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  

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 at the Community College of Aurora 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, 6 p.m.

Where:  Community College of Aurora, 710 Alton Way, Denver

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.

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

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Melbourne, Fla. -- 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 Melbourne from November 12 to 14. 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). Cole Bros. has settled more than 10 charges with the USDA, including 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. Even so, Cole Bros. continues to use other elephants in old-fashioned circus acts. It now uses an elephant act supplied by Carson & Barnes. The act includes elephant trainer Tim Frisco, who was caught on camera viciously beating terrified elephants and shocking them with electric prods. Carson & Barnes also just paid a fine for 10 violations of the AWA, including for allowing an elephant to get loose and leaving animals unattended during elephant rides at Cole Bros. performances. In one instance, a handler left six children on an elephant and walked away to talk on his cell phone.

"The USDA's actions against Cole Bros. and Carson & Barnes 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 is the circus."

The USDA's original complaint against Cole Bros.—filed after the USDA was contacted by PETA and 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 supply 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 meet 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

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

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012 

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

New Britain, Conn. -- Thanks, in part, to a petition drive by peta2, PETA's youth division, which gathered 344 student signatures, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) has become the latest campus to offer a variety of healthy, humane, and Earth-friendly vegan options in its dining halls. CCSU 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 chicken tenders, veggie burgers, and vegan soups, and the university now has a made-to-order service that allows students to make any meal vegan.

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

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Des Moines, 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 Des Moines tonight 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:   Monday, November 5, 7 p.m

Where:  Intersection of E. Grand Avenue and Fifth Street, Des Moines

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 Joins Buffalo Police Department in Effort to Bring Animal Abuser to Justice

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Buffalo, N.Y. -- A 16-week-old Jack Russell terrier was set on fire on the evening of October 29 on Herman Street after apparently being sprayed with lighter fluid. The puppy, named Phoenix, is recovering from third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body. He "was singed really from head to toe," the attending veterinarian told news sources. Police have yet to make any arrests. That's why PETA is offering up to $2,500 in addition to another reward fund that has been set up 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," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "They take their issues out on the most defenseless beings available to them. Buffalo 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 Buffalo Police Department's tip line at 716-847-2255.

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.

If School Will Not Retire Bill and Lou, Educators Should at Least Show the Public What Happens at Slaughter, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Poultney, Vt. -- Despite an international outcry—including pleas from thousands of PETA members—administrators at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., are still planning to slaughter Bill and Lou, the beloved oxen who have labored for the school's agricultural program for 10 years, and serve their flesh in the school's cafeteria. PETA sent an urgent e-mail today to school administrators asking them—if they refuse to accept VINE Sanctuary's offer to provide Bill and Lou with a peaceful retirement—at least to allow students and the public to witness the slaughter of the animals so that they can see the terror in Bill's and Lou's eyes right before a bolt is shot into their foreheads and they are strung upside down and bled to death.

"We live in a changing world, where animals are afforded considerations that they might not have had in the past," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Bill and Lou worked hard for Green Mountain College for 10 years, and they have more than earned special consideration and a peaceful retirement—but if Green Mountain won't give them that, perhaps witnessing their needless deaths will remind people that all animals' lives are precious and that the best thing they can do for other animals, their own health, and the environment is go vegan."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to the administrators of Green Mountain College follows.

November 5, 2012

Kenneth Mulder
Farm Manager, Green Mountain College

Bill Throop
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Green Mountain College

Dear Drs. Mulder and Throop,

I'm writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Vermont, to request that if you insist on carrying out your cruel and heartless plan to send the school's beloved oxen, Bill and Lou, to a slaughterhouse, you do not hide the killing behind closed doors but allow the students and the public to witness their deaths.

We urge you with great urgency to make the compassionate decision to spare the lives of Bill and Lou. But if you move forward with the slaughter, you should, as educators, at the very least use this injustice as a learning opportunity. Everyone who knows Bill and Lou knows that they are individuals with personalities and desires of their own. Anyone who eats meat should be allowed to witness the terror in Bill's and Lou's eyes right before a bolt is shot into their foreheads and they are hung upside down and bled to death.

We live in a changing world, one in which animals are afforded considerations that they might have been denied in the past. It is time to acknowledge this and give Bill and Lou the opportunity to live out the rest of their lives in peace after having worked at Green Mountain College for 10 years. They deserve at least that.

Sincerely,

Ryan Huling
Manager of College Campaigns and Outreach
PETA

Yorgo's Bageldashery Cooks Up Bountiful Sandwiches That Are as Kind to Animals as They Are to Your Taste Buds

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- More and more people concerned about the abuse of animals on factory farms—as well as the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated fat found in animal products—are trying out delicious vegan versions of their favorite foods, including the ever-popular BLT. There's been a revolution in mock meats: Many are now so good that they beat the animal-based versions at their own game. Nowhere is that more evident than at Norfolk's Yorgo's Bageldashery, which PETA has just named number four in its survey of the top 10 vegan BLTs in the U.S.

Located at 2123 Colonial Ave. in Norfolk, Yorgo's Bageldashery offers a BLT that's more of a culinary triumph than a sandwich: protein-packed tempeh (made from soy) bacon, lettuce, tomato, and herb Vegenaise piled high on a bagel. (It can also be prepared as a wrap.) This sandwich will make you forget about meat-based bacon the second that you take your first bite.

"Yorgo's proves every day that a delicious BLT doesn't have to cost a pig 'an arm and a leg,'" says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "All our picks are winners because they're leading the charge to satisfy America's growing hunger for humane, healthy, and Earth-friendly foods."

First place goes to DC Vegetarian in Portland, Ore. Second place goes to Darbster in West Palm Beach, Fla., and the Spiral Diner & Bakery, with locations in both Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, has grabbed third place. Rounding out the top 10 are Seattle's Highline; San Diego's Loving Hut Mira Mesa; the Green Owl Cafe in Madison, Wis.; Seva in Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich.; Sticky Fingers in Washington; and Sugar Apple Natural Foods in Key West, Fla. Garnering honorable mention is the Bouldin Creek Café in Austin, Texas.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Fort Lauderdale Reception Honors Jett (Presented by Iggy Pop), Television Star Marco Antonio Regil With PETA Awards

For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Fort Lauderdale, Fl. -- Music legend Joan Jett and television host Marco Antonio Regil were the guests of honor on Sunday at South Florida's gourmet vegan restaurant Sublime. Jett unveiled her brand-new ad campaign for PETA, in which she appears next to the words "I Am Joan Jett, and I Am a Vegetarian." Other notable guests included Corazón Valiente star Pablo Azar and punk pioneer Iggy Pop. Pop presented Jett—a longtime vegetarian activist—with the Nanci Alexander Activist Award, named for the owner of Sublime and the founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida. PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk presented Regil with PETA's "One Can Make a Difference" Award for his tireless efforts to promote vegan eating. Photos of the event are available here.

"Joan and Marco take every opportunity to talk about the importance of being kind to animals, and they're both among the most dedicated activists I've had the pleasure of knowing," says Newkirk. "People listen when these two stars talk, and they've had a positive influence on countless fans."

Jett's past efforts with PETA include launching the group's vegan/vegetarian starter kit newsstands in New York City, protesting McDonald's cruel chicken slaughter methods, and recording a video vegetarian testimonial, among others. Says Jett, "If there's anything I love more than rock 'n' roll, it's animals." Iggy Pop previously teamed up with PETA for an ad slamming the Canadian seal slaughter, among other efforts. And Regil's work to promote vegan meals includes narrating the Spanish version of PETA's video exposé of the meat industry. He credits veganism with his improved health, saying, "I feel younger. I go on and on, taping for hours and hours, and I still have my energy."

Jett, Pop, and Regil are part of a long list of celebrities—including Constance Marie, Ke$ha, Patricia de León, Vida Guerra, Morrissey, Tommy Lee, Tony Kanal, Natalia Villaveces, Sia, and Rodrigo y Gabriela—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
November 6, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Brick, N.J.— With your area expected to be hampered with heavy winds and rain, 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 drinking 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 may make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, your animals' favorite toy or blanket, a towel, and enough food to last them at least a week.
• Watch for other animals in need, including strays and animals who are left behind by neighbors. If you see an animal in distress and are unable to help, note the animal's condition and location and call authorities for help as soon as possible.

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

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Helps China's Largest University Cosmetics Science Program Move Toward Replacing Animals in Cosmetics Tests

For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. -- Thanks to a $33,000 grant from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to the U.S.-based Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS), scientists in China—where companies are required to pay for tests on animals in order to market cosmetics—have received training on how to use a non-animal test that can replace a crude and painful test on rabbits.

IIVS, a global leader in the advancement of non-animal test methods, held the training last week for 30 students and faculty at the Beijing Technical and Business University (BTBU), which has the largest university program in cosmetics science in China. The scientists learned how to use the Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability assay to replace an eye irritation test, in which chemicals are dripped into the eyes of rabbits. A photo from the training session is available here.

This is the second grant that PETA has awarded to IIVS after discovering late last year that Avon, Mary Kay, and Estée Lauder—which had been on PETA's list of companies that don't test cosmetics on animals for decades—had been secretly paying for Chinese officials to test their products on animals. The companies had not provided Chinese scientists with training in the use of the non-animal methods used in the U.S. and the European Union. As a result of IIVS's initial work, funded by PETA, China is now poised to accept its first-ever non-animal test—the 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake Phototoxicity Test.

According to Dr. Rodger Curren, president of IIVS, "Support from PETA has allowed the university to expedite the incorporation of hands-on training in non-animal (in vitro) methods to undergraduate, graduate, and faculty at BTBU. Both faculty and students are enthusiastic about the training, and planning for future sessions has already begun."

"PETA is pleased to work together with IIVS to show scientists in China how to use modern, humane, non-animal testing methods instead of poisoning animals in archaic tests," said PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "This is the first step toward the end of cosmetics tests on animals in China."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Behind to Fend for Themselves

For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

New York -- With your area expected to be hampered with heavy winds and rain, 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 drinking 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 may make them bolt. Take water and food bowls, your animals' favorite toy or blanket, a towel, and enough food to last them 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 disaster-preparedness public service announcement is available to link to or downloadhere.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Carson & Barnes Lies About Penalty, Animal Welfare Violations on Its Website

For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Hugo, Ok. -- Today, PETA sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) regarding the shockingly low $3,714 penalty that the agency recently issued to Carson & Barnes Circus to settle 10 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). In its letter, PETA points out that this fine—which is $96,286 less than the maximum penalty of $100,000—will have no financial impact on a business that took in $6.7 million in sales in 2011 and urges the OIG to investigate the USDA penalty scheme that OIG has criticized for more than two decades and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that the AWA is effectively enforced.

"The USDA's current penalty scheme is so ineffective that circuses view these tiny fines—such as the $400 Carson & Barnes paid after its animal-care director was caught on tape beating, whipping, and shocking elephants—as no more than a cost of doing business," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on the USDA to fully enforce the AWA and no longer allow circuses like Carson & Barnes to go on abusing elephants with barely a slap on the wrist."

PETA's letter to the OIG points to other signs of Carson& Barnes' disregard for the law, including the false claim on its website that the circus has had 12 AWA violations between 2003 and 2010—when, in reality, it has had 18—and its claim that "no further action" was taken regarding three of the AWA violations that were, in reality, the reasons for the circus's recent fine. PETA has contacted Carson & Barnes separately to demand that the circus remove these false claims from its website.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to the USDA Office of Inspector General follows.

November 7, 2012

Phyllis K. Fong
Inspector General
U.S. Department of Agriculture 
Rm. 117-W Jamie Whitten Bldg.
1400 Independence Ave. S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

Re: USDA's failure to implement OIG's stipulated penalty recommendations; recent Carson & Barnes (No. 73-C-0001) penalty

Dear Ms. Fong:

I am counsel to PETA, and I am writing regarding a recent Settlement Agreement in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stipulated to a paltry $3,714 penalty to chronic Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violator, Carson & Barnes Circus Co., Inc. ("Carson & Barnes"), to settle 10 violations of the AWA, including an elephant escape and eight other violations that directly endangered the public and animals. (See Ex. 1.) Although Carson & Barnes faced a maximum penalty of $100,000 for these violations, the USDA assessed a fine of less than 4 percent of that maximum—a drop in the bucket to a company with $6.70 million in sales for 2011. (See Ex. 2.) Such a miniscule penalty—if it can even be called that—has no deterrent impact whatsoever. Indeed, just one week after the Settlement Agreement was entered into, Carson & Barnes was again found in violation of the AWA. (See Ex. 3.)

As detailed in the attached appendix, over the past two decades your office has issued four audit reports—in 1992, 1995, 2005, and 2010—finding that the USDA's stipulated penalties were so low that they provide no deterrent effect and that AWA licensees view them as merely a cost of doing business. The instant matter demonstrates that the USDA's penalty scheme remains ineffective and in desperate need of revision in order effectuate the AWA's statutory policy to "insure that animals intended for use … for exhibition purposes … are provided humane care and treatment" (7 U.S.C. § 2131(1)). Please investigate the recent settlement agreement with Carson & Barnes and, more broadly, the USDA's continued failure to implement necessary changes to its penalty scheme and take all appropriate action based upon your findings.

Thank you for your time.

Very truly yours,

Brittany Peet
Counsel

Residents Can Escape the Threat to Their Health and the Guilt of Eating Abused Birds Simply by Going Vegan

For Immediate Release:
November 7, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Lexington, Ky. -- PETA's controversial "Turkey Terror" ad could be airing in tens of thousands of living rooms across the Lexington area any day now. That's because the group is currently negotiating with local TV stations to air the ad several times a day in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. The ad promises to give residents pause before they make the centerpiece of their holiday tables the corpse of a tortured bird.

In the ad, a shaky voice takes over a grocery-store intercom, saying, "Do exactly as I say and nobody gets hurt! Resist, and innocent creatures will be beaten … while countless people will be poisoned at random by food laced with deadly bacteria." The scene ends when the voice is revealed to belong to a "turkey," who says, "It's your choice, but if you know what's good for you, you'll meet my one simple demand: Go vegetarian!"

"We're encouraging all Lexington residents to try a delicious Tofurky feast this Thanksgiving: all the flavor and texture of turkey but without the terror of factory farms and slaughterhouses," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "After all, why not give turkeys a reason to be thankful at Thanksgiving, too?"

Approximately 250 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. every year—more than 45 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 18 miles per hour. But turkeys killed for food are crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, smothering, and heart attacks are common. Turkeys are drugged and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight. A PETA undercover investigation of turkey factory farms documented that workers stomped on birds' heads, held birds' heads under water, and punched, threw, kicked, and bludgeoned live birds.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Independent Expert Must Assess Animals Traveling With Notorious Cole Bros. Circus, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
November 08, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

St. Lucie, Flo. --Today, PETA sent a letter to Port St. Lucie County commissioners urging them to enlist the services of an expert in exotic animals to assess the Cole Bros. Circus, which is scheduled to perform in Port St. Lucie from November 15 to 18. The circus, which no longer holds its own exhibitor's license, leases animals from the Carson & Barnes Circus and the Hawthorn Corporation, which both have deplorable records of animal care.

After PETA filed two complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the physical safety and psychological well-being of two elephants with Cole Bros. Circus, the circus agreed to pay a $15,000 penalty to settle more than 10 charges. Carson & Barnes also recently paid a penalty for 10 violations related to elephants, and its employees have been repeatedly caught on video beating elephants. A veterinarian who recently inspected the animals observed lesions consistent with the use of bullhooks. The tigers used by the circus are leased from the Hawthorn Corporation, which has a record of violating federal law going back decades.

"The city can ensure that inspections actually mean something by letting an independent expert assess the animals used by Cole Bros. Circus," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "And people can ensure that they aren't supporting the abuse of animals by refusing to buy a ticket."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA's letter to Port St. Lucie commissioners follows.

November 8, 2012

Bryan Lloyd, Crew Leader
City of Port St. Lucie Animal Control
1133 S.W. S. Macedo Blvd.
Port St. Lucie, FL 34983

Dear Mr. Lloyd:

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and its more than 3 million member and supporters. I was glad to learn that the City of Port St. Lucie is taking seriously its duties to enforce animal control ordinances and is prepared to ensure that the animals arriving with Cole Bros. Circus ("Cole Bros.") are not abused and are provided with basic necessities while in your city. In the spirit of your commitment to ensuring the well-being of the animals, please take the following into consideration:

First and foremost, I strongly urge Port St. Lucie animal control to enlist an independent exotic-animal expert to assist with inspections of the animals used in Cole Bros. performances so that you are supplied with current and unbiased information regarding the elephants' and tigers' health and well-being.

Because Cole Bros. no longer has its own exhibitor's license, it leases animal acts from other exhibitors. Currently, Carson & Barnes Circus ("Carson & Barnes") is providing the elephant act for the Cole Bros. show and the Hawthorn Corporation ("Hawthorn") is providing the tigers. As detailed in the linked factsheets, both of these companies have an extensive history of chronic animal welfare violations.

Please also review the enclosed inspection report of veterinarian Dr. Mel Richardson, who has worked with elephants, tigers, and other exotic animals for more than four decades and who inspected the animals with Cole Bros. at the end of September. Note that Dr. Richardson observed an elephant who was suffering from lesions and lameness as well as tigers who were kept in inadequately small transfer enclosures and denied adequate exercise. Please be on the lookout for these and other animal welfare issues and ensure that appropriate enforcement action is taken if city or state laws are violated.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and for your willingness to ensure the well-being of the animals arriving with Cole Bros. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, if you'd like assistance enlisting an independent expert, or with any other aspect of your efforts.

Very truly yours,

Delcianna Winders
Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement

Ads Outside Schools to Promote Compassion for Turkeys

For Immediate Release:
November 8, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Reno, Nev. -- How would children feel if Fido and Fluffy were stuffed and roasted for Thanksgiving? That's what PETA is asking this holiday season with a billboard that shows an animal who's a cross between a dog and a turkey. The billboard reads, "Kids: If You Wouldn't Eat Your Dog, Why Eat a Turkey?" The group plans to run the billboard near Reno public schools in the hope that it will spark a dialog between kids and their parents.

"Kids love animals, and if they thought about how turkeys feel pain and fear just as dogs and cats do, they'd trade in their drumsticks for Tofurky in a heartbeat," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "This Thanksgiving, families can give all animals something to be thankful for by sticking to humane, delicious vegan meals."

Approximately 250 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. every year—more than 45 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 18 miles per hour. But most turkeys slated to be killed for food are crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, smothering, and heart attacks are common. Turkeys are drugged and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight.

To reach kids across the nation, PETA also plans to erect its billboard in Sacramento, Calif., and Boise, Idaho.

For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.

President Needs to Issue Presidential Order to USDA to Move Lame Elephants From Circus Into Protective Custody

For Immediate Release:
November 9, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Washington -- Waving a banner reading, "Congratulations! Now Direct the USDA to Get Us Out of the Circus," a herd of "elephants" will hold the first post-presidential election rally outside the White House on Friday. PETA is calling on the president to step in and order the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to do its duty by confiscating  lame 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 9, 12 noon 

Where:  The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. (between 15^th and 17^th streets), Washington

PETA's formal complaints against Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus—"the cruelest show on Earth"—resulted in the biggest fine in circus history, $270,000,last year. Yet, it is well documented that circuses are still beating lame elephants and forcing them to perform despite their pain.

"The government must confiscate these lame and beaten elephants," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on the president to compel the USDA to take these wonderful animals away from cruel circuses and put them into protective custody."

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

Witness Reports That Abuse of Animals Continues Despite Open USDA Investigation of Welfare Violations

For Immediate Release:
November 8, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Fayetteville, N.C. -- Following a report, including photographs, from a visitor to Jambbas Ranch—the subject of a successful PETA lawsuit that resulted in the recent high-profile rescue of Ben the bear—that animals at the facility have been denied clean drinking water, are suffering from open wounds, and are languishing in filthy, reeking cages, among other abuses, PETA has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking for an immediate and unannounced inspection of Jambbas.

"Apparently, even an open USDA investigation isn't enough to stop this cruel roadside zoo from depriving animals of even their most basic necessities, including drinkable water," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is calling on the USDA to investigate this new evidence as soon as possible and take immediate action to ensure that these suffering and injured animals get the care that they desperately need."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to the USDA follows.

November 8, 2012

Elizabeth Goldentyer, D.V.M.
Eastern Regional Director
USDA, APHIS, Animal Care
920 Main Campus Dr., Ste. 200
Raleigh, NC 27606-5210

Re:       Request for Unannounced Inspection of Jambbas Ranch Tours Inc.

(License No. 55-B-0177)

Dear Dr. Goldentyer:

On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), I am writing to request that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) immediately conduct an unannounced inspection of Jambbas Ranch Tours Inc. (no. 55-B-0177; "Jambbas") for apparent Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violations. A concerned citizen who visited Jambbas on November 4, 2012, reported the following conditions at Jambbas, which implicate numerous AWA regulations:

(1)   A Shetland pony is housed in the same enclosure as an ostrich even though the pony kicks at the ostrich, clearly indicating that the animals are incompatible, in violation of 9 C.F.R. § 3.133.

(2)   At least two bison are suffering from apparently untreated open wounds in apparent violation of 9 C.F.R. § 2.40(b)(2).

(3)   Rabbits are held in filthy enclosures in a barn where the smell of ammonia is so strong that it burned the concerned citizen's eyes, in apparent violation of 9 C.F.R.§ 3.56(a)-(b).

(4)   Dogs suffer from crusty eyes and do not have access to potable water in apparent violation of 9 C.F.R. § 2.40(b)(2) and § 3.10.

(5)   Virtually all water receptacles at Jambbas contain filthy water, in apparent violation of 9 C.F.R. §3.130.

Please refer to the attached appendix for a detailed discussion. We urge you to inspect Jambbas immediately, and if you find AWA violations, please take appropriate action and ensure that the animals who are kept at Jambbas receive all necessary veterinary care, are supplied with fresh water, and are housed in adequate and sanitary conditions. Please inform me of the complaint number that your agency assigns to this correspondence. Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Delcianna Winders
Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement

In Wake of Marijuana Decriminalization Vote, Group Says Just Because It's Legal Doesn't Mean You Should Eat It

For Immediate Release:
November 8, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Denver -- PETA hopes to have Denver motorists doing double takes any day now. That's because the group is currently negotiating with area outdoor advertisers to put up its new billboard ad showing a cow next to the caption "Say No! to Pot (Roast). Just Because It's Legal Doesn't Make It Right. Go Vegan!" The billboard comes on the heels of a ballot measure to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana that passed in Tuesday's election. PETA's point? That although it's legal to eat animals, they still suffer chronic abuses on factory farms and terrifying and painful deaths in slaughterhouses. And they can be murder on your health.

"Meat-eaters are doing a lot more harm to their health than someone who smokes the occasional joint," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Chickens, fish, pigs, and cows who are raised on today's factory farms are fed growth-promoting drugs by the bucketful, and those drugs—along with artery-clogging fats and cholesterol—are passed along to consumers who eat meat and dairy products."

Meat and dairy products are often loaded with drugs and chemicals, including pesticide residues, hormones, and antibiotics. In addition to carrying a high risk of contamination from pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella, meat, eggs, and dairy products contain no fiber and are packed 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.

In today's industrialized meat and dairy industries, 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 suffocate or are 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. In addition, raising animals for food is a leading cause of water pollution, land degradation, and greenhouse-gas emissions.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

In Wake of Marijuana Decriminalization Vote, Group Says Just Because It's Legal Doesn't Mean You Should Eat It

For Immediate Release:
November 8, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Seattle -- PETA hopes to have Seattle motorists doing double takes any day now. That's because the group is currently negotiating with local outdoor advertisers to put up its new billboard ad showing a cow next to the caption "Say No! to Pot (Roast). Just Because It's Legal Doesn't Make It Right. Go Vegan!" The billboard comes on the heels of a ballot measure to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana that passed in Tuesday's election. PETA's point? That although it's legal to eat animals, they still suffer chronic abuses on factory farms and terrifying and painful deaths in slaughterhouses. And they can be murder on your health.

"Meat-eaters are doing a lot more harm to their health than someone who smokes the occasional joint," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Chickens, fish, pigs, and cows who are raised on today's factory farms are fed growth-promoting drugs by the bucketful, and those drugs—along with artery-clogging fats and cholesterol—are passed along to consumers who eat meat and dairy products."

Meat and dairy products are often loaded with drugs and chemicals, including pesticide residues, hormones, and antibiotics. In addition to carrying a high risk of contamination from pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella, meat, eggs, and dairy products contain no fiber and are packed 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.

In today's industrialized meat and dairy industries, 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 suffocate or are 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. In addition, raising animals for food is a leading cause of water pollution, land degradation, and greenhouse-gas emissions.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Residents Can Escape the Threat to Their Health and the Guilt of Eating Abused Birds Simply by Going Vegan

For Immediate Release:
November 9, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Tampa Bay Area, Fla. -- PETA's controversial "Turkey Terror" ad could be airing in tens of thousands of living rooms across the Tampa Bay area any day now. That's because the group is currently negotiating with local TV stations to air the ad several times a day in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. The ad promises to give residents pause before they make the centerpiece of their holiday tables the corpse of a tortured bird.

In the ad, a shaky voice takes over a grocery-store intercom, saying, "Do exactly as I say and nobody gets hurt! Resist, and innocent creatures will be beaten … while countless people will be poisoned at random by food laced with deadly bacteria." The scene ends when the voice is revealed to belong to a "turkey," who says, "It's your choice, but if you know what's good for you, you'll meet my one simple demand: Go vegetarian!"

"We're encouraging all Tampa Bay–area residents to try a delicious Tofurky feast this Thanksgiving: all the flavor and texture of turkey but without the terror of factory farms and slaughterhouses," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "After all, why not give turkeys a reason to be thankful at Thanksgiving, too?"

Approximately 250 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. every year—more than 45 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 18 miles per hour. But turkeys killed for food are crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, smothering, and heart attacks are common. Turkeys are drugged and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight. A PETA undercover investigation of turkey factory farms documented that workers stomped on birds' heads, held birds' heads under water, and punched, threw, kicked, and bludgeoned live birds.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.