PETA Foundation Accuses Online Company of Misleading Consumers About Circuses With Long Histories of Violating Animal-Protection Law

For Immediate Release:
August 20, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-540-2199

Chicago — A lawyer for the PETA Foundation has fired off a letter to Andrew Mason, CEO of online discount-certificate company Groupon, demanding that the company immediately stop issuing false and misleading statements about several cruel circuses it profits from promoting. While Groupon states publicly that the circuses it promotes "must have clean USDA and public record inspection reports from at least the past 2 years," U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports indicate that most of the circuses Groupon has recently promoted have been cited numerous times for violating the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) within the past two years, including for endangering the public and animals, failing to provide adequate veterinary care, and violating animal-handling regulations.

"Groupon is misleading the public so as to sell discounted certificates to circuses with long histories of abusing and neglecting animals and forcing injured and ill animals to perform against their will," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Caring consumers who would never attend an abusive circus are hoodwinked by Groupon into thinking that these circuses are treating their animals well."

In its letter, the PETA Foundation points out that some circuses promoted by Groupon contract with outside animal exhibitors that are notorious for abusing animals. For example, UniverSoul Circus contracts with exhibitors Jorge and Louann Barreda. Last September—which is within Groupon's minimum time period for examining inspection reports—the Barredas received an Official Warning, which is the final opportunity for an exhibitor to avoid a civil penalty or criminal prosecution for violations of the AWA. The warning was issued for failing to give adequate veterinary care to four elephants suffering from foot problems—the leading reason why captive elephants are euthanized. Other historically abusive circuses that Groupon has recently promoted include Circus Gatti and the Piccadilly Circus, whose elephant exhibitor was arrested in May on a warrant related to cruelty-to-animals charges.

The PETA Foundation's letter to Groupon CEO Andrew Mason is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Couple Charged With Felonies After PETA Provides Houston Authorities With Evidence of Gruesome Mutilations

For Immediate Release:
August 21, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Houston -- A major "crush video" cell was shut down just two days after PETA, acting on a tip from a concerned person and aided by the Animal Beta Project, obtained as many as 27 of the fetish videos, in which a woman tortures and kills animals—including a puppy, kittens, a rabbit, mice, a pigeon, fish, lobsters, crabs, and more—with high heels, a meat cleaver, knives, screwdrivers, pliers, and other devices. "Crush videos"—which depict women stomping animals to death to satisfy the sexual fetishes of those who watch them—violate a federal law that prohibits the production, sale, and marketing of such videos, rightly labeled "obscene" by lawmakers. It is believed that the videos may have been sold internationally.

PETA provided the Houston Police Department and Harris County District Attorney's Office with the identities and suspected whereabouts of the cell's operators, leading to the subsequent arrest and jailing of both suspects—51-year-old Brent Justice and 22-year-old Ashley Nicole Richards—on felony warrants. Richards reportedly admitted to killing countless animals—up to two per day—over the years. She faces felony cruelty-to-animals charges: one for a video made in 2010 in which she binds and gags a kitten with masking tape and then stomps and crushes the animal, including putting her high-heeled shoe through the kitten's eye, and for another video in which she kills a pit bull puppy by using a meat cleaver to hack off his leg and tail and a knife to slash his neck and cut into his leg. Justice faces a felony cruelty-to-animals charge for filming Richards as she killed the puppy with a knife.

"This case is a testament to the vital importance of alerting the authorities to cruelty to animals: If it hadn't been for one concerned citizen's message to PETA, these suspects would still be at large," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "Thanks also to the swift action of the Houston Police Department and the Harris County District Attorney's Office, those responsible for the painful deaths of countless animals will be brought to justice."

This case is still under investigation by Houston authorities. PETA will be requesting that the U.S. Attorney's Office pursue federal charges.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Protesters Will Draw Attention to Ringling's Practice of Forcing Lame Elephants to Perform Stunts

For Immediate Release:
August 21, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Austin -- An "elephant" on crutches will lead PETA protesters on Wednesday as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus prepares for its opening show at the Frank Erwin Center. The protesters will display photos taken inside Ringling's training center, which expose how baby elephants are stretched out, slammed to the ground, gouged with steel-tipped bullhooks, and shocked with electric prods in abusive training sessions that go on for several hours. Additionally, PETA will screen its new video exposé of the Ringling Bros. circus narrated by Alec Baldwin.

When:   Wednesday, August 22, 12 noon

Where:  Main entrance of the Frank Erwin Center, Red River and E. 15^th streets, Austin

"Austin residents would run screaming from the big top if they knew that elephants used by Ringling suffer a lifetime of abuse," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "As infants, elephants are torn away from their mothers and beaten into submission—and older, arthritic elephants, are still forced to perform painful contortions despite their ill health."

Late last year, Ringling paid the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

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

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

For Immediate Release:
August 22, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Thorofare, 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 Thorofare on August 29 and 30. 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."

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

Protesters Will Draw Attention to Ringling's Violent Treatment of Baby Elephants

For Immediate Release:
August 22, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

San Diego -- A large inflatable elephant will lead PETA members in a protest against the arrival of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus on Thursday. The protesters will display signs that read, "This Is Ringling Baby-Elephant Training," alongside banners emblazoned with compelling photos taken inside Ringling's training center. The photos expose how baby elephants used by Ringling are stretched out, slammed to the ground, gouged with steel-tipped bullhooks, and shocked with electric prods. These abusive sessions go on for several hours a day in order to force the baby elephants to learn to perform circus tricks out of fear of punishment.

When:   Thursday, August 23, 12 noon

Where:  Corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway, San Diego

"San Diego residents would run screaming from the big top if they knew how baby elephants are violently forced to perform difficult, confusing, and sometimes painful tricks," 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."

Late last year, Ringling paid the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Fifteen California humane societies are urging Californians to boycott Ringling Bros. and all other circuses that use animals, citing the circus's routine bullhook and other abuse.

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

Sick Animals Were Left to Suffer in Filth, Staff Went Unpaid at Triple F Farms

For Immediate Release:
August 22, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Sayre, Penn. -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has fined Sayre-based Triple F Farms, Inc.,  which supplies ferrets to the international pet trade and to laboratories, $16,679 for violating at least eight regulations of the Animal Welfare Act, and the factory must pay employees $28,124.98 in back wages for 38 violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The settlements follow PETA's nearly four-month undercover investigation of the massive ferret-breeding factory farm, which documented systematic and fatal neglect of ferrets, among other violations.

"Ferrets at Triple F Farms suffer every day and pay the ultimate price with their lives," says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. "PETA is now asking the federal government to cancel any contracts with this violator."

The USDA settlement is for violations discovered by federal inspectors in August and September of 2011. PETA's video footage revealed that supervisors and workers left newborn ferrets to die on the concrete floor after the animals had fallen through wire cage bottoms; deprived ferrets with bleeding rectal prolapses, herniated organs, gaping wounds, and other painful conditions of veterinary care or euthanasia; and housed ferrets in filthy, severely crowded conditions. The Bradford County District Attorney's Office found probable cause to file cruelty-to-animals charges but deferred prosecution. PETA has called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—which has had contracts worth more than $1.5 million with Triple F since 2006—to cancel all current contracts and disqualify Triple F from future contracts.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog. 

Place 'I Am Not a Nugget—Go Vegan!' Ad on Lunch Trays, and We'll Write the District a Check, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
August 22, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Tucson -- This morning, PETA sent a letter to Dr. John Pedicone, superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District, with an offer the group hopes he can't refuse: Place PETA's ad that shows a chicken next to the caption "I Am Not a Nugget—Go Vegan!" on cafeteria lunch trays, and PETA will pay the school district a sum to be negotiated. The proposal comes in the wake of news reports that the district is facing a $17 million budget shortfall and has proposed a series of public meetings to discuss what cuts should be made.

"PETA's offer is a win-win solution for Tucson's schools," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "It will help bring in a new source of much-needed revenue, and—if kids heed the ad's message—it will keep students healthier and help stop animal suffering at the same time."

In its letter, PETA points out that a whopping 64 percent of the meat tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was contaminated with E. coli and that everyone who goes vegan saves the lives of more than 100 animals every year. As an added incentive, PETA is offering to sponsor—free of charge—a meal featuring faux-chicken nuggets for the entire faculty and student body at a school of Pedicone's choice.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to Tucson Unified School District Superintendent John Pedicone follows.

August 22, 2012 

John J. Pedicone, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Tucson Unified School District

Dear Dr. Pedicone:

On behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Arizona, I'm writing with an idea to help get your district's budget back in the black: Open up cafeteria lunch trays to paid ads promoting healthy foods and behavior for kids and allow us to run the first ad featuring an adorable chicken proclaiming, "I Am Not a Nugget—Go Vegan." To complement these ads, we urge you to increase vegan choices in your schools' cafeterias, as many others have done across the country.

As a parent of an elementary school student, I know how important it is for all children to have access to healthy plant-based meals at school. Feeding kids chicken and other meat and dairy products puts them at risk for a slew of health problems. For example, a study by Consumer Reports found that two-thirds of chicken in grocery stores was infected with either salmonella or campylobacter—or both—and 64 percent of meat tested by the Food and Drug Administration was contaminated with E. coli. Meat, dairy products, and eggs, which contain no fiber and are loaded with cholesterol and saturated animal fat, are also primary contributors to Arizona's growing childhood-obesity rates. Vegans, on the other hand, tend to be significantly healthier than their meat-eating counterparts. On average, they weigh 18 percent less, and according to the late Dr. Benjamin Spock, "[c]hildren who grow up getting their nutrition from plant foods rather than meats have a tremendous health advantage. They are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer." Healthy vegan meals such as veggie tacos made with beans and rice also tend to be less expensive than meat and dairy products.

In addition to improving their own health, every vegan saves the lives of more than 100 animals per year. In today's industrialized meat and dairy industries, chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets are castrated 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. Providing students with vegan meals would encourage them to make healthy, kind choices in other aspects of their lives.

If you agree to our offer, we'll also supply a delicious vegan lunch, consisting of protein-packed and cholesterol-free faux-chicken nuggets, chili sprinkled with vegan cheese, and corn on the cob to the students and faculty at one of the schools in your district. Please contact me to discuss this exciting partnership. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,             
Tracy Reiman, Executive Vice President

Group Warns Against Leaving Animal Companions out in the Sun

For Immediate Release:
August 22, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Sacramento, Calif. — Following a close call involving a dog who was locked inside a hot car for more than two hours at Arden Fair Mall, at least the third such incident at the mall this summer, PETA asks that you share the following lifesaving information with your audience.

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, interior temperatures 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, then 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 him or her with 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.

Aquarium Keeping Lolita in Isolation in Smallest Tank in U.S., Despite Clear Animal Welfare Violations

For Immediate Release:
August 23, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Miami -- PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), the Orca Network, and private citizens concerned about the living conditions of Lolita, the lone orca at the Miami Seaquarium, have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that challenges its absurd decision to renew the Seaquarium's federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license. The law, which the USDA is charged with enforcing, prohibits licensing a facility that is out of compliance with the act—yet the Seaquarium keeps Lolita without the company of another orca in a tank so small that it fails to meet the minimum legal size requirements and also offers no protection from the burning sun—all violations of the AWA. In the filing—which is being handled by the law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal—the plaintiffs set out specific provisions of the AWA that prohibit these conditions.

"It shouldn't take a lawsuit to force the USDA to stop handing out permits to the smallest orca tank on the continent," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA and ALDF are calling on the government to give Lolita her long-overdue freedom from misery, isolation, and exploitation."

"ALDF and PETA already have a lawsuit pending against the National Marine Fisheries Service for wrongly excluding Lolita from the endangered listing of the Pacific Northwest's Southern Resident orcas, whom she lived among until the day of her capture over 40 years ago," says ALDF Director of Litigation Carter Dillard. "It is time for the courts to intervene where the federal agencies charged with protecting Lolita are failing her."

In nature, where Lolita's mother still thrives at more than 80 years of age, orcas live in tight family units with bonds that may last a lifetime. At the Seaquarium, Lolita swims in endless circles in a tiny barren cement tank. This highly intelligent and social wild animal has been without an orca companion since 1980, when her tank mate, Hugo, died of a brain aneurism after ramming his head into the side of their tank, in what many people believe was a desperate attempt to break out of the tank or even commit suicide.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

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

For Immediate Release:
August 23, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Carbondale, Ill. -- Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered 680 student signatures, Southern Illinois University (SIU) has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. SIU joins a fast-growing list of colleges and universities that are acceding to the demands of students for more vegetarian options. The new additions include vegan Sicilian linguine, falafel burgers, and curried vegetables with rice.

"More students than ever are choosing vegan meals out of concern for their health, the environment, and animals," says peta2 Associate 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.

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

For Immediate Release:
August 23, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Centreville, Va. -- 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 Centreville from August 31 to September 3. 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

Group Will Display Gruesome Video Footage Narrated by Paul McCartney That Shows Illegal Cruelty on Factory Farms in Beef State

For Immediate Release:
August 23, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Colorado Springs, Colo. -- PETA has been granted a space at this year's Colorado State Fair (opening August 24) to screen video footage narrated by Paul McCartney. In a thought-provoking twist on the traditional 4-H booth, PETA will target the state's largest agricultural product, beef. In response to 4-H's support of the meat industry, which contrasts sharply with the organization's otherwise positive mission, PETA's four H's will stand for "Hell for animals," "Heart attack–inducing," "Hazard to the environment," and "Hypocritical for teaching kids to care about only certain animals and to disrespect others." Visitors to PETA's booth will see that animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy feedlots and sheds before being shipped to slaughter in all weather extremes for the meat industry.

When:   Beginning Friday, August 24

Where:  1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo, CO 81004

"We're the only vendor at the fair not selling anything. Instead, we're just trying to educate the public about a hidden side of agriculture, which is of increasing concern to the nation," says PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews. "We're not peddling cotton candy or corn dogs, just food for thought, and we expect to reach a lot of people, especially teens."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
August 24, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Boise, Idaho -- As the 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 Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
August 24, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Sarasota, Fla./Tampa, Fla./Fort Myers, Fla. — Since Hurricane Isaac poses a serious threat to your area, PETA is offering important advice for ensuring the safety of companion animals during flooding or evacuations. Please alert your audience to the following information, which could help save the lives of cats, dogs, birds, and other companion animals who need to be included in disaster-preparedness plans:

• Have your animals microchipped and put secure, legible ID tags on them.
• During a flood, never leave your animals outdoors, tied up, or confined in any way, as they will be trapped and unable to flee rising waters. (Please click on the hyperlinks to see photos of dogs who were left outside during past storms.)
• In the event of an evacuation, never leave your animals behind to fend for themselves.
• Know your emergency destination ahead of time. Although human shelters often refuse animals, motels in the area will probably accept dogs, cats, and other small animals in an emergency. Do not plan to leave animals unsupervised in a car—they can suffer from heatstroke once ambient temperatures rise above 70 degrees, even if water is provided and the windows are slightly open. Animals can also be stolen out of parked vehicles.
• Place small animals in secure carriers and keep dogs on a leash. Frightening sounds and unfamiliar surroundings may make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, your animal's favorite toy or blanket, a towel, and enough food for at least a week.
• Watch for other animals in need, including strays and animals who are left behind by neighbors. If you see an animal in distress and are unable to help, note the animal's condition and location and call authorities for help as soon as possible.

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

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Joins San Diego Humane Society in Effort to Bring Perpetrator to Justice

For Immediate Release:
August 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Oceanside, Calif. -- On August 19, a turtle who had been taped to a cluster of helium balloons in Oceanside and floated about until becoming caught in a tree was rescued by firefighters using a ladder truck.

PETA is offering up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime.

Would you please consider sharing this information with your audience? It might be the only way to apprehend those responsible for this heinous act.

"This helpless turtle was undoubtedly terrified by this ordeal," says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. "Perpetrators of cruel or violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders, so it's crucial that this abuser be brought to justice immediately."

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the San Diego Humane Society at 619-243-3466.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Pork Purveyors, Lamb Lobbyists, and Poultry Pushers Are Destroying America's Health—and Wealth

For Immediate Release:
August 24, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Tampa, Flo. -- Decked out in pig costumes and riding in a convertible, PETA members will appear at the Republican National Convention to educate all comers about the need for a federal excise tax on meat. The PETA porkers' point? That eating meat can increase the risk of developing cancer and heart disease—thereby driving health-care costs through the roof. PETA says that meat should be taxed at 10 cents per pound to offset its staggering costs, just as alcohol, tobacco, gasoline, and other items are subject to a "sin" tax.

When:   August 27-30, 201

Where:  Republican National Convention, Tampa, Florida

In addition to killing animals and people with its unhealthy and cruel products, the meat industry is killing American pocketbooks. The federal government has a long history of giving away massive subsidies for livestock feed. Also, recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture bought $40 million of chicken products to try to reduce a surplus. Surely, Republicans will agree—it's time to "cut the pork!" In addition, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics determined that vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters.

"The health problems caused by eating meat—not to mention the subsidies that the meat industry receives—take a huge bite out of the U.S. budget," says PETA Vice President Dan Mathews. "Slapping a long-overdue tax on meat would save countless lives—including those of animals."

PETA's pigs will appear at events during the Republican National Convention.

Please note that PETA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to stopping animal abuse and promoting a healthy vegetarian diet. We take no position in support of or opposition to any political party or candidate for public office.

For more information, please visit TaxMeat.com.

Saints' Defensive Tackle Stars in PETA Campaign: 'Be Your Dog's Biggest Defender'

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

New Orleans — As Tropical Storm Isaac poses a serious threat to your area, New Orleans Saints' Sedrick Ellis and his dog, Max, star in a brand-new TV and print ad campaign for PETA urging people to include their animals in emergency evacuation plans in the event of a natural disaster. Lifesaving disaster-preparedness tips and Ellis' campaign can be found at PETA.org. A broadcast-quality version of Ellis' public service announcement is available for download here.

"Who can forget the haunting images of animals left behind, barely clinging to life after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast?" asks Ellis in the TV spot. "Hurricanes, flash floods, earthquakes, and wildfires can affect us all, but animals are often the most vulnerable victims. If you're forced to evacuate, protect your entire family, and never leave your dog or cat behind."

In the wake of natural disasters, countless cats, dogs, birds, and other animals are left to suffer and often die from drowning, dehydration, smoke inhalation, or starvation when families are forced to evacuate and end up leaving their animals behind. Many evacuation centers don't allow animal companions, but many hotels allow animals during emergencies, and friends in unaffected areas may be able to host their friends' animals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

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

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Youngstown, Ohio -- Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered a whopping 2,402 student signatures, Youngstown State University (YSU) has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. YSU joins a fast-growing list of colleges and universities that are acceding to the demands of students for more vegetarian options. The new additions include vegan stir-fries with tofu and tempeh, vegan cheese pizza and vegan pepperoni pizza, and vegan meatball sandwiches. The university will also begin to hold an annual vegan Thanksgiving feast.

"More students than ever are choosing vegan meals out of concern for their health, the environment, and animals," says peta2's Associate 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.

Lawsuit Against Jambbas Ranch Means New Life for Bear Who Had Languished for Years on Cement in Chain-Link Kennel

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Fayetteville, N.C. -- Cumberland County District Court Judge Kimbrell Tucker, in a lawsuit brought by concerned North Carolina citizens represented by PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), and local counsel, has signed a permanent injunction that allows a bear named Ben—who had been confined to a barren concrete cage at Fayetteville-based roadside zoo Jambbas Ranch Tours for six years—to reside permanently at the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in California, where he can forage, swim, and build his den under trees. Ben lived in solitary confinement at Jambbas Ranch, which caused him to suffer physically and psychologically. He was denied everything that is natural and important to bears. Judge Tucker entered a permanent injunction that ended Jambbas' ownership of Ben and awarded permanent ownership and custody to PAWS. Ben was flown to California via a FedEx climate-controlled plane on August 9 after Judge Tucker issued a preliminary injunction. The permanent injunction also forbids Jambbas from acquiring, owning, or possessing any bears in the future; seeking any state wildlife captivity licenses or endangered species permits relating to owning or possessing any bears; and using Ben's former concrete cage as the primary enclosure for any wild or exotic animal.

At the PAWS sanctuary, Ben is thriving in a vast natural habitat—one that is measured in acres, not feet and inches—where he bathes in his own pool, rubs his back on trees, and sleeps soundly in his large straw nest under oak trees.

"Ben now has the chance to live like a bear again, finally able to roam, play, and forage," says General Counsel to PETA Jeffrey S. Kerr. PETA's local counsel, Calley Gerber, adds, "Today's news ushers in a victory for animals across North Carolina who are confined in similarly cruel conditions."

ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells says, "Ben's treatment was cruel and illegal under North Carolina law, and the court stopped it, plain and simple." Adds ALDF local counsel, Gavin Parsons, "We're very pleased with the court's order and wish Ben well in his new home."

For more information, please visit PETA.org and ALDF.org. 

Group Urges Gov. Daniels to Place Ad on Statehouse Steps Featuring Bikinied Beauty and Urging Hoosiers to Lighten Up by Going Vegan

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Indianapolis, Ind. -- Anyone familiar with politics knows that "trimming the fat" usually implies budget cuts. PETA, though, means it literally. The group has sent a letter to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels urging him to put up a pro-vegan ad on the front steps of the Statehouse that features one of PETA's sexy "Lettuce Ladies" and reads, "Step Up o Good Health. Go Vegan." PETA's point? That the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just added Indiana to a list of 11 other states with an obesity rate of 30 percent or higher and that going vegan is the best way to lose unwanted pounds and keep them off.

Studies show that vegans are generally fitter, trimmer, and healthier than meat-eaters are. Also, going vegan is the best way that anyone can help stop animal suffering.

"PETA's ad would help keep Indiana residents lighter and healthier," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "And residents who heed the lifesaving message of PETA's lovely Lettuce Lady could also lighten their consciences by helping to keep animals from the clutches of the cruel meat, dairy, and egg industries."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels follows.

August 27, 2012

The Honorable Mitch Daniels
Governor of Indiana

Dear Governor Daniels,

I am writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Indiana, to suggest a proven weight-loss and health-improvement strategy that would help remove Indiana from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list of most obese states. We have designed an eye-catching stairway ad that features one of our sexy "Lettuce Ladies" and reads, "Step Up to Good Health. Go Vegan" and we hope you will help us place it on the front steps of the Indiana Statehouse.

Overwhelming evidence shows that vegans are far less likely than meat-eaters to be overweight (on average, they weigh 18 percent less) and are far more likely to be in better overall health. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer than people who eat meat. Healthy vegan foods provide all the nutrients that we need without all the saturated animal fat and cholesterol found in meat and dairy products. In addition to becoming healthier, every Indiana resident who goes vegan will save more than 100 animals a year from the cruelty of the meat and dairy industries, in which chickens and turkeys have their throats slit while they're still conscious, piglets are castrated without painkillers, and fish are suffocated, cut open, or skinned alive.

We'd be happy to send our lovely Lettuce Ladies to Indianapolis to unveil the ad and cater a delicious, healthy vegan lunch of Boca Chik'n patties (made of healthy plant protein and spices but with half the fat and none of the cholesterol in regular chicken) and Gardenburger BBQ Veggie Riblets for all Statehouse employees. We'd also provide all the fixin's, such as baked beans, corn on the cob, and fresh fruit salad as well as vegetarian/vegan starter kits full of tips and recipes to help every employee make the transition to vegan eating. Please contact me to discuss this exciting opportunity.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President