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

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Indianapolis -- 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 Indianapolis 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 and 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.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Albuquerque, N.M. -- Every year, PETA receives thousands of complaints about people who leavedogs 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.

Evelyn Lozada Stars in 'I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur' Campaign 

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- Los Angelenos got an eyeful today when Basketball Wives star Evelyn Lozada—a former fur-wearer who had a change of heart and gave up fur for good after she saw for herself how animals suffer on fur farms—unveiled her cheeky new winter-themed naked anti-fur ad for PETA. The ad, which was shot by top celebrity photographer Drexina Nelson, is available here.Photos of the unveiling are available here, and video footage of the unveiling is available upon request.

"You can verbalize what happens to these animals a thousand times, but [when] you see it, it definitely clicks in—and it did for me," Lozada explained in an exclusive interview with PETA. She talked about video footage of animals on fur farms, where animals are crammed into tiny and filthy cages, beaten, and strangled with wire nooses. They are often skinned alive in order to make fur products. "I [saw] how these animals are tortured and skinned, and you don't really realize the hurt and the pain that they go through just for fashion, and I want to be a voice for them." A broadcast-quality version of Lozada's interview can be downloaded here.

Lozada's life and relationships have been documented on all four seasons of Basketball Wives, VH1's highest-rated show.

Lozada joins a growing list of celebrities—including Wendy Williams, Eva Mendes, Christy Turlington, and Taraji P. Henson—who have renounced fur and then volunteered to appear in PETA's iconic naked campaign.

Lozada will continue her campaign celebration this evening at Hollywood hot spot Supperclub.

Evelyn Lozada is available for interviews. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Wearing Wings—and Little Else—Activists Will Hit Citi Plaza With PETA Plea 

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

London, 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 Citi Plaza on Thursday to encourage London 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:   Thursday, December 13, 12 noon 

Where:  Citi Plaza, King and Wellington streets, London

"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.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Flagstaff, Ariz. -- 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 creates additional hardships for "backyard dogs," who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care, and 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 throughout the winter in order to help protect animals?

• Keep animals indoors. This measure 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 can be badly injured or killed when a 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 them with 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. Supply rations to wildlife who are caught in storms or whiteouts by spreading birdseed on the ground. Offer 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.

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

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

White Pine County, Nev. -- 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, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

Because your area is experiencing freezing temperatures with snow and rain on the way, 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 to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Nye County, Nev. -- 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 snow and rain on the way, 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 to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Steps Up Outreach to Latino Community With Celebrity Campaigns, Veganized Recipes, Dual-Language Content, and More

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- PETA, the world's largest animal rights organization, has just launched the brand-new PETALatino.com, which will serve as the premier source of vegan and animal rights news and information for the quickly growing population of bilingual and bicultural Latino millennials.

"There are more than 50 million Latinos in the United States today, and young Latinos make up nearly 25 percent of our country's youth population—a growing group of technologically and culturally savvy individuals who are reshaping our nation and who care about animals," says PETA Vice President Lisa Lange. "PETALatino.com addresses their desire to consume content that speaks to their complex cultural identity and will feature invaluable tips on how they can help animals, including healthy vegan recipes inspired by traditional favorites."

The following is just a sample of the features on PETALatino.com:

• All content in both English and Spanish, giving visitors the choice to interact with the site in the language of their choice
• Campaigns starring Latino celebrities such as TV personalities Marco Antonio Regil and Natalia Villaveces; actors Patricia De León, Kate del Castillo, Christian Serratos, Wilmer Valderrama, and Eva Mendes; and musicians Jaguares, Charo, and Rodrigo y Gabriela
• Tips on combating obesity—a major concern for Latinos, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—through healthy vegan eating, including recipes for vegan flan, enchiladas, pozole, and more
• Information on how to help animals through social media, tips on the best way to care for animal companions, and other essential tips

For more information, please visit PETALatino.com.

Beauties in Green Bikinis Hope to Turn Arizonans On to Delicious Meat-Free BLTs 

For Immediate Release:
December 11, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Tempe, Ariz. -- Wearing nothing but strategically placed lettuce leaves, PETA's sexy "Lettuce Ladies" will hit the Arizona State University campus at lunchtime on Thursday with a tray of tasty, free vegan BLTs—that's tempeh bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches—from Tempe's own vegan Green restaurant. The ladies hope the sandwiches will help show Tempe residents how easy (and delicious!) it is to help human health, animals, and the environment simply by choosing vegan meals.

When:   Thursday, December 13, 12 noon 

Where:  Southwest corner of E. University Drive and S. Forest Avenue, Tempe

"Who better to appreciate tempeh than Tempe?" asks PETA Lettuce Lady Leila Sleiman. "PETA's vegan BLTs aren't just delicious—they're also healthier and far kinder to animals than cholesterol-filled meaty sandwiches."

The consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. And in addition to being responsible for the daily suffering and terrifying deaths of billions of animals, the meat industry is also one of the biggest producers of the greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Members to Converge on Louisville to Expose Cruel Industry

For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Louisville -- 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 Louisville 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 down.

When:   Thursday, December 13, 12 noon

Where:  Southeast corner of W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard and S. Fourth Street, Louisville

"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.

Wearing Wings—and Little Else—Activists Will Hit Downtown Windsor With PETA Plea 

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Windsor, 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," in downtown Windsor on Friday to encourage Windsor 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:   Friday, December 14, 12 noon

Where:  At the Intersection of Ouellette Avenue and Chatham Street, Windsor

"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.

PETA Is Letting Moviegoers Worldwide Know What the Director and Producers Would Rather Hide

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Chicago -- Wearing horse masks and holding signs that read, "R.I.P.: Horses, Goats, Chickens" and "The Hobbit: Unexpected Cruelty," PETA members will converge outside the AMC River East 21 cinema on the opening day of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to protest the deaths of numerous animals, including three horses, during production. Also, PETA will hand out leaflets to moviegoers attending the midnight show, starting at 11 p.m. on Thursday. PETA is encouraging people to contact director Sir Peter Jackson's production company and speak out against the fatal—and preventable—neglect of what sources have reported to be 27 animals, including horses, chickens, goats, and sheep.

When:   Friday, December 14, 12 noon

Where:  Outside the AMC River East 21 cinema, 322 E. Illinois St. (near the intersection with N. Columbus Drive), Chicago

PETA has been holding similar demonstrations during premieres of the film in other locations, including New York, New Zealand, and this week in London.

"There is no 'back again' for the animals who suffered and died during The Hobbit's production," says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. "PETA is encouraging moviegoers to let Jackson know that using live animals—and letting them die—is unacceptable in our age of breathtaking special effects."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

First Responders Act Quickly and Heroically, Even Though Victim Turned Out Not to Be Human

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Lady's Island, S.C. -- Believing that they were responding to a call about a man trapped under a floating dock on Lady's Island on Sunday, members of the Lady's Island–St. Helena Fire District and Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived on the scene to find that the victim was actually a dog named Buckshot. The rescuers leapt into action and dismantled the boards of the dock in order to reach the dog, who was unharmed.

For pulling out all the stops to save Buckshot, both agencies will receive PETA's Compassionate Action Award.

"Thanks to the determination and know-how of the Lady's Island–St. Helena Fire District and Beaufort County EMS crews, what could have ended in tragedy for Buckshot instead had a happy ending," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Lady's Island is very fortunate to have first responders who stand ready to save the lives of residents and their beloved animal companions."

Both the Lady's Island–St. Helena Fire District and the Beaufort County EMS crews will receive a framed certificate, a letter of appreciation, and a box of vegan chocolates from PETA.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Whistleblower Reports Abuse During Lancelot Ramos' Illegal Tiger Act at Sarasota's Showfolks Circus

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Sarasota, Fla. -- In the wake of a whistleblower's report that Lancelot Ramos (aka "Lancelot Kollman"), the notorious tiger exhibitor whose federal license was revoked in 2009, beat tigers onstage during a performance at the 45^th Annual Showfolks Circus in Sarasota on December 8, PETA is offering a reward of $1,000 for video footage of Ramos beating or otherwise physically abusing tigers that leads to a conviction. Ramos has been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the past for using abusive methods to train animals and even physically injuring two young lions so severely that one died. Ramos isalsocurrently under investigation by the USDA for exhibiting tigers without a USDA license in Texas in October 2012, as is the Hawthorn Corporation—following a PETA complaint—which sponsored his act.

"Based on what has been reported to PETA, Ramos' shameless disregard for animal welfare—and the law—has apparently gone beyond exhibiting tigers without a license all the way to beating animals on stage in full view of an audience," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "Animals can't stand up for themselves, so it's up to people to do the right thing and report the abuse of animals as soon as they witness it."

Ramos' other past violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act include denying animals adequate veterinary care, clean water, and adequate shelter; forcing them to live in filthy, unsanitary conditions; and starving an elephant so much that he was a full ton underweight when the USDA took the extraordinary enforcement action of confiscating him.

Anyone with information regarding the reported beatings at the Showfolks Circus is urged to contact PETA at 757-373-0968. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Actor's Shocking New PETA Video Reveals How Live Birds Are Plucked Bloody for Feathers Used in Bedding and Jackets

For Immediate Release:
December 13, 2012

Contact:
Wendy Wegner 202-483-7382

Los Angeles -- With the holiday shopping season in high gear,Alicia Silverstone is blowing the cover off a cruel product that flies under most shoppers' radar: down. In a new PETA video exposé, Silverstone offers a behind-the-scenes view of the down industry, showing how millions of geese and ducks are plucked for their feathers while they are still alive—a traumatic and painful experience.

"No matter where it comes from, down is a product of cruelty to birds," Silverstone says as workers are shown yanking fistfuls of feathers from live geese and ducks, often tearing open their flesh, which is then sewn up using a needle and thread and without giving the birds painkillers. Another surprise: Buying down can also support foie gras—which is now illegal in California and many other parts of the world—as foie gras producers often sell the feathers of ducks and geese who are force-fed in order to enlarge their livers. At the slaughterhouse, birds used for their down and feathers go through a petrifying experience when they are hung upside down while still alive and stunned with electricity before being plunged into scalding-hot defeathering tanks—sometimes while they are still conscious.

"You can help stop this suffering by purchasing only down-free products and encouraging all your friends and family members to do the same," concludes Silverstone, a longtime PETA supporter and vegan. "This is one simple way to make a huge difference for animals."

Silverstone also sat down for an interview with PETA, in which she discusses her upcoming vegan parenting book, The Kind Mother, as well as how she avoids down. "Even in costumes … I've said please don't use any feathers anywhere …. I feel great not using down and feathers—there's no need for it at all."

For more information, and to enter to win a down-free puffer coat from hot vegan outerwear line Vaute Couture, please visit PETA.org.A broadcast-quality version of PETA's video exposé featuring Silverstone can be downloaded here, and Silverstone's video interview can be downloaded here.

PETA Brings New Campaign to Fort Collins

For Immediate Release:
December 17, 2012

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Fort Collins, Colo. -- 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 Fort Collins on Tuesday as part of a tour through Colorado, known for its many attractions for outdoor enthusiasts. The battered bird's point? Compassionate shoppers who would never think of buying fur often purchase sleeping bags, 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 18, 12 noon 

Where:  Southwest corner of College and Mountain avenues, Fort Collins

"PETA wants Coloradans 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."

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 a superior option for climbers and campers as down loses much of its insulating properties when it gets wet.

In a new PETA video exposé, Alicia Silverstone offers a behind-the-scenes view of the down industry, showing how millions of geese and ducks are plucked for their feathers while they are still alive—a traumatic and painful experience. A broadcast-quality version of PETA's video exposé featuring Silverstone can be downloaded here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org. A broadcast-quality version of PETA's video exposé featuring Silverstone can be downloaded here, and Silverstone's video interview can be downloaded here.

Pair Will Ask Shoppers to 'Be Sweet to Animals' 

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2012

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

Montréal -- Wearing mistletoe bikinis, a pair of PETA activists will brave the elements to hand out dairy-free chocolates to holiday shoppers in chilly downtown Montréal on Wednesday. The tags on the candy hearts will read, "Be Sweet to Animals," and the ladies will hold signs reading, "Have a Heart—Go Vegan." The shivering duo's point? That consumers should give animals some comfort and joy by trying a delicious meat-free holiday feast this year.

When:   Wednesday, December 19, 12 noon

Where:  The south corner of Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest and Rue Crescent, Montréal

Besides causing the daily suffering of billions of animals raised and killed for food, the consumption of meat and other animal products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

"The holidays should be a celebration of life," says bikini-clad PETA activist Virginia Fort. "Meat makes you sick, and it's murder on animals. I can't think of a bigger turnoff at Christmas or any other time of year."

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA Complains to Restaurant Chain, Which Confirms It Will No Longer Serve the Diseased Livers of Force-Fed Ducks and Geese

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Dublin, Ohio -- Following PETA's intense campaign, which included letters to company executives, pressure at an annual shareholder meeting, and a series of action alerts to members and supporters around the world, Wendy's has removed foie gras burgers from its menus in Japan. PETA first learned of the move on Twitter and later received confirmation. Foie gras, French for "fatty liver," is made from the grossly enlarged and diseased livers of painfully force-fed ducks and geese.

"Wendy's has done the right thing by ending sales of a product so vile that its production is banned in more than a dozen countries," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Shoving metal pipes down birds' throats and force-feeding them is an abomination."

During foie gras production, up to 4 pounds of grain and fat are pumped into the stomachs of ducks and geese two or three times a day. The birds' livers become diseased and swell to up to 10 times their normal size. The pipes puncture many birds' throats, causing some animals to bleed to death. Investigations at major foie gras farms in the U.S. as well as at many farms across Europe have revealed sick, dying, and dead animals—as graphically revealed in an undercover investigative video narrated by Academy Award–winning actor Kate Winslet. Foie gras is so inhumane that California banned its sale and production in July. Force-feeding has also been outlawed in Israel, the U.K., and a dozen other countries.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

Group Warns Against Leaving Animals Outside in Freezing Temperatures

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2012

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Polk County, Iowa -- 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, and it can also pose challenges for wildlife.

With heavy snow and low temperatures predicted for your area, 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 to or download here.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

No One Should Exercise the 'Right' to Refuse to Have Their Cats and Dogs 'Fixed,' Says Group

For Immediate Release:
December 18, 2012

Contact:
Kaitlynn Kelly 202-483-7382

Lansing, Mich. -- In the wake of the passage of the controversial "Religious Liberty and Conscience Protection Act" in the Michigan legislature, PETA is having its say in the matter. The bill, which has been sent to the governor, allows doctors and other medical professionals the right to refuse to perform and employers to refuse to pay for any procedure that violates their personal beliefs, including a woman's request for contraception or an abortion. But when it comes to cats and dogs, there's no debate, says PETA. That's why the group is currently negotiating with Lansing outdoor advertisers to place a billboard in the city showing a sad kitten and reading, "Birth Control Saves Lives. Always Spay or Neuter Your Dogs and Cats."

"There's nothing conscientious or religious about refusing to spay and neuter companion animals—just irresponsible," says PETA Associate Director of Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Every single one of the millions of homeless cats and dogs in this country was born to parents who weren't spayed or neutered."

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. Six to 8 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters every year in the U.S., and roughly half of them must be euthanized because there simply aren't enough good homes. 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. The solution is simple: spaying and neutering.

PETA also strongly encourages all prospective cat or dog guardians to save a life by always adopting from an animal shelter and never buying from a breeder or pet store, which only exacerbates the homeless-animal crisis.

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