Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
November 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Hertford County, N.C. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care—it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and through the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals inside. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuringJustin Theroux is available to link or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
November 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Chowan County, N.C. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care—it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and through the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals inside. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
November 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Gates County, N.C. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care—it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and through the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals inside. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
November 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Perquimans County, N.C. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care—it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and through the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals inside. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement is available to link or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
November 24, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Bertie County, N.C. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leave dogs outside in the cold. Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite and exposure, and they can become dehydrated when water sources freeze. Cold weather spells extra hardship for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care—it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With low temperatures predicted for your area, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and through the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals inside. This is absolutely critical when it comes to puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers. Short-haired animals will also benefit from a warm sweater or a coat on walks.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started.
• Wipe off your dogs' or cats' legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make your animals sick if they ingest them. You should also increase animals' food rations during the winter because they burn more calories in an effort to stay warm.
• Keep an eye out for stray animals. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are skittish or otherwise unapproachable, provide food and water and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.
• During extreme winter weather, birds and other animals may have trouble finding food and water. Offer rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or white-outs by spreading birdseed on the ground. Provide access to liquid water by filling a heavy water bowl and breaking the surface ice twice a day. Remember to remove the food once the weather improves to encourage the animals to move on to warmer areas.

PETA's cold-weather public service announcement featuring Justin Theroux is available to link or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Honors Superstar's Advocacy for Animals

For Immediate Release:
November 23, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- One of PETA's biggest supporters on social media is Miley Cyrus, whose continuous efforts on Twitter to promote the group's work to help animals—including encouraging her more than 10 million followers to urge Walmart to ban cruel gestation crates, which confine mother pigs so tightly that they can't even turn around—inspired her fans to create a PETA donation page in honor of her 20^th birthday on November 23. And to help Cyrus—who recently remarked on Ellen that she wishes that she could adopt a pig—celebrate her upcoming birthday, PETA has sponsored a pig named Nora, whom PETA also helped to rescue. She is now thriving in her permanent home in Florida at Kindred Spirits Sanctuary.

"PETA knew that sponsoring a rescued pig was the perfect birthday present for a young woman who spends so much time encouraging others to help animals," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "From promoting animal adoption to speaking up for cows who suffer on dairy farms, Miley never stops letting her millions of fans know what they can do to make the world a kinder place."

On factory farms, pigs' tails are chopped off, their teeth are clipped with pliers, and males are castrated—all without any pain relief. Mother pigs on factory farms spend most of their lives in tiny gestation crates and are artificially inseminated again and again. When their bodies can no longer churn out litter after litter of piglets, they are sent to slaughter.

At Kindred Spirits, Nora has the opportunity to express natural behavior: playing, lying in the sun, exploring her surroundings with her powerful sense of smell, and enjoying the company of other rescued farm animals. Pigs—considered by animal behaviorists to be smarter than 3-year-old children—enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and even learning "tricks."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Vegan Pastries, Dairy-Free Seasonal Milkshakes, and Vegan Roast Beef Make a Top Contender

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Atlanta -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident (and delicious!) than in Atlanta's all-vegan Dough Bakery. That's why Dough Bakery is in the running for a Libby Award in the category of Best Vegan Bakery from peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

Dough Bakery uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Among the bakery's many delights, peta2's favorites include the gluten-free sweet-potato pie with oat pecan date crust, the blueberry buckle coffee cake, and the jalapeño cheddar scones. For breakfast, you can't go wrong with the sticky buns. Lunch specialties include sandwiches made at the Gutenfleischers all-vegan deli located inside Dough Bakery. These sandwiches include the Stroganoff Sub, made with a Dough Bakery hoagie roll and topped with grilled onions, creamy dill, and stroganoff sauce, and the Pimento Cheeze Sandwich on any choice of homemade bread.

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Grocery Brands' Efforts to Meet Rising Demand for Vegan Dishes Make Them Top Contenders

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident than in U.S. grocery stores. Sixteen of the most delicious "meats," dairy-free cheeses, and other top vegan products have been named as finalists for the Libby Awards by peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

The categories include Best Dairy Alternative, which features sliceable and meltable vegan cheese from Daiya alongside Silk's Fruit&Protein vegan fruit smoothie, So Delicious' coconut milk–based ice cream, and soy whipped cream from Soyatoo; Best Vegan Meat, with finalists including Gardein's savory riblets, Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders, Health is Wealth Vegan Buffalo Wings, and Tofurky Chorizo; Best Vegan Burger, which pits patties from Amy's and Sunshine Burgers against MorningStar Farms and Quorn; and Best Vegan Snack, which includes a caramel spread from Biscoff, ProBar's meal replacement bars, StarLite's frozen taquitos, and spicy salsa chips from Salsitas.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of kind kids and helping animals at the same time."

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Eateries' Efforts to Meet Rising Demand for Vegan Dishes Make Them Top Contenders

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident than on U.S. restaurant menus. A quartet of restaurant chains are finalists for the Libby Award for Most Vegan-Friendly Restaurant by peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

• Romano's Macaroni Grill offers a wide variety of pasta and salads that need only the cheese to be left off in order to become vegan, making it easy for vegans to go out to eat with friends and family.
• Taco Bell's menu is one of the most "veganizable" among fast-food establishments: Its burritos, tacos, Crunchwraps, and fresh Cantina Bowls can easily be made vegan, thanks in part to the "replace meat with beans" button that appears right on its cash registers.
• With its fresh veggies, delicious toppings such as avocado, and fresh (and vegan) Italian bread, Subway makes it easy to grab a quick vegan sandwich, whatever your taste.
• Chipotle's delicious vegan burritos—stuffed with cilantro lime rice, black beans, sautéed veggies, fresh salsa, guacamole, and more—are a favorite and filling on-the-go meal for vegans around the country.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

PETA Members to Converge on Lansing to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Lansing, Mich. -- Accompanied by an activist dressed as a half-plucked goose and holding signs that read, "Plucked Alive," with graphic imagery, PETA supporters will congregate in Lansing on Tuesday. The battered bird's point? That shoppers who would never think of buying fur often purchase jackets, gloves, pillows, or comforters filled with down because they aren't aware of the hideous suffering of birds who are often repeatedly—and painfully—plucked alive for down.

When:   Tuesday, November 27, 12 noon 

Where:  Northwest corner of N. Washington Square and E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing

"PETA wants shoppers to know that buying down products is every bit as cruel as purchasing fur, exotic skins, leather, or wool," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "The rule of thumb is easy to remember: If a product came from an animal, the chances that abuse and suffering were involved are roughly 100 percent."

To obtain down, the feathers are often ripped out of restrained, frightened, screaming birds. Warm, animal-friendly bedding and winter clothing are available everywhere. PETA encourages shoppers to check labels for synthetic down, down alternative, polyester fill, or high-tech fabrics such as PrimaLoft® and Thinsulate™—soft, washable, down-like fibers. In most cases, these alternatives are superior to down, which loses much of its insulating properties when it gets wet.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Dozens of Deaths Likely a Result of Criminal Negligence, Group Believes

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382 

Los Angeles -- Whistleblowers' reports of the apparently preventable deaths of dozens of animals—including three horses and numerous sheep, goats, and chickens—on the New Zealand set of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey have prompted PETA to call for New Zealand's Ministry of Primary Industries to investigate all the allegations and, if appropriate, charge those responsible for the violations.

"According to PETA's reports, the dozens of deaths on the set of The Hobbit—from horses who tumbled over embankments to chickens torn apart by unsupervised dogs—could have been prevented if the production company hadn't ignored the concerns of its own animal wranglers," says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. "New Zealand authorities must send a message to the international film community that no production, however high-profile, can get away with fatally neglecting animals."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to New Zealand Minister of Primary Industries David Carter is available here.

District Welcomes Modern Teaching Tools That Make Compassion a Part of Science Classes

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2012

Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382

Moore Haven, Fla. -- When students in the Glades County School District start learning about animal anatomy, none of them will be required to cut into an animal.

That's because the district is implementing a state-of-the-art, all-virtual dissection laboratory that uses computer software to teach the students. To help, PETA—through its national educational grants program—is donating computers equipped with the popular ScienceWorks' Dissection Works Deluxe to the school district. Interactive software such as Dissection Works—which includes virtual dissection modules of frogs, fetal pigs, earthworms, crayfish, and perch—has been shown to teach anatomy better than animal dissection.

"PETA is delighted to help Glades County teachers take the lead in teaching biology with humane, modern methods," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "Countless frogs, pigs, cats, and other animals are still killed for dissection at less progressive schools, even though non-animal methods for teaching biology are far superior."

The millions of animals who are used in school dissections come from biological supply houses, which breed some animals and obtain others from animal shelters or the wild. Comparative studies have repeatedly shown that non-animal teaching methods, such as interactive computer programs, are more effective at teaching biology than crude animal-based methods. These programs also save time and money and increase student confidence and satisfaction. The National Science Teachers Association endorses the use of modern non-animal methods as replacements for animal dissection.

For more information, please visit PETA.org/Dissection. To learn more about ScienceWorks and Dissection Works Deluxe, please visit ScienceClass.com.

Delectable Avocado Tacos and Seasonal Chowder Make the Food Truck a Top Contender

For Immediate Release:
November 27, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident (and delicious!) than in Los Angeles' all-vegan food truck Seabirds. That's why 2011 Libby Award winner Seabirds is in the running to keep its crown in the category of Best Vegan Food Truck from peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

Seabirds uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Among the food truck's many delights, peta2's favorites include the beer-battered avocado tacos and the organic crimson-gold kale salad. For dessert, you can't go wrong with organic, vegan, and gluten-free cupcakes. Seasonal specialties include Thanksgiving Jack Tacos with herb and mushroom marinated jackfruit and gluten-free cranberry salsa as well as the Creamy Oyster Mushroom Chowder with oyster mushrooms, organic potatoes, celery, carrots, and cashews.

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Ste Martaen and Soul Vegetarian East Give Windy City One of the Best Eateries on Wheels in the Country

For Immediate Release:
November 27, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Chicago -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident (and delicious!) than in Chicago's Ste Martaen & Soul Vegetarian Vegan Food Truck—a collaboration between vegan cheesemaker Ste Martaen and iconic Chicago restaurant Soul Vegetarian East. That's why the mobile eatery is in the running for a Libby Award in the category of Best Vegan Food Truck from peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include a record 22 categories.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

The "Soul Veg" food truck makes it more convenient than ever to feast on some of the best vegan food in the Midwest and also offers catering and cooking demonstrations. Soul Veg primarily serves "comfort" foods—vegan versions of traditional favorites. Ste Martaen makes an entire line of extraordinary dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free artisan cheeses, which come in olive, smoked Gouda, pepper jack, Muenster, and Colby styles. Other specialties include the Swiss chard and portobello mushroom quiche, mac 'n' cheese, and the hearty Philly cheesesteak.

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

PETA Members to Converge on Milwaukee to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
November 27, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Milwaukee -- Accompanied by an activist dressed as a half-plucked goose and holding signs that read, "Plucked Alive," with graphic imagery, PETA supporters will congregate in Milwaukee on Wednesday. The battered bird's point? That shoppers who would never think of buying fur often purchase jackets, gloves, pillows, or comforters filled with down because they aren't aware of the hideous suffering of birds who are often repeatedly—and painfully—plucked alive for down.

When:   Wednesday, November 28, 12 noon

Where:  275 W. Wisconsin Ave., at the intersection of N. Old World Third Street and W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee

"PETA wants shoppers to know that buying down products is every bit as cruel as purchasing fur, exotic skins, leather, or wool," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "The rule of thumb is easy to remember: If a product came from an animal, the chances that abuse and suffering were involved are roughly 100 percent."

To obtain down, the feathers are often ripped out of restrained, frightened, screaming birds. Warm, animal-friendly bedding and winter clothing are available everywhere. PETA encourages shoppers to check labels for synthetic down, down alternative, polyester fill, or high-tech fabrics such as PrimaLoft® and Thinsulate™—soft, washable, down-like fibers. In most cases, these alternatives are superior to down, which loses much of its insulating properties when it gets wet.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Beauties in Green Bikinis Give Away Free Vegan Sandwiches and Lottery Tickets

For Immediate Release:
November 27, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Tucson -- With the Powerball jackpot expected to climb higher than $500 million on Wednesday, PETA's sexy Lettuce Ladies—who wear nothing but strategically placed lettuce leaves—will hit Tucson with an offer to help residents increase their chances of winning big. Armed with signs that read, "Feel Like a Million Bucks: Go Vegan," the ladies will give a free lottery ticket to everyone who tries a delicious vegan chicken salad sandwich and explain how a healthy plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity.

When:   Wednesday, November 28, 12 noon 

Where:  Southwest corner of Stone Avenue and Congress Street, Tucson

"Going vegan is the best way to feel like a million bucks," says PETA Lettuce Lady Leila Sleiman. "With the abundance of delicious vegan choices now available, there's never been a better time to make the switch to a kinder, gentler, healthier diet."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Orgasm Cake, Egg-Free Brownies Make X's to O's a Top Contender

For Immediate Release:
November 28, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Troy, N.Y. -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident (and delicious!) than at Troy's X's to O's Vegan Bakery. That's why X's to O's is in the running for a Libby Award in the category of Best Vegan Bakery from peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

X's to O's makes a full line of baked goods that contain no milk, eggs, cholesterol, or trans fats, and they're made with organic ingredients whenever possible. Even the sugars are a cut above: organic evaporated cane juice and organic Sucanat (an unrefined sugar). Some of the bakery's unique creations include Chocolate Peanut Butter Orgasm Cake, a two-layer chocolate cake drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate over peanut butter frosting, and the Snickers, a two-layer peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting and caramel in the middle, drizzled with chocolate ganache and caramel over chocolate frosting—available in sizes ranging from 6 inches to full sheets. The dairy-free cheesecakes—which can be made gluten-free—include cherry, turtle brownie, smore, chocolate chip, and peanut butter varieties. And don't miss the brownies—always moist and super-chocolaty. Looking for a hearty and healthy holiday pie? X's to O's is your place.

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

Teaching Your Kid to Kill Is Lousy Lesson, Says Group

For Immediate Release:
November 28, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

He was a late entry and had some tough competition, including a parent who tied a toddler up outside a betting parlor, a motorcycle rider who placed a plastic bag over his child's head instead of a helmet, and a man who tattooed his baby, but Rep. Paul Ryan won, because someone who holds high public office simply should know better. This Thanksgiving weekend, in a highly publicized move, Ryan, who had bought his 10-year-old daughter, Liza, a high-powered weapon, took her out into the woods and had her shoot and kill a deer for light entertainment. And today, PETA has notified Ryan that he has been named PETA's Bad Dad 2012 (certificate available here), explaining in a letter from PETA's president that parents should teach their children to be kind to animals and to choose nonviolent, helpful activities over those that result in maiming and death.

"You can't teach kids to be tough, if that was the purpose, by encouraging them to kill those who can't defend themselves," writes PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Being a good dad means encouraging children to engage in safe, peaceful, and fun ways for them to enjoy nature, including canoeing, bird watching, biking, and hiking—even clearing the woods of hunters' beer cans and other trash would be a blessing."

For more information, please visit PETA.org. 

PETA's letter to Ryan follows.

November 28, 2012

The Honorable Paul Ryan
United States House of Representatives

Dear Representative Ryan:

On behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) more than 3 million members and supporters worldwide, including thousands in Wisconsin, I am writing to present you with PETA’s Bad Dad Award (your certificate is on the way). You deserve the award because, instead of teaching your young daughter respect for wildlife and encouraging her to embrace nonviolence, you gave her a gun and encouraged her to kill animals for fun.

You seem to have a desperate need to assert your old-fashioned idea of manhood, to wield power over those who can’t defend themselves, even to the point of stealing their very lives for nothing more than the perverse thrill of it. I imagine there must be a lot of people who are disappointed in your lack of empathy, not only for those who are unarmed in the face of the fancy weaponry that helps you do your dirty work but also more broadly. I suspect that while you love your daughter, you don’t understand that the love of one’s offspring is shared by other living beings, including deer, whose fawns become orphaned when they are killed. And given that your daughter was “practicing,” one wonders if she is already among the ranks of hunters responsible for allowing deer to flee wounded, only to die out of sight, slowly and in agony.  

How appalling to use your influence to desensitize your child to the suffering of others. In fact, the young people who have opened fire on their schoolmates—including 16-year-old Andrew Golden who, along with an accomplice, killed five people at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Ark., and 17-year-old T.J. Lane, who killed three people at Chardon High School near Cleveland earlier this year, had first expressed their love of hunting animals. In light of this fact alone, it seems grossly irresponsible to encourage a child to kill for “fun.”

You can’t teach kids to be tough, if that was the purpose, by encouraging them to kill those who can’t defend themselves. Being a good dad means encouraging children to engage in safe, peaceful, and fun ways for them to enjoy nature, including canoeing, bird watching, biking, and hiking—even clearing the woods of hunters’ beer cans and other trash would be a blessing. While this letter is blunt, its point is to ask you to ponder the value of encouraging compassion in your daughter, as well as in your other children, by switching to humane family activities.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

Vegan Made-to-Order Omelettes, Chili Cheeze Fries, and Delectable Peanut Butter Pie Make the Diner a Top Contender

For Immediate Release:
November 28, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Eugene, Ore. -- The vegan food revolution has taken hold in every corner of America, and nowhere is that trend more evident (and delicious!) than in Eugene's Cornbread Cafe. That's why the all-vegan eatery is in the running for a Libby Award in the category of Best Vegan Local Restaurant from peta2, PETA's youth division. Now in their seventh year, the 2012 Libby Awards ("Libby" for "liberation," as in animal liberation) include 22 categories.

"More and more young people are insisting that the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, and, especially, the food they eat reflect their strong feelings in favor of animal rights," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our nominees are winners because they're meeting the demands of compassionate kids and helping animals at the same time."

Cornbread Cafe specializes in vegan comfort food. Among the diner's many delights, peta2's favorites include the barbecue seitan and the chicken fried tempeh. For dessert, you can't go wrong with a dairy-free milkshake or root beer float. For lunch, build your own meal by choosing from a main dish and two sides, along with your choice of cornbread or a biscuit. Main dishes include the Phish Phillet, made of a tofu patty coated in a seasoned kelp breading and fried golden brown, and The Moody Portabella, rubbed with a mild Jamaican jerk seasoning and filled with sautéed onions and greens. For sides, choose among items such as Baked Mac unCheese, Sassy Slaw, and Ju Ju's crispy, golden potato wedges with Cajun seasoning.

Voting ends on December 17. Winners will be chosen by peta2 based on several factors, including vote count, and will be announced on December 19. See the full contest details here.

For more information and to cast your vote, please visit peta2.com or click here.

PETA Members to Converge on Grand Rapids to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
November 28, 2012

Contact:
David Perle  202-483-7382

Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Accompanied by an activist dressed as a half-plucked goose and holding graphic signs that read, "Plucked Alive," PETA supporters will congregate in Grand Rapids on Thursday. The battered bird's point? That shoppers who would never think of buying fur often purchase jackets, gloves, pillows, or comforters filled with down because they aren't aware of the hideous suffering of birds who are often repeatedly—and painfully—plucked alive for their feathers.

When:   Thursday, November 29, 12 noon 

Where:  Northwest corner of Monroe Avenue N.W. and Pearl Street N.W., Grand Rapids

"PETA wants shoppers to know that buying down products is every bit as cruel as purchasing fur, exotic skins, leather, or wool," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "The rule of thumb is easy to remember: If a product came from an animal, the chances that abuse and suffering were involved are roughly 100 percent."

To obtain down, the feathers are often ripped out of restrained, frightened, screaming birds. Warm, animal-friendly bedding and winter clothing are available everywhere. PETA encourages shoppers to check labels for synthetic down, down alternative, polyester fill, or high-tech fabrics such as PrimaLoft® and Thinsulate™—soft, washable, down-like fibers. In most cases, these alternatives are superior to down, which loses much of its insulating properties when it gets wet.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.