FedEx 'Bear Force One' Crew Earns PETA Award for Flying Roadside Zoo Bear to Sanctuary

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Memphis, Tenn. -- After years of suffering alone in a barren concrete cage at a roadside zoo in North Carolina, Ben, a black grizzly–bear hybrid, is now roaming free in a California natural habitat animal sanctuary.

Thanks to the generosity of FedEx Express, Ben was flown cross-country after a judge ordered that he be released from the roadside zoo earlier this month. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will present FedEx with a framed certificate of appreciation that features a photograph of Ben in his new home at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's (PAWS) ARK 2000 sanctuary, along with lots of vegan cookies.

The 42-person FedEx team dubbed the flight "Bear Force One." During his flight, Ben enjoyed temperature-controlled ground and air transportation for maximum comfort and safety. The FedEx team, along with an experienced veterinarian and representatives from PAWS and PETA, stayed with Ben every second of his journey. Ben remained calm and alert throughout his voyage and even enjoyed snacking on treats donated by FedEx, which included fresh peaches, grapes, melons, and special food with high-moisture content.

"FedEx stepped in and helped give Ben a new life," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Thanks to 'Bear Force One,' Ben enjoyed a stress-free trip across the country—exactly what he needed after years of neglect."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Lawsuit Against N.C. Roadside Zoo Means Bear Who Languished for Years on Cement in Chain-Link Kennel Will Have New Life at PAWS' ARK 2000

For Immediate Release:
August 27, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

San Andreas, Calif. -- A bear named Ben—who had been confined to a barren concrete cage at Jambbas Ranch Tours, a roadside zoo based in Fayetteville, N.C., for six years—is now foraging, bathing, and relaxing under the trees at his new permanent home at the Performing Animal Welfare Society's (PAWS) ARK 2000 sanctuary in California. A North Carolina district judge's order gave permanent custody to PAWS in a lawsuit brought by concerned North Carolina citizens represented by PETA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and local counsel, who argued that Ben had been kept in solitary confinement in a chain-link kennel—illegal conditions that denied Ben everything that is natural and important to bears. The judge's order notes that forcing Ben to live in this cage was "the functional equivalent to forcing a human to live in a small closet" and that Jambbas caused Ben "unjustifiable physical and psychological suffering."

Ben was flown to San Andreas via a FedEx climate-controlled plane on August 9 after the judge issued a preliminary order. He is thriving at ARK 2000 in a vast natural habitat—which was paid for by TV legend and former The Price Is Right host Bob Barker and is measured in acres, not feet—where he bathes in his own pool, rubs his back on trees, and sleeps soundly in his large straw nest under oak trees.

"PAWS is giving Ben the chance to be a bear again, with plenty of space for him to roam, play, and forage," says General Counsel to PETA Jeffrey S. Kerr. "Despite years of neglect and abuse, Ben has already started to thrive in his new home—proof of the good that sanctuaries such as ARK 2000 can accomplish."

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. We couldn't be happier to see Ben retiring to California." Adds 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 or ALDF.org. 

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

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Columbus, Ohio -- Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered a whopping 1,792 student signatures, Ohio State University (OSU) has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. OSU joins a fast-growing list of colleges and universities that are acceding to the demands of students for more vegan options. The new menu additions include vegan lasagne, vegan chickpea stroganoff casserole, and vegan corn tofu fritters. The university now has a made-to-order service where students can make any meal vegan that they want.

"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 28, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Laurel, Md. -- 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 Laurel from September 4 to 6. 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 Offer Potential Employees $5,000 for Evidence Leading to the Conviction of Elephant Beaters

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Chicago -- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be holding clown auditions in Chicago on Wednesday, and PETA plans to be there—also to recruit clowns. PETA members will hand the prospective employees whistleblower-recruitment leaflets in the hope that they will report instances of elephant beatings and other acts of animal abuse for which Ringling is notorious. In return, PETA will pay whistleblowers $5,000 for evidence that leads to the conviction of a guilty party. Ringling trains, disciplines, and punishes elephants and other animals using electric prods, whips, chains, and bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp metal hook.

When:   Wednesday, August 29, 12 noon

Where:  Outside the Joffrey Ballet School dance studios, 10 E. Randolph St. (near the intersection with N. State Street), Chicago

In one of several incidents involving whistleblowers, a former Ringling employee gave PETA compelling photos that expose how baby elephants used by Ringling are stretched out, slammed to the ground, gouged with bullhooks, and shocked with electric prods. Ringling recently paid the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

"PETA knows that Ringling employees must witness animal abuse on a regular basis," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Now we're giving them the opportunity and incentive to help put an end to it."

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

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Harrison County, Miss. -- 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-preparation plans:

• Have your animals microchipped and put secure, legible ID tags on them.
• During a flood, never leave your animals outdoors, tied up, or confined in any way, as they will be trapped and unable to flee rising waters. (Please click on the hyperlinks to see photos of dogs who were left outside during past storms.)
• In the event of an evacuation, never leave your animals behind to fend for themselves.
• 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 present 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 might make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, favorite toys, a blanket, a towel, and enough food to last 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 brand new disaster-preparedness public service announcement featuring defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis of the New Orleans Saints is available to link to or download here. TV: A copy of PETA's brand new disaster-preparedness public service announcement featuring defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis of the New Orleans Saints 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 Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Mobile, Ala. -- 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 present 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 might make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, a favorite toy, a 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.

A copy of PETA's brand-new disaster-preparedness public service announcement featuring defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis of the New Orleans Saints is available to link to or download here.

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 29, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Boulder, Colo. -- Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered a whopping 1,244 student signatures, the University of Colorado –Boulder (CU Boulder) has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. CU Boulder joins a fast-growing list of colleges and universities that are acceding to the demands of students for more vegan options. The menu additions include vegan pizza with Daiya cheese, cashew-based vegan mac 'n' cheese, vegan cupcakes, vegan cookies, and vegan chocolate rice crispy treats.

"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.

PETA Wants President to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
August 29, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Charlottesville, Va. -- Accompanied by someone in an elephant costume holding a sign that reads, "Mr. President: Tell USDA to Confiscate Beaten Circus Elephants," PETA members will converge on downtown Charlottesville on Wednesday as President Barack Obama prepares to deliver a speech. The group is upset that although circuses train, discipline, and punish elephants using bullhooks (heavy weapons resembling fireplace pokers with a sharp steel hook) and that it's the duty of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to protect these animals from sustaining routine beatings that violate the Animal Welfare Act, the agency is not confiscating them.

When:   Wednesday, August 29, 12 noon 

Where:  nTelos Wireless Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Charlottesville

PETA has filed complaints against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus—"the cruelest show on earth"—regarding baby elephants beaten into submission, elephants routinely beaten behind the scenes just before they go on stage in order to remind them who's "boss," and much more abuse. Last year, these complaints resulted in the biggest fine in circus history—$270,000. Cole Bros. Circus also recently paid a fine to settle numerous violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act for failure to care for elephants properly.

"The government has taken an important step by fining these cruel circuses, but now it must confiscate the lame, overworked, and beaten elephants," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Until then, what remains to be done is for the public to be made aware of this chronic abuse so that people will know to keep their children away from the circus."

PETA's elephant will appear at numerous events with President Obama across the country.

For more information and to view photos and video footage of Ringling trainers abusing elephants, 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 30, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Ashburn, 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 Ashburn from September 7 to 9. 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

Group Urges Collins to Include List of Animal-Friendly Terms in New Edition as Animal Rights Continues to Go Mainstream

For Immediate Release:
August 30, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Norfolk, Va. -- PETA has submitted a list of five animal-friendly terms to dictionary publisher Collins, after learning that the company is collecting new words to be added to its upcoming editions. The terms include "sea kitten," a name for fish that will elicit more empathy for these persecuted aquatic animals; "Trollsen," a name befitting each of the fashion-backward Olsen twins for including fur and other animal skins in their collections; "veganise," the act of replacing meat, eggs, and dairy products with kinder and healthier foods and ingredients; "veggie dog," meat-free franks that have skyrocketed in popularity; and "elefriend," someone who supports elephants by boycotting circuses that use or display these animals.

"Dictionaries are updated to reflect the times, and animal-friendly terms reflect one of the fastest-growing social movements of our time: animal rights," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Word choices have a lot to do with shaping attitudes, so it's time that animals receive the respect that they deserve in our everyday language."

To view the complete text of PETA's submission to Collins, please visit PETA's blog

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

For Immediate Release:
August 31, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Salt Lake City -- PETA has been granted a space at this year's Utah State Fair (opening September 6) to screen video footage narrated by Paul McCartney in a thought-provoking twist on the traditional 4-H booth that recently made headlines in Iowa and Kansas. 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 disregard others." In the wake of Utah's controversial new law to thwart the public's right to know exactly what goes on inside factory farms, visitors to PETA's booth will see video footage depicting criminal abuse of animals, including workers beating, kicking, and sexually abusing animals, in the meat industry. Actor and Utah resident Katherine Heigl recently spoke out on PETA's behalf against this "ag gag" law. 

When:   Beginning Thursday, September 6

Where:  155 North 1000 West, Salt Lake City

"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.

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

For Immediate Release:
September 4, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Myrtle Beach, S.C. -- 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 Myrtle Beach from September 11 to 13. 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

Cosmetics Company Refuses to Come Clean About Paying for Cruel and Deadly Animal Tests in China

For Immediate Release:
September 4, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

New York -- Is Revlon paying for tests that poison animals in China? The cosmetics giant has refused to answer this question, despite repeated attempts by PETA to uncover the truth. Now, Revlon has to contend with PETA as a stockholder.

The animal rights group has purchased stock in the New York–based company, which will allow PETA to attend annual shareholder meetings and submit resolutions calling for transparency in Revlon's animal testing policies. The company's refusal to state whether it is paying for these deadly tests—which the Chinese government currently requires for almost all cosmetics products marketed there—recently knocked Revlon off PETA's list of companies that do not test on animals, where it had been for decades.

"Since Revlon won't come clean to consumers, maybe it'll answer a shareholder," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "If the company is breaking its 1989 ban on poisoning animals, we will find out in the boardroom, if necessary, and then shout it from the rooftop."

Companies whose decision to pay for animal tests in China caused them to backslide off PETA's list of cruelty-free companies include Avon, Mary Kay, and Estée Lauder. Paul Mitchell and Urban Decay, by contrast, have publicly refused to market in China as long as animal tests are required there.

Animals used in cosmetics tests have harsh chemicals dripped into their eyes and rubbed into their raw, abraded skin. When the experiments are over, the animals are killed. Non-animal tests are cheaper, faster, and more reliable. Scientists partially funded by PETA are currently working with the Chinese government to have these superior, cruelty-free tests accepted in China, where the country's approval of the first non-animal tests for cosmetics ingredients is pending.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
September 4, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

North Fork, 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.

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

For Immediate Release:
September 4, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Charlotte, N.C. -- Decked out in pig costumes and riding in a convertible, PETA members will appear at the Democratic 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 a person's 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.

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

When:   September 4–6, 2012

Where:  Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina

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, Democrats 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, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters do.

"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."

Please note that PETA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to stopping the abuse of animals and promoting a healthy vegan 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.

PETA Asks Johnny Appleseed Festival to Honor His Legacy With Meat-Free Menu

For Immediate Release:
September 4, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Fort Wayne, Ind. -- With the Johnny Appleseed Festival gearing up for its 38^th year, PETA has written to festival organizers with a suggestion that will add more authenticity to the celebration: Serve only vegetarian meals. As PETA explains in the letter, John "Appleseed" Chapman didn't just plant the fruit trees for which he was named—he was also a vegetarian who promoted kindness to all animals, a distinction that landed him on PETA's postage sheet of famous vegetarians. What's more, festival guidelines require vendors to prepare food using only methods available during Chapman's lifetime, but animals killed for food nowadays spend their lives in intensive confinement on crowded, filthy factory farms that bear no resemblance to the practices of 19^th-century agriculture.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to the organizers of the Johnny Appleseed Festival follows.

August 13, 2012

Bridget Kelly
Food Booth Chairperson
Johnny Appleseed Festival

Dear Ms. Kelly,

Greetings from PETA. As you know, Johnny Appleseed was an American pioneer but not just of apple trees—he was also one of the country's first iconic vegetarians because of his respect for animals. He rescued countless animals throughout his life. We're writing to ask that you honor his compassionate legacy by serving only meat-free food, such as veggie dogs and burgers, at the festival this year.

The festival requires vendors to prepare foods using methods from Johnny Appleseed's lifetime, but today, ham and grilled turkey legs come from factory farms, where animals are forced to live crowded together by the thousands in dark, filthy sheds and cages. Johnny would be horrified to learn that millions of these animals are routinely beaten, dragged, and thrown against walls in slaughterhouses across the country every year. Offering your visitors only humane vegan food would create a more realistic portrayal of the legend's life while helping to curb the state's obesity epidemic. According to the Indiana Department of Health, 65 percent of adults are now overweight or obese. Going vegan is an easy way to shed pounds and keep them off. Vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter and have a much lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes than their flesh-eating counterparts do.

We'd be glad to provide your vendors with some popular recipes, including veggie chili, meatless pizza, and, of course, fresh-baked apple pie. Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing that you will make this fitting tribute to the festival's namesake.

Sincerely,

Dan Mathews
Senior Vice President
PETA

Group Joins Wylie Police Department in Effort to Bring Animal Abuser to Justice

For Immediate Release:
September 5, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Wylie, Texas -- A family found three of their five Chihuahua puppies dead in their backyard just after 2 a.m. on August 29, each shot up to six times and at least one stabbed. The two other puppies remain missing. Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with the killing and stealing of the animals. 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.

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

"Animal abusers are cowards who take their issues out on the most defenseless beings available to them," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "Area 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 Wylie Police Department at 972-442-8170. PETA is also urging residents not to leave animals outside unattended.

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.

All City Schools Will Receive Message That Kids Who Pick on Animals Often 'Graduate' to Violence Against Humans and Must Be Reported

For Immediate Release:
September 5, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Kokomo, Ind. -- In the wake of news reports that a 13-year-old Kokomo boy killed two family dogs by breaking their necks, peta2—PETA's youth division—has sent its new ad against animal abuse to every school in the city in the hope of preventing future crimes against animals. The poster shows a chained, cowering dog next to insulting phrases such as "Shut Up," "Stupid," and "Dumb Dog" and explains the link between cruelty to animals and violence directed toward humans. It concludes with the words "Bullies Are Cowards—Don't Be Afraid to Report Them." The group will ask school officials to post the potentially lifesaving signs in high-traffic areas.

"peta2 is calling on all kids to stick up for animals and for themselves by talking to their parents, their teachers, or the police to report cruelty to any animals the moment it occurs," says peta2 Associate Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. "Once the word gets out that if you hurt an animal, you'll be arrested, cowardly abusers may think twice before they take out their insecurities and mental hang-ups on the most vulnerable victims available."

According to leading mental-health professionals and law-enforcement agencies, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to the community at large. According to a study conducted by Northeastern University and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, people who abuse animals are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against other people. Many serial killers and school shooters started out by abusing animals. The FBI uses reports of animal abuse to gauge the threat potential of suspected and known criminals.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

Heroic Firefighters Save Animal Caught in Burning Building, Receive Second PETA Award in as Many Years

For Immediate Release:
September 5, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Chesapeake, Va. — On Monday, September 3, the Chesapeake Fire Department responded to a house fire in the Deep Creek section of Chesapeake. Firefighters entered the house, rescued a dog inside it, and brought the blaze under control. The two human occupants of the home managed to make it safely outside on their own.

For their successful and heroic lifesaving effort, the firefighters of the Chesapeake Fire Department will receive PETA's Compassionate Fire Department Award.

"Thanks to the dedication and know-how of these firefighters, what could have been a tragedy for a dog instead had a happy ending," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Chesapeake should be proud of its first responders, who are prepared to protect and serve both residents and their beloved animal companions."

This isn't the first time that the Chesapeake Fire Department has been recognized by PETA for its heroic efforts in behalf of animals. The department also won an award for its January 2011 rescue of a 99-year-old woman and her niece's dog, Lady.

The fire department will receive a framed certificate, a letter of recognition, and a box of vegan chocolates.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.