After three chickens were thrown onto the court at a KSU basketball game and at least two were killed, PETA contacted the university president and asked him to ban the use of live animals at all events and to enforce that ban rigorously. KSU responded by releasing an open letter to all its fans, stating, "Any fans caught with animals or caught throwing any object onto a playing surface will be ejected from the game and could face prosecution."

When six freshmen at Davidson College in North Carolina were required to beat a goose to death with a golf club during a hazing ritual, PETA took action.

We bombarded the Supreme Executive Committee of Kappa Sigma fraternity with letters, calls and e-mail mesages. As a result, the committee shut down its Davidson College chapter. Hazing incidents involving animals sadly are not uncommon at college frats, but this was the first time a fraternity shut down one of its chapters based on cruelty to animals.

In August 2002, following 20 years of captivity, Keiko the killer whale was freed from a pen in Iceland where trainers had spent three years and $20 million to prepare him for his return to the wild. Then, after only six weeks of freedom, Miami Seaquarium applied to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for permission to recapture Keiko and put him back in jail for the rest of his life.

PETA quickly posted an action alert and Keiko's supporters contacted NMFS to ask that it deny applications from Miami Seaquarium and any other aquarium applying for permission to capture and imprison Keiko. As requested, NMFS returned the application.

After three years of effort by PETA and other agencies, a new state law prohibiting euthanasia by gunshot in animal shelters has taken effect. A big thank-you to everyone who viewed our action alert and gave their support.

Read more about how you can make legislative changes for the animals.

PETA got authorities to obtain a search warrant and arrest a juvenile and an adult in Pikesville, Kentucky, for stealing, staking, starving, and beating dogs. They were charged with cruelty to animals, and all the animals were seized.

Click here to read about the link between animal and human abuse.