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

For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Sacramento, Calif. -- An "injured elephant" will lead PETA protesters on Thursday as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus prepares for its opening show in Sacramento. 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. Actor Alec Baldwin recently narrated a video exposé that focuses on how circuses abuse elephants.

When:   Thursday, September 6, 12 noon

Where:  In front of the California State Capitol, at the intersection of Capitol Mall and 10^th Street, Sacramento

"Sacramento 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 Bros. paid the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The Sacramento SPCA has joined 14 other California humane societies to urge 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. 

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

For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Augusta, Ga. -- 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 Augusta from September 14 to 16. 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

Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds Still Kill Animals in Unreliable Tests

For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. — PETA has bought stock in the two largest tobacco manufacturers in order to prevent thousands of animals from being forced to inhale smoke for months at a time—a testing method not required by law and irrelevant to human smokers—and then being killed.

Owning stock in R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris' parent company, Altria, will allow PETA to attend annual meetings and submit shareholder resolutions calling for an end to a practice that is inhumane and archaic. Modern, non-animal testing methods are available and are less expensive and more reliable than animal tests.

"Forcing rats to breathe cigarette smoke for hours on end is cruel and won't make smoking any safer," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "By joining Philip Morris' and R.J. Reynolds' shareholders, PETA will push these companies toward the exclusive use of more humane and accurate non-animal testing methods that are already employed around the world."

In one recent study, experimenters with Philip Morris—the maker of Marlboro, Virginia Slims, and Parliament, among other brands—stuffed thousands of rats into tiny canisters and pumped tobacco smoke directly into their noses for six hours a day for 90 consecutive days. The rats were then killed and dissected. In a recent study conducted by R.J. Reynolds—whose brands include Camel, Kool, Winston, and Pall Mall—experimenters forced hundreds of mice and rats to eat food laced with tobacco for three months. Some of the animals developed hair loss, swollen genitals, and skin ulcers. All of them were killed and dissected.

None of these tests is required by law. The risks of existing and new tobacco products can be assessed using solely in vitro and human-based research. Tobacco tests on animals have been banned in many countries, including the U.K., Germany, and Belgium, and Canada requires only modern non-animal tests.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Actor and Musician Promotes Adoptions From Animal Shelters in New PETA Campaign

For Immediate Release:
September 6, 2012 

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- With Glee headed into its fourth season, Kevin McHale is encouraging everyone to root for the underdog—that is, for dogs (and cats) awaiting homes in animal shelters. In a brand-new PETA ad, McHale—known to fans as Artie on FOX's hit series—appears hugging his rescued dog, Sophie, next to the words "Adopt, Don't Buy." The ad goes on to encourage people to "be part of the solution to animal overpopulation and save a life by adopting from your local shelter." The campaign was shot by top celebrity photographer Jack Guy.

McHale's campaign also includes photos of the former boy-bander cuddling with Sophie in the studio and playing with her on the beach as well as an exclusive PETA interview in which he opens up about adding her to his life. "I fostered her for a week to see how she worked on the Glee set, and she worked out great," he says. "A few months later, she's still mine."

McHale also stresses the importance of spaying and neutering and reveals that fellow Glee stars—and PETA spokespeople—Lea Michele and Jane Lynch may have inspired his PETA campaign. As McHale explains, "All my friends and all the crew members of Glee—they're the biggest advocates of dog adoption, so it was kind of a no-brainer to do it."

Not all homeless animals are as lucky as Sophie: Approximately 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter U.S. animal shelters every year, and half of them must be euthanized simply because there aren't enough good homes for them. The less fortunate never even make it to a safe haven—they are left to fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to abuse by cruel people or succumb to starvation, disease, or injuries. Buying an animal from a pet store or a breeder robs a homeless animal of a chance at finding a good home.

McHale joins a long list of celebrities—including Pink, Justin Bieber, Ryan Gosling, Ke$ha, Kellan Lutz, and Olivia Munn—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

Broadcast-quality video footage of Kevin McHale's PETA interview is available for download here. For more information, please visit PETA.org .

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

For Immediate Release:
September 7, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Ogden, Utah -- Most students at Weber State University have probably never been to a factory farm, so peta2—PETA's youth division—is bringing factory farms to them. The group will set up a 20-foot-by-30-foot inflatable tent, inside of which students can confine themselves to sow gestation crates—which are so small that pregnant pigs can't even turn around or take two steps in them—and watch "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by PETA pal Paul McCartney, who famously said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." Students will also receive samples of vegan foods and free vegetarian/vegan starter kits with recipes and tips for helping the Earth, animals, and their own arteries by going meat- and dairy-free.

When:   Monday, September 10, 10 a.m.

Where:  Waterfall Plaza, Weber State University, Ogden

"College is the time to consider new ideas, and PETA's factory-farm display gives students an idea of how much suffering goes into a chicken nugget or a beef burger," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "Once students see what cows, chickens, and other animals go through on factory farms, in transit, and in slaughterhouses, they'll want to load up their cafeteria trays with humane vegan selections."

Pigs, chickens, fish, and cows feel pain and fear just as intensely as the animals who share our homes with us do, yet they are abused in ways that would be illegal if dogs and cats were the victims. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets are castrated and have their tails cut off without being given any painkillers, and calves raised for their milk have their horns burned out of their skulls. On the decks of fishing boats, fish suffocate or are cut open while they're still alive.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

Group Joins Crime Stoppers in Effort to Bring Animal Abuser to Justice

For Immediate Release:
September 7, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

East Harlem, N.Y. -- An African-American man was caught on video viciously and repeatedly kicking and striking a small- to medium-size beige dog as the animal cowered inside an elevator at the Wagner Houses on E. 120th Street around 11:30 a.m. on August 26. Police have yet to identify the man. That's why PETA is adding up to $5,000 to the $2,000 reward being offered in the community for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the man seen on videotape violently attacking this dog.

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

"Animal abusers are cowards," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "They take their issues out on the most defenseless beings available to them. New York 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 Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477).

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.

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

For Immediate Release:
September 7, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Baltimore -- Decked out in their finest spandex costumes—complete with capes, boots, and masks—and holding signs that read, "Be a Superhero for Animals: Go Vegan," PETA's soy-powered, fruit- and veggie-fueled activists will assemble outside the Baltimore Comic-Con at the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday. The vegan heroines hope to encourage the event's expected 10,000-plus comic-book, superhero, horror, and sci-fi fans to join the fight against the evil, violence, and villainy of the meat and dairy industries, which poison their victims' bodies with artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

When:   Saturday, September 8, 12 noon

Where:  Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., Baltimore

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

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

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

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

For Immediate Release:
October 9, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Hammond, La. -- 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 Hammond on October 15 and 16. 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

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 9, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Asheville, N.C. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, N.C., has a good shot.

As the general manager of Warren Wilson's dining office told peta2, "We walk the talk." At a school with a vegan option at every meal—plus an exclusively vegan café that serves 500 people per day—cruelty-free cuisine is serious business. With tasty Southern treats such as barbecued tofu and coleslaw, macaroni cauliflower bake, and pineapple upside-down cake, students don't have to sacrifice their ethics for flavor.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Warren Wilson College and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—local and global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. 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:
October 9, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Slidell, La. -- 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 Slidell on October 17 and 18. 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 Will Give Students a Feel for Intensive Confinement That May Have Them Going Vegan

For Immediate Release:
October 9. 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

State Park, Penn. -- Most students at Penn State have probably never been to a factory farm, so peta2—PETA's youth division—is bringing factory farms to them. As part of a national college tour, the group will set up a 20-foot-by-30-foot inflatable tent, inside of which students can confine themselves to sow gestation crates—which are so small that pregnant pigs can't even turn around or take two steps—and watch "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by PETA pal Paul McCartney, who famously said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." Students will also receive samples of vegan foods and free vegetarian/vegan starter kits with recipes and tips for helping the Earth, animals, and their own arteries by going meat- and dairy-free. In a first-of-its-kind response to the exhibit, Penn State officials are requiring that security be present at the display, because they've deemed it  "controversial." 

When:   Wednesday, October 10–Friday, October 12, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  HUB Lawn, Penn State campus, University Park

"College is the time to consider new ideas, and peta2's factory-farm display gives students an idea of how much suffering goes into a chicken nugget or a beef burger," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "Once students see what cows, chickens, and other animals go through on factory farms, in transit, and in slaughterhouses, they'll want to load up their cafeteria trays with humane vegan selections."

Pigs, chickens, fish, and cows feel pain and fear just as intensely as do the animals who share our homes with us, yet they are abused in ways that would be illegal if dogs and cats were the victims. Chickens and turkeys have their throats cut while they're still conscious, piglets are castrated and have their tails cut off without being given any painkillers, and calves raised for their milk have their horns burned out of their skulls. On the decks of fishing boats, fish suffocate or are cut open while they're still alive.

For more information, please visit peta2.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as the Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 9, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Bar Harbor, Maine -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but College of the Atlantic (COA) has a good shot.

Students at COA never have to worry about finding a delicious vegan meal because every meal on campus can be veganized! The school even employs vegan bakers to ensure that cruelty-free baked goods are cooked to perfection. With hearty meals such as seitan Reubens, vegan lasagne, and barbecued tempeh, it's no surprise that one-third of all meals served on campus are vegetarian.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at COA and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—local and global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

NIH Orders Return of Grant Money After Corroborating PETA's Cruelty Allegations

For Immediate Release:
October 9, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Denver -- In response to a January 2012 complaint filed by PETA, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reprimanded the University of Colorado–Denver (CU) for repeatedly violating federal animal welfare guidelines in its laboratories and has ordered the university to repay grant money used on noncompliant experiments. PETA discovered dozens of violations through a Colorado Open Records Act request to CU last year and subsequently reported them to federal agencies.

According to documents just obtained by PETA, the NIH—which awards CU more than $175 million in grants annually—criticized the university for having a dismissive attitude toward these serious and ongoing problems and failing to report them, as required by law.

“Nothing will change the fact that rabbits, rats, mice and other animals suffered in invasive experiments without pain relief or were tossed into the trash alive at the University of Colorado–Denver," says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo, "but the school is learning the hard way that it can't violate federal animal welfare guidelines, try to keep it a secret, and expect to hold on to taxpayer money.”

Among the many problems that PETA brought to NIH 's attention was an instance in which incompetent CU staff paralyzed a rabbit by breaking her back while restraining her and still went on to subject her to an experiment before she was finally put out of her misery. Other CU experimenters induced cancer in animals, incompetently sliced off the tumors, and then left the animals to suffer with large, gaping wounds on their bodies—without any pain relief.

NIH's recent disciplinary action against CU follows an Official Warning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2009 cautioning CU that further animal welfare violations could carry fines of $10,000 per incident. The warning was issued in response to PETA's 2007 investigation at the university, which revealed that sick and injured animals were denied veterinary care and that the school's animal experimentation oversight committee consistently failed to properly monitor animal use in laboratories. The USDA's separate investigation into CU's recent problems, also prompted by a PETA complaint, is ongoing.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Ithaca, N.Y. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but Cornell University has a good shot at winning.

With the Va-Va Vegan Bar, Trillium's barbecue tofu with smoked tomatoes and watermelon, and One World Café—an all-vegetarian café on campus, offering popular dishes such as African peanut stew and a vegan Reuben—students at Cornell have good reason to want to re-enroll for as many years as possible. Other must-try dishes include the Tofu Kan Delight, orange tamari grilled tofu steaks, dairy-free blueberry smoothies, and vegan black cocoa cake with vegan ganache.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Cornell University and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—local and global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Middletown, Conn. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but Wesleyan University has a good shot at winning.

In addition to having chefs who specialize in vegan desserts, Wesleyan has innovative entrées like vegan fettuccine Alfredo, aloo gobi, and Mongolian seitan with wild rice salad and cranberries, so students can always find a cruelty-free meal anywhere on campus.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Wesleyan University and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—from local to global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Syracuse, N.Y. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) have a good shot.

In a unique partnership, students from both Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF benefit from a wide range of eco-friendly dining options offered on their shared campus, including vegan banana French toast with blueberry syrup, vegan breakfast links, tofu Creole, and vegan chocolate cake.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF, and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—local and global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Tacoma, Wash. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but the University of Puget Sound has a good shot.

New this year, the University of Puget Sound has recently added two more delicious vegan entrées to its menu: spicy barbecued tofu banh mi sandwiches and hearty vegan sausage jambalaya. The school already offered vegan lasagne and other hearty meat-free meals. Also joining its award-winning roster are weekend brunch options, including tofu rancheros and vegan sausage McLogger!

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at Puget Sound and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—local and global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

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

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Miami -- Brandishing a sign that reads, "Mr. President: Tell USDA to Confiscate Beaten Circus Elephants," PETA's enraged "pachyderm"—who, although often mistaken for a Republican, doesn't belong to either party—will join PETA members in Miami on Thursday as President Barack Obama prepares to deliver a speech. The group is calling on the president to step in and order the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to do its duty and confiscate elephants used in circuses who are trained, disciplined, and punished with bullhooks (heavy weapons resembling fireplace pokers with a sharp steel hook at the end) in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

When:   Thursday, October 11, 12 noon 

Where:  BankUnited Center at the University of Miami, 1245 Dauer Dr., Coral Gables

Last year, PETA's complaints against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus—"the cruelest show on Earth"—resulted in the biggest fine in circus history, $270,000. Cole Bros. Circus also recently paid a fine to settle numerous violations of the AWA.

"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. "PETA is calling on the president to urge the USDA to take action—and on parents to keep their children away from the circus."

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

Please note that PETA is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to stopping the abuse of animals, including those used in circuses. We take no position in support of or opposition to any political party or candidate for public office.

For more information and to view photos and video footage of Ringling trainers abusing elephants, please visit PETA's website RinglingBeatsAnimals.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Athens, Ga. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but the University of Georgia (UGA) has a good shot.

Polynesian faux-chicken stir-fry, vegan sausage patties and grits, and vegan tacos with black beans are just a few of the delicious cruelty-free entrées at UGA. Throw in an active student group, Speak Out for Species, which regularly hosts meat-free food promotions, and it's easy to see why Athens has become such a vegan hotspot.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at the University of Georgia and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—from local to global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.

peta2 Launches 2012 Contest as the Number of Vegan Students Skyrockets

For Immediate Release:
October 10, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Durham, N.H. -- According to food-service provider Bon Appétit, in the seven years since peta2, PETA's youth division, started its annual Most Vegan-Friendly College contest, the number of college students who identify themselves as vegetarian has risen by 50 percent and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. So this year, determining the best of 32 large schools and 32 small schools will be tougher than ever, but the University of New Hampshire (UNH) has a good shot.

Recent menu improvements allow students at UNH—a newcomer to the contest—to enjoy a diverse range of vegan options, including vegan chicken with fig sauce, vegan yellow-pepper soup, vegan chicken fajitas, and many more delectable dishes that will keep students warm through the chilly Northeastern winters.

"The vegan revolution is in full swing, and nowhere is that more evident than at UNH and other schools across the country," says peta2 Associate Director Marta Holmberg. "The best way that students can fortify their health for a tough year of hitting the books, protect the environment, and save animals' lives at the same time is to go vegan."

Besides being turned off by the massive suffering of animals raised and killed for food, students have other good reasons to go vegan. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer than meat-eaters are. Also, the United Nations has concluded that factory farming is one of the biggest contributors to the most serious environmental problems at every level—from local to global—and that a worldwide shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.

The contest began October 8, and voting for the first round ends October 16. Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools' enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback. For more information, please visit peta2.com.