Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Randall County, Texas — 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.

• 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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.

19-Year-Old Never Passes Up an Opportunity to Speak Out for Animals

For Immediate Release:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 1-202-483-7382

Monterrey, Mexico — The fight for animal rights is at an all-time high, and young people are leading the charge. A perfect example is 19-year-old Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas UANL student Katia Rodriguez, who's in the running for a Libby Award in the category of Street Teamer of the Year 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.

"Katia is a role model when it comes to taking on animal abusers, including multinational corporations that support factory-farm and slaughterhouse atrocities," says PETA Youth Marketing Manager Emily Rodriguez. "All our teen nominees are winners because they're inspiring other young people to take a stand against the abuse of animals, wherever and whenever it occurs."

Katia runs the gamut when it comes to helping animals and raising awareness about their suffering. A vegetarian for four years and a vegan for one, she has interned for peta2, was named a Star Street Teamer, and has served on the peta2 Youth Advisory Board, helping the group with new campaigns and ideas. In her spare time, Katia volunteers at a local animal shelter, helping some of the millions of animals who are abandoned every year, and she organized a drive for food and materials to benefit the shelter. She also regularly sets up outreach events—speaking with hundreds of students about animal rights issues—and organizes protests against bullfighting, the Canadian seal slaughter, and McDonald's (which refuses to stop its suppliers from scalding chickens to death). In addition, she acts as the administrator of a vegetarian group that boasts more than 1,000 members.

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.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Carson County, Texas -- 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 snow and 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Armstrong County, Texas— 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.

• 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Donley County, Texas — 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 snow and 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Gray County, Texas -- 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 snow and 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Dallam County, Texas — 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 snow and 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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:
December 6, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Ochiltree County, Texas -- 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 snow and 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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.

Wearing Wings—and Little Else—Activists Hit Ottawa With PETA Plea 

For Immediate Release:
December 7, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Ottawa -- Wearing nothing but lacy white lingerie, wings, and halos, two PETA "angels" will hold signs that read, "Be an Angel: Don't Wear Animals," at Bank and Albert streets on Monday to encourage Ottawa shoppers to leave fur, leather, wool, down, and exotic skins off their shopping lists. The PETA angels hope to turn shoppers on to the fact that animals destined to be killed for their skins are electrocuted, poisoned, gassed, or mutilated or have their necks broken, or—in the case of snakes—have a hose rammed into their mouths and water pumped into them so that workers can more easily cut off the animals' tightened skin while they are still alive.

When:   Monday, December 10, 12 noon 

Where:  Intersection of Bank and Albert streets, Ottawa

"The fashion industry is hell for the animals who are killed for their skin," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "With all the luxurious, cruelty-free fabrics on the market today, it's easy to get a heavenly look without sending anyone to the pearly gates."

As Tim Gunn says in PETA's video exposé, you can "make it work" without using real fur, leather, or other animal-derived textiles, and several designers and retailers are doing just that. Top clothing designers—including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Susie Shier and Stella McCartney—refuse to use fur in their creations. And many companies—including H&M, Nike and Cole Haan,and Overstock.com—have banned the sale of exotic skins.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

First Responders Save Woman Trapped on Second Floor of Burning House, Revive Rabbit Using Special Oxygen Mask

For Immediate Release:
December 7, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Boynton Beach, Fla. -- Last Sunday morning, members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue saved a woman and four rabbits who were trapped inside a burning house on Sedgewood Drive in suburban Boynton Beach. Using a ladder to reach a second-floor window, the firefighters located all the building's occupants and brought them to safety—and when rescuers noticed that one of the rabbits was suffering from smoke inhalation, they used an oxygen mask specially designed for animals to revive him.

For their successful and heroic rescue of every occupant of the burning house, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue will receive PETA's Compassionate Fire Department Award.

"The members of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue demonstrated compassion and know-how in rescuing these four rabbits," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "The county is very fortunate to have first responders who are ready to protect and serve both human residents and their beloved animal companions."

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

This isn't the first time that a Palm Beach County fire department has won a PETA award. In 2010, both West Palm Beach Fire Rescue and the West Palm Beach Police Department received PETA's Compassionate Action Award for rescuing a kitten who was trapped near the engine compartment of a pickup truck.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Wearing Wings—and Little Else—Activists Will Hit Jackson Square With PETA Plea 

For Immediate Release:
December 10, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Hamilton, ON -- Wearing nothing but lacy white lingerie, wings, and halos, two PETA "angels" will hold signs that read, "Be an Angel: Don't Wear Animals," at Jackson Square on Tuesday to encourage Hamilton shoppers to leave fur, leather, wool, down, and exotic skins off their shopping lists. The PETA angels hope to turn shoppers on to the fact that animals used for their skins are electrocuted, poisoned, gassed, or mutilated or have their necks broken or—in the case of snakes—have a hose rammed into their mouths and water pumped into them so that workers can more easily cut off the animals' tightened skin while they are still alive.

When:   Tuesday, December 11, 12 noon

Where:  Jackson Square, at the northwest corner of James Street S. and King Street E., Hamilton

"The fashion industry is hell for the animals who are killed for their skin," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "With all the luxurious, cruelty-free fabrics on the market today, it's easy to get a heavenly look without sending anyone to the pearly gates."

As Tim Gunn says in PETA's video exposé, you can "make it work" without using real fur, leather, or other animal-derived textiles, and many designers and retailers are doing just that. Top clothing designers—including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Suzy Shier, and Stella McCartney—refuse to use fur in their creations. And many companies—including H&M, Nike and Cole Haan,and Overstock.com—have banned the sale of exotic skins.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Fashion Retailer Must Stop Supporting Cruel Treatment of Rabbits in China, Where There Are No Penalties for Abusing Animals on Fur Farms, Says PETA

For Immediate Release:
December 10, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Brisbane, Calif. -- PETA has purchased stock in clothing retailer bebe in an effort to push the company to end its fur sales. This step means that PETA will be able to attend annual meetings and submit shareholder resolutions, and it plans to do both. The move comes after PETA discovered that bebe was selling apparel that contains the skins of rabbits and other animals, which resulted in a spirited protest outside Brisbane-based bebe's store on Grant Street in San Francisco. PETA plans many more protests and a vigorous online consumer protest campaign.

"The fur trade is revoltingly cruel because it steals the skin off animals' backs at the cost of their very lives," says PETA Senior Corporate Liaison David Byer. "By becoming stockholders, we'll get a leg up and be able to take our case directly to the people who own bebe—namely, other shareholders."

In China—one of the countries from which bebe obtains rabbit fur and where there are no penalties for abusing animals on fur farms—workers pull rabbits out of cages by their ears and stun the screaming animals with electrical devices. Rabbits watch as other animals have their throats cut and their heads and paws cut off with knives before the skin is peeled off their bodies. In other countries, rabbits killed for their fur spend their entire lives in tiny, filthy cages and mired in their own waste. To kill rabbits, fur farmers break their necks or smash their skulls before stringing them up by their legs and slitting their throats.

PETA urges bebe to follow the lead of companies such as Gap Inc., H&M, J.Crew, Forever 21, and many others and remove all fur from its shelves immediately.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Divine Intervention Won't End the Homeless-Animal Crisis, Group Says

For Immediate Release:
December 10, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Knoxville, Tenn. -- With a dog dressed in blue robes like those seen on depictions of the Virgin Mary and a caption reading, "Mother of Dog! Don't Wait for Divine Intervention. Spay or Neuter Today," PETA's brand-new billboard campaign will launch in Knoxville just in time for Christmas. PETA is currently negotiating with area outdoor advertisers to place the ad in a prominent, high-traffic area. PETA's point? That allowing dogs and cats to breed—something not very mystical but predictable if they are not spayed or neutered—means no room at the inn for millions of animals every year. The solution is simple: Get them fixed, and everyone will have a divine home.

"The Virgin Mary's pregnancy was unexpected, but if you don't get your cats and dogs 'fixed,' it's careless and thoughtless and adds to the homeless-animal crisis," says PETA Director of Communications Colleen O'Brien. "The best Christmas present that you can give dogs or cats is to make sure that they have loving families, which means not bringing more into a world where there aren't enough good homes to go around."

Every year in the U.S., an estimated 6 to 8 million lost, abandoned, or unwanted dogs and cats enter animal shelters, and roughly half of them must be euthanized because there simply aren't enough good homes. One unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce a whopping 370,000 cats in just seven years, and one unneutered male dog can father nearly limitless litters. Unwanted dogs and cats who never make it to an animal shelter are often abandoned and must fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to cruelty and suffer from starvation, disease, or injuries.

Sterilized animals live longer, happier lives. Spaying eliminates the stress and discomfort that females endure during heat periods, eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, and greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight, prevents testicular cancer, and reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Altered animals are less likely to contract deadly, contagious diseases, such as feline AIDS and feline leukemia, that are spread through bodily fluids.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Members to Converge on St. Louis to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
December 10, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

St. Louis -- 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 St. Louis 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, December 11, 12 noon 

Where:  Northeast corner of Seventh and Olive streets, St. Louis

"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.

Gideon Raff—Former Israeli Paratrooper—Joins PETA in Urging Panetta to Modernize Military's Medical Training

For Immediate Release:
December 10, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- Homeland executive producer and writer Gideon Raff—who served for three years as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)—is the latest high-profile military veteran to join PETA's campaign against the U.S. military's deadly use of animals in cruel and archaic medical training exercises. In a letter sent today on PETA's behalf to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (available here), the Emmy Award winner urges the U.S. military to switch to the high-tech human simulators that most military institutions—including the IDF—use to teach lifesaving skills. These simulators have been shown to teach these skills better than crude animal-based exercises.

"I have the utmost concern for the health and security of the heroic service members—like those portrayed on my shows Homeland and Prisoners of War—who risk their lives to protect our safety and freedom," writes Raff. "But the U.S. Department of Defense is not saving soldiers' lives by shooting, dismembering, blowing up, and killing thousands of animals each year for crude medical training drills."

Raff also sat down for an exclusive video interview with PETA in which he discusses Homeland, his decision to go vegan, cruel monkey experiments that he's fighting in Israel, and the use of animals in entertainment, among other topics. Raff joins a growing list of famous military veterans—including Oliver Stone and Bob Barker—who have spoken out against the military's war on animals.

For more information and to view Raff's video, please visit PETA.org. 

Wearing Wings—and Little Else—Activists Will Hit Waterloo Public Square With PETA Plea 

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Waterloo, ON -- Wearing nothing but lacy white lingerie, wings, and halos, two PETA "angels" will hold signs that read, "Be an Angel: Don't Wear Animals," at Waterloo Public Square on Wednesday to encourage Waterloo shoppers to leave fur, leather, wool, down, and exotic skins off their shopping lists. The PETA angels hope to turn shoppers on to the fact that animals used for their skins are electrocuted, poisoned, gassed, or mutilated or have their necks broken or—in the case of snakes—have a hose rammed into their mouths and water pumped into them so that workers can more easily cut off the animals' tightened skin while they are still alive.

When:   Wednesday, December 12, 12 noon

Where:  Waterloo Public Square, at the intersection of King Street and Willis Way, Waterloo

"The fashion industry is hell for the animals who are killed for their skin," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "With all the luxurious, cruelty-free fabrics on the market today, it's easy to get a heavenly look without sending anyone to the pearly gates."

As Tim Gunn says in PETA's video exposé, you can "make it work" without using real fur, leather, or other animal-derived textiles, and many designers and retailers are doing just that. Top clothing designers—including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Suzy Shier, and Stella McCartney—refuse to use fur in their creations. And many companies—including H&M, Nike and Cole Haan,and Overstock.com—have banned the sale of exotic skins.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Divine Intervention Won't End the Homeless-Animal Crisis, Group Says

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Little Rock, Ark. -- With a dog dressed in blue robes like those seen on depictions of the Virgin Mary and a caption reading, "Mother of Dog! Don't Wait for Divine Intervention. Spay or Neuter Today," PETA's brand-new billboard campaign will launch in Little Rock just in time for Christmas. PETA is currently negotiating with area outdoor advertisers to place the ad in a prominent, high-traffic area. PETA's point? That allowing dogs and cats to breed—something not very mystical but predictable if they are not spayed or neutered—means no room at the inn for millions of animals every year. The solution is simple: Get them fixed, and everyone will have a divine home.

"The Virgin Mary's pregnancy was unexpected, but if you don't get your cats and dogs 'fixed,' it's careless and thoughtless and adds to the homeless-animal crisis," says PETA Director of Communications Colleen O'Brien. "The best Christmas present that you can give dogs or cats is to make sure that they have loving families, which means not bringing more into a world where there aren't enough good homes to go around."

Every year in the U.S., an estimated 6 to 8 million lost, abandoned, or unwanted dogs and cats enter animal shelters, and roughly half of them must be euthanized because there simply aren't enough good homes. One unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce a whopping 370,000 cats in just seven years, and one unneutered male dog can father nearly limitless litters. Unwanted dogs and cats who never make it to an animal shelter are often abandoned and must fend for themselves on the streets, where they are often subjected to cruelty and suffer from starvation, disease, or injuries.

Sterilized animals live longer, happier lives. Spaying eliminates the stress and discomfort that females endure during heat periods, eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, and greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer. Neutering makes males far less likely to roam or fight, prevents testicular cancer, and reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Altered animals are less likely to contract deadly, contagious diseases, such as feline AIDS and feline leukemia, that are spread through bodily fluids.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Serious Injuries of Dolphin, 8-Year-Old Girl Lead to PETA Filing

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

San Antonio -- PETA submitted a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding a bottlenose dolphin at SeaWorld in San Antonio who sustained a serious laceration on his or her lower mandible that exposed the underlying flesh. In its letter, PETA points out that the incident appears to be a direct violation of the Animal Welfare Act, which states that "Primary enclosures housing marine mammals must not have any loose objects or sharp projections and/or edges which may cause injury or trauma to the marine mammals contained therein." PETA also reminds the USDA that the injury comes on the heels of an even more gruesome wound in the same area of the body sustained by an orca named Nakai at SeaWorld in San Diego.

"SeaWorld isn't safe for dolphins—including orcas—or for members of the public," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk, who notes that an 8-year-old girl was bitten while feeding a dolphin at SeaWorld in Orlando on November 21. "Marine-mammal facilities are a living hell for freedom-loving dolphins, who are taken from the great oceans and condemned to live in cement boxes."

In nature, orcas and other dolphins live in close-knit groups and can swim at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour and travel as far as 100 miles in a day. But at SeaWorld, these highly intelligent, social animals are confined to tiny barren concrete tanks and forced to beg for dead fish. The captive orcas often express their stress through aggression by gnawing at the tank gates, sometimes causing broken teeth and chronic pain, and they often die prematurely. SeaWorld has a long history of injuries and deaths from dangerous interactions between trainers and marine mammals, including more than 100 incidents of orca aggression in its own records.

According to a report, on the same day that the bottlenose dolphin was injured, a shark at the same facility was found lying belly up at the top of the tank and appeared to be dead.

For more information, please visit PETA's blog.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Santa Fe, N.M. -- 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.

Because your area is experiencing freezing temperatures with a chance of snow and rain, will you please consider sharing the following information with your audience now and throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. 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 indoors 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.
• If you see animals left outside without shelter from the elements, please notify authorities. For information on what constitutes adequate shelter, click here.
• 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.

PETA Members to Converge on Nashville to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Nashville  -- 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 Nashville 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, December 12, 12 noon 

Where:  Intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue South, Nashville

"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.