Written by Michelle Kretzer
We all know about "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but what about "The 12 Days of Rickmas"? Ricky Gervais is doing his own take on the classic carol on Twitter. On the first day of Rickmas, you should give your true love your signature on a petition to ban the tiger-skin trade. On the second day of Rickmas, you can give your true love whatever you like, just so long as it isn't anything furry—dead or alive.
What will Ricky recommend next? A ban on foie gras? A donation to an animal rights group? The suspense is like … waiting for Christmas.
Written by Heather Faraid Drennan
The turdoggie hybrid we rolled out on billboards just in time for Thanksgiving proved so popular that we decided to return to the laboratory and craft a new creation for Christmas—the puplet:
Dog: © iStockphoto.com/Angelika Schwarz • Pig: © iStockphoto.com/Clint Scholz
Pigs are a lot more like dogs than you might think. Piglets and puppies both love to play and have their ears scratched, and they can easily master skills like sit, fetch, and jump. When in their natural surroundings—not on factory farms—pigs are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make nests, relax in the sun, and cool off in the mud. Pigs are known to dream and recognize their own names, and they are thought to be more intelligent than 3-year-old human children. And just like kids—and dogs—pigs don't want to be eaten.
To celebrate a compassionate Christmas, keep the ham off the table and whip up a pig-friendly feast with the holiday recipes available on our "Living" page.
Making up songs about my cat, Wellington, set to holiday jingles is one of the season's great joys. ("Wellie, the Pink-Nosed Kitty" is a big hit at parties.) The best thing that we can do for our animal companions this holiday season, though, is to keep them safe. Here are some tips:
Cats are wonderful, but they don't make great gifts. And please always remember to spay and neuter.
Happy holidays to you and your furry friends!
The holidays. A couple of months filled with holiday cheer, carols, and snowflakes—followed by a flood of animals being dumped at shelters.
That's because after the hustle and bustle—after discovering the cute little puppy under the tree wearing a big red bow—come the puddles on the carpet, the walks in the cold, the chewed-up shoes, and the vet bills. So when the kids who begged, "I'll take care of him every day, I promise," are too busy playing their new video games to care for their new puppy, Rover is tossed aside like last year's Call of Duty.
Puppies need a stay-at-home person to housetrain them properly (they can't "hold it" all day) and multiple walks every day, even when it's cold and rainy. Both puppies and kittens need lots of patience and understanding, room to grow physically and mentally, and a fat wallet for sterilization and all the shots, wormings, grooming, food, medicine, and toys.
People who give animals as gifts are essentially sticking about 16 years' and thousands of dollars' worth of responsibility under the tree. Sounds festive, right?
If a family member or friend is genuinely ready and willing to adopt an animal, wait until the holiday hoopla is over and offer to accompany them to your local animal shelter where you can help pick out a wonderful companion for life, not just for Christmas.
Written by PETA
A Tofurky and some mistletoe will help to make the season bright, according to Katy Perry. She told the Italian magazine Grazia that she and her new hubby, Russell Brand, plan to celebrate Christmas by gathering 'round a pink (!) tree and extending some peace and goodwill to turkeys by dining on a vegan roast.
What a coincidence—my family plans to do the same thing (except for the pink tree part). Stars: They really are just like us.
Written by Alisa Mullins
I saw this in the mailroom outbox and couldn't resist sharing it with you.
I really hope that Santa gives us everything we're asking for. What would you ask Santa to do for animals?
Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth
What's the only thing better than the most soyous time of year? Vegan chocolate. Every day.
This year, we've found a gift that really does keep on giving. With the Advent calendar from Amanda's Own Confections, each day of December offers a new door and a small wonder behind it: a piece of scrumptious, cruelty-free chocolate. And it culminates in the best Christmas miracle ever: a big dairy-free chocolate Santa.
You can win the sweetest calendar ever—simply post a comment with your funniest holiday greeting.
We've got two Advent calendars to give away to the commenters who make us laugh the hardest. The contest ends on November 23, 2009, and we'll pick the winner on November 25, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
Written by Logan Scherer
The case of Oreo, a pit bull who inspired headlines and received an outpouring of public sympathy when her "owner" tossed her off a Brooklyn rooftop in June (she fell six stories and broke both of her front legs), has ignited a controversy. Oreo was nursed back to health by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), but during her recovery, her caretakers noticed that she was prone to bouts of severe, unpredictable aggression. If anything, the ASPCA goes overboard in trying not to euthanize any animal, but Oreo was beyond their help and had failed every test for psychological stability that the organization had put to her. So with great reluctance, the ASPCA made the tough decision not to put children, other animals, or anyone else at risk and euthanized Oreo.
Oreo's peaceful death at the hands of people who cared about her has brought unjust criticism down on these individuals' heads from some "no-kill" advocates who believe in life at all costs—no matter the pain or the price. Oreo was deeply disturbed, perhaps because of head injuries or beatings—who can say? But I ask anyone who is upset that they could not "rehabilitate" this "celebrity dog" to please remember that she is at peace. Unfortunately, many thousands of other wonderful dogs who will never hurt anyone are still going to have to be euthanized in New York City every year. If you have a good home to offer, there's an equally worthy dog waiting for your help. Instead of picketing the ASPCA, go adopt one of these caring animals. And remember, there are hundreds of thousands—maybe millions—of pit bulls who remain in the custody of cruel people who see them as little more than cheap burglar alarms or punching bags. No energy should be expended fretting over Oreo's euthanasia when action needs to be taken in their behalf.
When I recognized a name on the list of the protesters who came out against the ASPCA's action, I felt compelled to come to the defense of shelter workers who have to make heartbreaking decisions every day and sent the following letter to the organization's blog:
The nice-sounding but damaging "no-kill" movement exposes its lunacy by attacking an agency (the ASPCA) that took in an aggressive pit bull named Oreo from extreme abuse, paid to fix her two broken legs, and then, when she turns out to be far too dangerous and unpredictable around people, affords her a peaceful and dignified exit from the world that has miserably failed her ("Oreo is Dead," Nov. 13). Leading the critics is Camille Hankins, the Director of Win Animal Rights, who was convicted of cruelty to animals in 1995 when nearly 100 animals were found stuffed into a tiny, filthy trailer rented by Hankins. Many of the animals found there were dying from contagious illnesses and many were literally scratching themselves to death and had bloody, seeping wounds from severe untreated mange infestations. Two cats removed by police from Hankins during the service of a search and seizure warrant were treated successfully and lived at PETA's headquarters for more than 10 years (you can read the details of the case here: http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/4612/NC/US/). The only humane way to achieve a "no kill" nation is to create a "no birth" nation by mandating spaying and neutering of dogs and cats to stop the flow of unwanted litters into our nation's shelters. We also need to penalize those who fail to act responsibly toward animals. In the meantime, those who make the toughest decisions, who have to euthanize animals for want of a proper home, and so carry out the hardest work of all, deserve respect and gratitude, not criticism. Learn more at helpinganimals.com.
The nice-sounding but damaging "no-kill" movement exposes its lunacy by attacking an agency (the ASPCA) that took in an aggressive pit bull named Oreo from extreme abuse, paid to fix her two broken legs, and then, when she turns out to be far too dangerous and unpredictable around people, affords her a peaceful and dignified exit from the world that has miserably failed her ("Oreo is Dead," Nov. 13).
Leading the critics is Camille Hankins, the Director of Win Animal Rights, who was convicted of cruelty to animals in 1995 when nearly 100 animals were found stuffed into a tiny, filthy trailer rented by Hankins. Many of the animals found there were dying from contagious illnesses and many were literally scratching themselves to death and had bloody, seeping wounds from severe untreated mange infestations. Two cats removed by police from Hankins during the service of a search and seizure warrant were treated successfully and lived at PETA's headquarters for more than 10 years (you can read the details of the case here: http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/4612/NC/US/).
The only humane way to achieve a "no kill" nation is to create a "no birth" nation by mandating spaying and neutering of dogs and cats to stop the flow of unwanted litters into our nation's shelters. We also need to penalize those who fail to act responsibly toward animals. In the meantime, those who make the toughest decisions, who have to euthanize animals for want of a proper home, and so carry out the hardest work of all, deserve respect and gratitude, not criticism. Learn more at helpinganimals.com.
Written by Teresa Lynn ChagrinAnimal Care and Control Specialist
If you've stopped by your local drug store lately, I bet you've noticed all the Christmas cards and candy starting to make their way onto the shelves. It's only October, but apparently, Christmas is just around the corner. Personally, I think we should get past Halloween and Thanksgiving before pulling out the lights and ornaments, but maybe I just don't think far enough in advance.
For those of you who are ready to get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping, we have another clothing outlet you can add to your online shopping list. Women's fashion retailer Boston Proper has announced that it has immediately stopped buying fur and will be completely fur-free as of January 1, 2010!
After receiving complaints from concerned PETA members and supporters who were outraged that Boston Proper was selling fur in its catalogs and online, we immediately contacted the company and urged it to go fur-free. Boston Proper listened to our concerns about the cruelty that animals on fur farms endure, including being bludgeoned, beaten, and then skinned alive.
Boston Proper has joined forward-thinking clothing retailers like Urban Outfitters, Zappos, Juicy Couture, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gap, Forever 21, and dozens of other companies and designers in no longer supporting fur-industry cruelty.
I hope that you'll take a moment to contact Boston Proper and thank the company for its compassionate decision to go fur-free and maybe stay to browse the Web site for that perfect holiday sweater.
Written by Shawna Flavell
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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