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In a huge victory for vervet monkeys, U.S. military officials have confirmed that the Army is ending cruel and archaic monthly training exercises at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in which monkeys are poisoned with a drug overdose that makes them suffer from violent seizures in a crude demonstration of the effects of nerve-agent exposure. Instead of abusing terrified monkeys, Aberdeen—the only Army base in the country that uses animals for this training—will now use human patient simulators, just as every other military facility already does. The move follows months of vigorous campaigning by PETA.

PETA's campaign against the barbaric chemical casualty training exercises included a series of protests this week outside the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army. Supporters of this effort included veterans, physicians, active service members, and actor Woody Harrelson, who sent a letter on PETA's behalf to Army Chief of Staff Ray Odierno. Many others have also been protesting at Army recruitment centers, flooding the offices of Army officials with e-mails and phone calls, and even gathering outside the homes of Army officials affiliated with the monkey lab. One PETA member even disrupted a speaking event last week by Aberdeen's commanding general, Nick Justice.

Please send an e-mail to Maj. Gen. Nick Justice to thank him for this compassionate decision and ask that he ensure that the transition to simulators be made immediately.

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

You don't have to blog for PETA in order for your posts to help us help animals.

Users of Blogger and WordPress can now earn donations for their favorite charity (hint, hint) without actually spending any money.

That's because Blogger and WordPress have teamed up with SocialVibe—a social-networking site with a cause—to help people educate others about animal rights issues and contribute to PETA campaigns.

If you don't use SocialVibe yet, it's easy to do. All you have to do is sign up, and then create and post your customized badge to generate that first $1 donation to PETA. Then, each time you or one of your blog readers completes a SocialVibe activity, a microdonation is made to our organization.

Also, if you sign up right now, you can help PETA's youth division, peta2, meet its goal of raising $3,000 before September 14 for its "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts" campaign.

Don't forget to tell all your blog-inclined friends too!

Written by Heather Drennan

Here's your first look at PETA's newest campaign: "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts."

We first launched "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts" as a youth-oriented peta2 campaign, but the reaction from everyone, regardless of age, was "Awww!"

So below are pictures of our first "Big PETA" "Animal Testing Breaks Hearts" campaign event. We promise more to come. So who knows? You just might be greeted by our giant, loveable rat on your next trip to the pharmacy. He's traversing the U.S. and letting everyone who crosses his path know that reducing animal suffering is as easy as refusing to buy products from companies that test on animals.

Our giant rat won the hearts of North Carolina residents—who could support an industry that harms such cute animals?

To make it easy for shoppers, we distributed free shopping guides that list companies that don't test on animals.

Personal-care and household products are force-fed to animals and smeared into animals' eyes during tests.

Tons of locals, including an Aveda Institute student, urged shoppers to buy only cruelty-free products.

So next time you head to the store to stock up on cosmetics and household products, arm yourself with PETA's free shopping guide and don't go breakin' any hearts.

Written by Liz Graffeo