'Wear Your Own Skin,' Says PETA

For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Charleston, N.C. -- Lying naked in coffins decorated with flowers and holding signs that read, "We Wouldn't Be Caught Dead in Animal Skins," two PETA members will expose the cruelty behind fur, leather, wool, and down on Wednesday in Charleston. Other activists will hold signs reading, "Wear Your Own Skin—Let Animals Keep Theirs," and hand out leaflets asking residents to cross all animal skins and feathers off their shopping lists.

When:   Wednesday, October 31, 12 noon

Where:  287 Clendenin St., Charleston

For the animals who are mutilated, treated like unfeeling machines, and denied everything that is natural and important to them on factory farms and in slaughterhouses, there's no difference between fur, down, leather, and wool. All cause great suffering that can be avoided simply by choosing from the many warm and fashionable alternatives to animal skins.

"I'll gladly bare some of my skin if it will help save animals' skins," says Katie Arth, one of the "deceased" protesters. "With so many luxurious synthetic bags and shoes, faux furs, and warm cotton, pleather, and artificial wool coats, there's absolutely no excuse to wear animal skins."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

Not to Be Denied, Group Takes Pro-Vegan Message Straight to Pasadena Women's Health Conference

For Immediate Release:
October 30, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Pasadena, Calif. -- PETA had hoped to display its provocative billboard linking chicken with urinary tract infections in women just in time for the Southern California Women's Health Conference, but Pasadena-area outdoor advertisers weren't exactly flush with joy over the idea. The billboard shows an attractive young woman grimacing while parked on the privy with the caption "Feeling a Little … Raw? Chicken Increases the Risk of Urinary Tract Infections. Go Vegan." Now that both Clear Channel and Regency have rejected the ad, PETA members will converge on the conference itself and hand out leaflets emblazoned with the same ad:

When:   Friday, November 2, 10 a.m.

Where:  Outside the Pasadena Civic Center, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena

"Urinary tract infections, heart disease, and obesity are enough to make women and men lose their appetite for chickens and all other animals," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "With all the delicious meat-, dairy-, and egg-free foods available, it's never been easier to go vegan."

The text on the back of the leaflet explains that after analyzing the genomes of the bacteria of women with urinary tract infections (UTIs), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most UTIs in the U.S. may be caused by eating chicken. Strains of E. coli in women with UTIs matched strains found in chicken meat. According to researchers, the bacteria did not come from any contamination during the preparation process but from the chicken itself.

In addition to carrying a risk of E. coli contamination, 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. And every vegan spares the suffering and lives of more than 100 animals every year.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Calls for Cruelty-to-Animals Charges Against Alleged Bird Hoarder

For Immediate Release: 
October 31, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382  

Aurora, Ill. -- This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to Aurora Police Chief Gregory Thomas and other local officials calling on them to review the case of Dave Skeberdis and—if appropriate—to charge and prosecute him for cruelty to animals. News sources state that a city contractor found 355 live birds and 125 dead birds in his home, which was covered with feces and garbage and has since been condemned. Skeberdis also reportedly failed to meet a city deadline to clean up his property.

Skeberdis has admitted to being an "animal hoarder"—someone who obsessively accumulates and neglects animals. PETA is therefore requesting that, if charged, tried, and convicted, he be prohibited from owning or harboring animals and required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by counseling.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Aurora Police Chief Gregory Thomas and other officials follows.

October 31, 2012

To: 
Chief Gregory Thomas, Aurora Police Department
Sue Knight, Director, Aurora Animal Control
Alayne M. Weingartz, Corporation Counsel, City of Aurora

From: 
Kristin Simon, Senior Cruelty Caseworker, PETA

Re:     
Request for criminal charges in Aurora bird hoarding case

We hope this letter finds you well. We write again today to request that criminal charges be filed in the animal hoarding case involving Aurora resident Dave Skeberdis. According to news sources, a city contractor found 355 live birds and 125 dead birds in Skeberdis' home after Skeberdis failed to meet the city's deadline to clean up the feces- and garbage-filled property. Reports indicate that Skeberdis claims he wasn't aware that more than 100 birds had died because he had no light or power to the home.

Illinois' Humane Care for Animals Act requires that animal custodians provide necessary food, water, shelter, veterinary care, and humane treatment. Sec. 2.10 of the act legally defines a "companion animal hoarder" as a person who "(i) possesses a large number of companion animals; (ii) fails to or is unable to provide what he or she is required to provide under Section 3 of this Act; (iii) keeps the companion animals in a severely overcrowded environment; and (iv) displays an inability to recognize or understand the nature of or has a reckless disregard for the conditions under which the companion animals are living and the deleterious impact they have on the companion animals' and owner's health and well-being." The case in question appears to meet each of these standards unequivocally.

Respectfully, we ask that cruelty-to-animals charges be filed against Skeberdis. Hoarders are notorious repeat offenders, and only vigorous prosecution with careful sentencing recommendations (including court-ordered mental evaluation) will preclude recidivism. On behalf of our thousands of members in Illinois, we thank you for your time and consideration and for the difficult work that you do. May we hear from your offices soon?

Sincerely,

Kristin Simon
Senior Cruelty Caseworker
Cruelty Investigations Department

Group Obtains Records Indicating Ringling Permitted to Perform Despite Numerous Violations of State and Local Laws

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Chicago -- Chicago's Office of Inspector General has issued a report calling for changes in the way that the city handles circuses and other animal exhibitors. The report follows investigative requests submitted by PETA in 2010 and again in 2011 after public records revealed that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was allowed to perform in the city despite numerous and serious violations of both local and state animal-protection laws and that no enforcement action was taken. New procedures, which go into effect in 2013, could mean that some elephants with Ringling suffering from painful foot and joint ailments could be prohibited from performing.

"The changes recommended by the inspector general are a step forward and should result in greater oversight, but the only way to end Ringling's chronic and well-documented abuse of elephants and other animals is an outright ban on circuses that use animals," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Animal-protection laws are enacted for a reason, and it's time that the city of Chicago stopped giving Ringling a free pass and enforced those laws."

The following is just a small sample of the issues identified in records obtained by PETA—all of them apparent violations of laws requiring adequate veterinary care:

• An elephant named Nicole had an erupted abscess on her toenail that apparently went untreated. (Foot ailments are the leading cause of death among captive elephants.) Also, her legs were swollen and stiff.
• Other elephants had draining tracts along their nail beds, overgrown toenails, excessively worn and overgrown footpads, open abrasions, and stiff gaits—yet were forced to perform.
• An elephant named Sara had multiple physical and psychological problems and was unable to lift her foot normally—often an indication of pain.

Chicago Animal Care and Control has committed to increasing training for all inspectors and will also have increased discretion to take enforcement action.

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

Models Replace Animal Use and Improve Nurses' Ability to Help Babies

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382 

Fayetteville, N.C. -- To help save animals' lives and modernize training for nurses who treat critically ill newborn babies, PETA has donated 15 newborn simulators to Fayetteville-based Carolinas Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (CANNP) for use in its training programs.

The simulator donation means that CANNP will not use animals during skills laboratories that teach emergency neonatal procedures, including inserting tubes into the windpipe and umbilical blood vessels, cutting open the chest to drain fluid from around the lungs, and extracting spinal fluid by sticking needles in the spine. The new simulation models were used last month during a training session and will be used at this spring's CANNP conference.

"This donation is literally a lifesaver: It will advance education in the care of newborn babies while ensuring that no animals are killed for nurses' training," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "PETA urges all medical teaching programs to follow CANNP's example and embrace modern, effective, and humane learning methods."

"The National Standard of Competency Maintenance set by the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners requires practice every one to two years in a skills lab if certain procedures have not been performed in the clinical setting a specified number of times, and practitioners have found the use of fetal pigs during these skills labs upsetting," says CANNP Executive Director Lee Shirland. "Being able to perform a lifesaving skill quickly and efficiently in a crisis is critical to the survival, morbidity, and care of the sick or premature newborn. Thanks to PETA's generous donation of realistic manikins, practitioners across North Carolina now have the opportunity to master and maintain skills regularly without hurting or using any animals."

Studies show that training on simulators better prepares medical providers to treat infants and newborn babies than crude animal laboratories do. Other organizations that use only modern simulators include the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, which ended its use of animals last year after a PETA donation.

The simulators were donated in part by the McGrath Foundation Family, which supports PETA's work to replace the use of animals in laboratories with more effective and humane non-animal models. For more information, visit CANNP.org and PETA.org.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From U.S. Circuses

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382 

Las Vegas -- 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 protest in Las Vegas 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. 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 was also recently fined for animal welfare violations.

When:   Thursday, November 1, 11 a.m.

Where:  Cheyenne Sports Complex, 3500 E. Cheyenne Ave., Las Vegas

"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."

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

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Green Bay, Wis. -- 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 protest in Green Bay 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, November 1, 7:30 a.m. 

Where:  Austin Straubel International Airport, 2077 Airport Dr., Green Bay

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Denver -- 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 protest in Boulder 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, November 1, 3 p.m.

Where:  Coors Event Center, 950 Regent Dr., Boulder

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
October 31, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Boulder -- 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 protest in Boulder 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, November 1, 3 p.m.

Where:  Coors Event Center, 950 Regent Dr., Boulder

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Tip Prompts USDA Investigations Into Lancelot Kollman, Hawthorn Corporation

For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Fort Worth, Texas -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an investigation into Lancelot Kollman (aka "Lance Ramos"), whose USDA exhibitor's license was revoked in 2009, after PETA caught and documented him in the act of illegally exhibiting tigers with the Moslah Temple Shrine circus during its run at Fort Worth's Will Rogers Memorial Center between October 12 and 20. Kollman's numerous previous violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) include using physical abuse to train animals, denying animals adequate veterinary care, and physically injuring two young lions so severely that one died.

"Lancelot Kollman's notorious tiger shows aren't just miserably cruel—they're patently illegal," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is cautioning families that buying a ticket to the circus supports cruelty to animals—in Kollman's case, beating young lions and tigers and leaving them to suffer and die."

Kollman's tiger act was leased through the Hawthorn Corporation, which itself has been cited more than 60 times for violations of the AWA, including for forcing tigers to live in cramped cages for months on end. The USDA's previous actions against Hawthorn include suspending its exhibitor's license twice, assessing more than $260,000 in penalties, and confiscating animals such as Delhi, the first elephant ever seized by the agency, who was rehomed to a sanctuary after an extensive PETA campaign in 2003. The USDA is also investigating Hawthorn in relation to Kollman's illegal tiger exhibit in Fort Worth.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Springfield, Ohio -- 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 protest in Springfield on Friday 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:   Friday, November 2, 9 a.m.

Where:  Springfield High School Athletic Complex, 701 E. Home Rd. (at the intersection of N. High School and S. Kensington places), Springfield

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

Fo Immediate Release:
November 1, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Lima, Ohio -- 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 protest in Lima on Friday 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:   Friday, November 2, 1:30 p.m.

Where:  Lima Senior High School gymnasium, 1 Spartan Way (at the intersection of N. Martian Cut and E. North streets), Lima

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

Group Calls for Investigations Into Hospital's Apparent Failure to Ensure Animals' Safety From Storm as Required by Federal Policy

For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

New York -- PETA has sent a formal complaint to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) calling for an investigation into news reports of 10,000 mice and rats drowning in their cages in the laboratories of New York University (NYU) Hospital's Smilow Research Building as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

In the complaint, PETA points out that NYU was obligated—by NIH animal welfare guidelines—to have a plan in place to ensure the animals' safety in the event of a disaster. Because advance warnings of the storm allowed ample time to take measures to protect the animals—such as moving them to a safe area—NYU's failure to do so may constitute a violation of policy governing the treatment of animals in federally funded experiments.

"Mice and rats experience pain and fear the same as we do," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "These animals' deaths and the terror they felt as they were unable to escape their locked cages while watching the waters rise were entirely preventable. There is no excuse for NYU's apparent negligence."

PETA also reminds NIH officials that in addition to thousands of animals drowning after being abandoned, it's possible that many will ultimately be replaced—and subjected to painful and deadly experiments—adding to the suffering caused by this incident and NYU's apparent failure to implement a sound disaster-management plan.

PETA's complaint to the NIH is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA 'Pachyderm' to Hand Out Activity Books Following Exposé of Ringling's Violent Treatment of Baby Elephants

Pittsburgh, Penn. -- An "elephant" with a bloody bandage wrapped around a head wound will greet students as they leave Phillips Elementary School today. The elephant will hand out activity booklets and explain to kids and their parents that elephants used by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus—which will open in Pittsburgh tonight—are jabbed with spiked metal bullhooks and beaten to make them perform tricks that are difficult, confusing, and sometimes painful.

When:   Thursday, November 1, 2:35 p.m.

Where:  Phillips Elementary School, 1915 Sarah St. (at the intersection of Sarah and S. 19^th streets), Pittsburgh

"If children knew how animals suffer behind the scenes, their smiles would quickly turn to frowns," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders.

PETA will share compelling photos with parents, which were taken inside Ringling's training center and 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.

Late last year, Ringling paid the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently opened a formal investigation into Ringling for further violations of the AWA.

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

Actor Stars in PETA Video Urging Viewers to Report the Abuse of Animals

For Immediate Release:
November 1, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382 

Los Angeles -- His character on the upcoming season of American Horror Story may relish violence, but in real life, James Cromwell is committed to ending it. That's why the Oscar nominee has teamed up with PETA for a new video public service announcement that warns everyone to look out for people who hurt animals—before they move on to hurting other humans.

"People who commit violent acts often start out by hurting animals," explains Cromwell in the video. "If you know of someone who's abusing or neglecting an animal, don't ignore it or just assume that someone else will do something. Call the police or animal control. And if you have kids or grandkids, please talk to them about the importance of being kind to animals. That conversation might save a life. Let's stop the cycle of violence before it begins."

Studies have shown that violent and aggressive criminals are more likely to have abused animals as children than criminals who are considered non-aggressive. Many notorious killers—including "The Boston Strangler," Jeffrey Dahmer, and the Columbine High School students who shot and killed their classmates—killed or mutilated animals well before they directed violence against humans. Because abusers target the powerless, crimes against animals, spouses, children, and the elderly often go hand in hand. An abuser may even harm or threaten to harm an animal as a way of emotionally terrorizing a family member.

Known for his acclaimed roles in Babe, The Green Mile, The Artist, and Six Feet Under, among many others, Cromwell debuted as Dr. Arden on American Horror Story: Asylum on October 17.

Cromwell is part of a long list of celebrities—including American Horror Story costar Jenna Dewan as well as Edie Falco, Lea Michele, Cloris Leachman, Joaquin Phoenix, and many more—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

A broadcast-quality version of Cromwell's PSA can be downloaded here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Manassas, Va. -- 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 protest in Bristow on Saturday 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:   Saturday, November 3, 7 p.m.

Where:  Jiffy Lube Live, 7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

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

For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382 

Baton Rouge, La. -- Most students at Louisiana State University (LSU) 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 put themselves in sow gestation crates—which are so small that pregnant pigs can't even turn around or take two steps—and watch "Glass Walls," a video exposé of the meat industry narrated by PETA pal Paul McCartney, who famously said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian." Students will also receive samples of vegan foods and free vegetarian/vegan starter kits with recipes and tips for helping the Earth, animals, and their own arteries by going meat- and dairy-free.

When:   Monday, November 5–Tuesday, November 6, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where:  Tower Drive, LSU Campus, Baton Rouge

"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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Concord, N.H. -- 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 protest in Concord on Sunday 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:   Sunday, November 4, 7 a.m. 

Where:  Intersection of School and N. Main streets, Concord

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382 

Cincinnati -- 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 protest in Cincinnati on Sunday 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:   Sunday, November 4, 5 p.m. 

Where:  University of Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena, 2700 O'Varsity Way, Cincinnati

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.

PETA Says President Negligent in Failing to Order USDA to Confiscate Crippled and Beaten Elephants From Circuses

For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382 

Dubuque, Iowa -- 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 protest in Dubuque on Saturday 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:   Saturday, November 3, 2 p.m.

Where:  Washington Park, 700 Locust St., Dubuque

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 and promoting healthy vegan eating. 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.