elephants to another person who was not equipped to care for them against the recommendation of an elephant specialist
• Inadequate enclosures
• Handlers who lacked training and knowledge and weren't regularly on site   

Tigers

• Employing a handler who lacked training, knowledge, and experience
• Selling tigers without a dealer license

Group Joins Cleveland Division of Police in Effort to Bring Animal Abuser to Justice

For Immediate Release:
August 15, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Cleveland -- Three dogs were tied to railroad tracks in Tremont and left to be struck and killed by a passing train on August 10. The bodies of two of the dogs were discovered near University and Scranton roads by a railroad worker who witnessed a man from a distance tie the third dog down and apparently photograph or videotape her. Although a train arrived before the worker could run to untie her, she was small enough to survive by crouching underneath the passing train.

Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with tying these dogs to the track and leaving them to be hit by a train. That's why PETA is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this violent crime.

"Animal abusers are cowards," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "They take their issues out on the most defenseless beings available to them. Cleveland residents have good reason to be concerned. According to law-enforcement agencies and leading mental-health professionals, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to all animals—including humans."

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Cleveland Division of Police at 216-623-5000.

Print version:

For more information, please visit PETA.org. To view PETA's anti-violence public service announcement featuring Inglourious Basterds star and Hostel director Eli Roth, please visit http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/Images/Main/Sections/MediaCenter/PrintAds/EliRothPETAPSA.pdf.

TV:

For more information, please visit PETA.org. To view PETA's anti-violence public service announcement featuring Inglourious Basterds star and Hostel director Eli Roth, please visit http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=eli_roth_violence_link_psa_peta.

Radio:

For more information, please visit PETA.org. To listen to PETA's anti-violence public service announcement—which features Inglourious Basterds star and Hostel director Eli Roth—please visit http://www.petatv.com/audio/psas/Eli_Roth_PSA_V3.mp3.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
August 15, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

San Diego -- As the East County area continues to be threatened by wildfires, PETA is offering important advice for ensuring the safety of animal companions. Please alert your audience to the following information, which could help save the lives of cats, dogs, companion birds, and other animals who need to be included in evacuation plans:

• In the event that your area is evacuated, never leave companion animals behind to fend for themselves. They aren't any better equipped to survive disasters than humans are.
• Know your 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 or suffer from heatstroke once ambient temperatures rise above 70 degrees, even if water is provided and the windows are slightly open.
• Place small animals in secure carriers. Dogs should be leashed with harnesses because frightening sounds and unfamiliar surroundings may make them bolt and strangle. Take water and food bowls, your animal's favorite toy or blanket, a towel, and enough food for at least one week.
• Make sure that dogs and cats are microchipped and put legible ID tags with your phone number on them so that your companions can be found in case they get separated from you.

Please visit PETA.org for additional disaster-preparedness tips, or click here to view or link to PETA's disaster-preparedness public service announcement.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 15, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Coachella Valley, Calif. -- PETA receives reports every year about animals who suffer horrifying deaths during the spring and summer months. During warm weather, even dogs who are left in a car in the shade can quickly succumb to heatstroke and suffer brain damage as a result. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature of a car can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. If you see a dog showing any symptoms of heatstroke—including restlessness, heavy panting, vomiting, lethargy, or lack of appetite or coordination—get the animal into the shade immediately. You can lower a symptomatic dog's body temperature by providing him or her with water, applying a cold towel to the dog's head and chest, or immersing the dog in tepid (not ice-cold) water. Then immediately call a veterinarian.

PETA makes the following suggestions for safeguarding animals:

• Keep dogs inside: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
• Water and shade: If animals must be left outside, they should be supplied with ample water and shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
• Walk, don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by cycling while they try to keep up or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point it may be too late to save them.
• Avoid parked cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows slightly open. Dogs trapped inside parked cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
• Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can catapult out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or choke if they jump out while they're tied up.
• Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure that they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide water for immediate relief and then contact humane authorities right away.

PETA's warm-weather public service announcements featuring Laura Bell Bundy are available to link to or download here (for print) and here (for online).

For even more tips, visit PETA.org. 

Organizers Asked to Shut Down Exhibit Immediately to Prevent Transmission of Disease to Public

For Immediate Release:
August 16, 2012 

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Kenosha, Wis. -- The PETA Foundation has sent an urgent letter to Linda McFeters, general manager of the Bristol Renaissance Faire, asking her to cancel the fair's elephant rides immediately. Topsy, an elephant being used to carry children on her back, was recently banned from entering Maine because she has tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) antibodies. In its letter, PETA points out that elephants with TB can and do transmit the disease to humans—even through indirect contact. PETA also informs McFeters that in May, Frank Murray, the exhibitor forcing Topsy to give rides, was arrested by the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on a warrant related to cruelty-to-animals charges. Elephants in circuses and traveling shows are routinely beaten with bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp steel hook—from the time they're taken from their mothers as babies.

"If parents knew that Topsy had tested positive for tuberculosis, they wouldn't let their kids anywhere near this exhibit," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "The fair is risking the public's health and safety, and this exhibit needs to be sent packing."

PETA has sent a similar letter to Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt, the state veterinarian and administrator of the Division of Animal Health, and Paul McGraw, assistant state veterinarian, urging them to step in and shut down the elephant rides at the fair. That letter is available upon request.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to Bristol Renaissance Faire General Manager Linda McFeters follows.

August 16, 2012

Linda McFeters, General Manager
Bristol Renaissance Faire
12550 120th Ave.
Kenosha, WI 53142

Re:      TB-Positive Elephant Topsy Recently Prohibited From Entering Maine

Dear Ms. McFeters:

On behalf of PETA and its more than 3 million members and supporters and in the interests of animal welfare and public safety, I am writing to urge you to immediately halt the elephant rides at the Bristol Renaissance Faire by notorious animal exhibitor Frank Murray, dba "Elephant Encounters." In June, Murray was prohibited from taking Topsy the elephant—the very same elephant who is currently giving rides at the Faire—into the state of Maine after she tested positive for TB antibodies[1] because of the risk of TB transmission to the public.  

Elephants carry the human form of tuberculosis, which is highly transmissible from elephants to humans and to other elephants, even without direct contact. As explained in a 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, direct contact with a TB-positive elephant is not necessary for transmission of the disease to humans. TB carried by an elephant was linked to an outbreak among nine humans in Tennessee, some of whom had no direct contact with the elephant. Thus, by allowing TB-positive Topsy to be used for rides, you are endangering public health.

In addition, in May, Murray was arrested by the New Jersey Society for the Protection of Animals on a warrant related to cruelty-to-animals charges. Murray also has a long history of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, including repeatedly failing to provide elephants with adequate veterinary care.

While I'm sure that you were not aware of this information when initially allowing Murray to give elephant rides at the fair, now that it has come to light it is imperative that the rides be immediately canceled to protect fairgoers from the risk of TB transmission and in the interest of animal welfare. Failing to cancel the rides would mean disregarding public health and condoning cruelty to animals.

Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter. 

Very truly yours,

Delcianna Winders, Director, Captive Animal Law Enforcement

[1] Topsy tested TB-reactive on a highly accurate blood test, but Murray may misleadingly attempt to convince you that Topsy does not carry TB through the use of "trunk wash" test results. Please see the attached appendix for an explanation of why the trunk wash test is regarded as unreliable.

Nonviolence Begins at the Table, Says PETA

For Immediate Release:
August 16, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Joplin, Mo. — In the wake of the suspicious burning of a mosque in Joplin last week, PETA is bringing to town its billboard that features the Christian cross, the Muslim star and crescent, the Hindu Aum, and the Jewish Star of David drawn in peas and reads, "Give Peas a Chance—Go Vegan. Nonviolence Begins on Our Plates."

"Maybe if we can relate to who is on our plate, we can start to relate to other human beings we perceive as 'different,'" says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "The most important thing in life is to be kind, and if we are kind to animals by not eating them, all the other kindnesses won't seem so hard to embrace."

PETA points out that everyone shares an interest in living free from violence and fear. But in today's industrialized meat, fishing, and dairy industries, chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, 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. Although people may feel powerless to do something about acts of arson, violence, and hate, we can all make peaceful food choices every time we sit down to eat.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Fires Back, Saying That Officials Are Illegally Trampling Group's Right to Free Speech

For Immediate Release:
August 16, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Hutchinson, Kan. -- PETA has fired off a letter demanding that the Kansas State Fair reverse its decision to require PETA to shield gruesome video footage of factory farms narrated by Paul McCartney from visitors at its booth. In the letter, PETA claims that fair officials in the nation's second-largest beef state have violated the group's right of free speech in a government-sanctioned public forum by censoring the content of the booth. The booth recently made headlines in Iowa when officials temporarily booted it because of profanity used by violent farm workers in the footage. In a thought-provoking twist on the traditional 4-H booth's promotion of the meat industry, which sharply contrasts with the organization's otherwise positive mission, PETA's four H's stand for "Hell for animals," "Hazardous to the environment," "Heart attack–inducing," and "Hypocritical for teaching kids to care about only certain animals and to disrespect others."

"Meat comes from intelligent, feeling animals who suffer every day of their lives on factory farms and experience a painful and terrifying death at slaughterhouses," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "People who eat meat deserve to know the truth. The truth isn't always pleasant, but you don't get around it by denying people their constitutional rights."

On today's factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy, windowless sheds and confined to wire cages, gestation crates, barren dirt lots, and other cruel confinement systems. 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 torn away from their mothers within hours of birth—causing severe trauma to both mothers and calves.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Evidence Provided by PETA of Physical and Psychological Threats to Two Elephants Leads to Government Action

For Immediate Release:
August 20, 2012 

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-540-2199

Wayne, Pa. — After PETA filed two complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the physical safety and psychological well-being of two elephants with Cole Bros. Circus, the circus has agreed to pay a $15,000 penalty to the USDA to settle formal charges against the circus, which is scheduled to perform in Wayne on August 27 and 28. The charges came after PETA pointed out that two elephants, Tina and Jewel, were hundreds of pounds underweight and had been deprived of adequate veterinary care, including for a protruding spine. They were also sent to an unlicensed exhibitor with a long history of violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The more than 10 charges that Cole Bros. settled with the USDA include failure to provide the elephants with adequate veterinary care and failure to hire personnel capable of caring for them.

In 2009, the USDA felt that the case was so serious that the agency confiscated Jewel and also removed Tina. However, Cole Bros. continues to use other elephants in old-fashioned circus acts, and PETA sent the USDA alarming video footage taken at Cole Bros. Circus in Lanesboro, Mass., on June 17, 2011, that shows a handler who repeatedly struck an elephant using a bullhook (a rod with a solid, steel-pointed end that resembles a fireplace poker), including forcefully hitting the animal twice in the face. Also in June of last year, the USDA cited an elephant exhibitor with Cole Bros. for multiple violations of the AWA, including the use of "excessive force while tugging at" an elephant by digging a bullhook into her flesh. Elephant trainer Tim Frisco, who was caught on camera viciously beating terrified elephants and shocking them with electric prods, just joined Cole Bros.

"The USDA's action against Cole Bros. should put all animal circuses on notice that, sooner or later, they must pay for animal abuse," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Since children love animals, the last place that parents and grandparents should take them to is the circus."

The USDA's original complaint—filed after the USDA was contacted by PETA as well as by In Defense of Animals—and the settlement agreement are available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

A list of the violations named in the charges follows.

The violations of the Animal Welfare Act for which Cole Bros. Circus was ordered to pay a $15,000 penalty include the following:

Elephants

• Failure to provide adequate veterinary care to two underweight elephants, including one with a prominent spine and sunken body image
• Failure to have records for vet exams and tuberculosis tests
• Failure to handle an elephant in a way that minimizes the risk of harm to the public and the elephant
• Failure to employ personnel capable of caring for elephants
• Failure to house elephants at a facility that could provide for their needs
• Failure to follow recommendations of an elephant specialist
• Failure to store medications properly
• Transporting elephants to another person who was not equipped to care for them against the recommendation of an elephant specialist
• Inadequate enclosures
• Handlers who lacked training and knowledge and weren't regularly on site   

Tigers

• Employing a handler who lacked training, knowledge, and experience
• Selling tigers without a dealer license

Rash of Deaths of Dogs From Heatstroke Prompts Group's Request

For Immediate Release:
August 20, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-540-2199 

PETA has sent an urgent letter to Rob Schoeneck, general manager of the Destiny USA mall—the fifth-largest mall in the country—in Syracuse, asking him to stencil PETA's "Too Hot for Spot" public service advisory on parking spaces in the mall's lot. The advisory shows a dog locked in a car under the blazing sun with the caption "Too Hot for Spot. In Hot Weather, Leave Dogs at Home." In the letter, PETA points out that every summer, there are reports of dogs who have suffered agonizing deaths from heatstroke after being left unattended in parked cars. PETA also explains that in hot weather, the temperature inside a parked car can rise as much as 70 degrees above the outside temperature within minutes.

"PETA wants to stop Destiny USA from becoming the scene of the next dog fatality from heatstroke," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "The rule is simple: When the weather turns warm, never leave your dog in the car."

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

PETA's letter to Destiny USA General Manager Rob Schoeneck follows.

August 20, 2012

Rob Schoeneck

General Manager

Destiny USA

Via e-mail: RobSchoeneck@pyramidmg.com

Dear Mr. Schoeneck:

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 New York—with a suggestion that could save many lives. As the general manager of one of the largest malls in the country, would you please allow us to stencil our "Too Hot for Spot" public service advisory on parking spots in the Destiny USA lot?

Every year, dogs die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in the car while they go shopping. Even cracking the windows open or parking in the shade is often not enough to prevent dogs from rapidly overheating and suffering from heatstroke—or even dying. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes. On a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Because dogs can cool themselves only by sweating through their paw pads and panting, they can succumb to heatstroke in just minutes, resulting in brain damage or death. PETA has received dozens of reports this summer of dogs who have died in parked cars. This year, five animals were rescued from cars in separate incidents in one Sacramento mall parking lot alone. Our stenciled advisory will serve as a last-minute reminder to shoppers not to make a tragic mistake.

I look forward to working with you. Please contact me at 425-374-2523 or SBell@peta.org.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Stephanie Bell

Associate Director

Cruelty Investigations Department