Written by PETA
Celebrities took to Twitter yesterday to make a huge splash for seals. We asked compassionate celebrity supporters to tweet a message to their fans telling them that the Canadian commercial seal slaughter had begun and including a link to our "It's Time to End the Seal Slaughter" donation page. So many of them responded that our Twitter page looked like an A-list party.
Supporters who spoke up for seals who are bludgeoned and sometimes skinned alive for their fur include Ellen Degeneres, who also posted it on her blog, Pink, Sophia Bush, Daniella Monet, Jayde Nicole, Lea Michele, Vida Guerra, Alicia Silverstone, Dave Navarro, Stephanie Pratt, The Veronicas, Bill Maher, Ian Somerhalder, Diablo Cody, Sasha Grey, and, of course, Honorary PETA Director Pamela Anderson.
Get in on the action! Tweet this link to your Twitter followers: http://bit.ly/gNMLOJ. Or go to our donation page to help stop Canada's barbaric seal slaughter.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
We just told you about the Fun, Fearless (Animal-Loving!) Males of 2011, and now the girls are getting their turn. AskMen released its 10th annual Top 99 Most Desirable Women list, and so many animal-friendly ladies were included that it can't be a coincidence—it's hot to be compassionate!
Several Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity alums ranked high on the list, including Natalie Portman, Kristen Bell, and reigning Sexiest Vegetarian Olivia Wilde.
Some possible contenders for future Sexiest Vegetarian honors are among the Top 99 Most Desirable as well. Lovely Glee star Dianna Agron loves her veggies, and Anne Hathaway recently added fish to her "friends, not food" list, bidding adieu to sushi. Katy Perry has been singing the praises of eating Tofurky with vegetarian hubby Russell Brand, so it might not be long before his diet rubs off on her.
So many of the Top 99 ladies have done public service announcements for PETA that we wonder if AskMen searched our ads for its candidates. Vegan Lea Michele is a staunch defender of horses used in the horse-drawn carriage industry and of animals killed for their fur. Lea's abhorrence of fur is shared by Eva Mendes, who narrated an anti-fur video for PETA, and by Natalie Imbruglia, who starred in an anti-fur exposé for PETA Australia.
Rounding out our picks of delightful, desirable damsels is PETA pal Olivia Munn, who isn't shy about standing up for animals who are abused in circuses and puppy mills.
Talented Glee star and staunch PETA supporter Lea Michele is giving her fans—and animals—something to be gleeful about. Lovely Lea has donated armloads of memorabilia from the show to be auctioned off to support PETA's lifesaving work for animals. Gleeks can bid on posters, clothes, dancing shoes, and even scripts from some of the most memorable episodes of the show signed by the cast.
The auction is underway right now on CharityBuzz.com and will only last until February 10, so get your bids in as soon as you can. Then rev up your TiVo and see if you can spot the items you're bidding on in past episodes of the show (we know you're going to).
Hmm, what to have for dinner? Fast, easy, and guaranteed cruelty-free—dum-da-da-dum—Internet Soup!
Glee actor and PETA supporter Lea Michele is once again showing that she's got a heart to match her lovely voice by calling for an end to the "dangerous" and "scary" horse-drawn carriage industry in new video and print PSAs for PETA. Horses who are forced to pull carriages endure long workdays while exposed to extreme temperatures and dangerous traffic and are often denied adequate rest, water, and food.
Lea sat down for an interview with PETA to discuss the miserable conditions that she's seen these animals endure, and she hopes that others will join her in the campaign to shut down the horse-drawn carriage industry.
This isn't the first time that Lea has spoken out for horses—she appeared in another PETA ad against the horse-drawn carriage industry back when she was starring in Spring Awakening on Broadway and saw horses toiling at New York's Central Park. The multitalented star is also a vegan (she credits her healthy diet with giving her the energy to keep up with her bubbly Glee character, Rachel) and is a vocal opponent of fur.
Here's one for the Christmas carolers—Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album, featuring PETA pals Lea Michele and Jane Lynch. Surely you'll want to a-choir this one for your holiday music collection—and if you come out on top of this week's "Win It" Wednesday challenge, you will.
How can you win it? Simply rework a verse from your favorite holiday song to tell us how you'll bring glee to the animals in your life. If I could enter, mine would go like this:
(To the tune of "Jingle Bells") Dashing through house Frank and Tom will be Racing to be the oneAt the top of their new cat tree
(To the tune of "Jingle Bells")
Dashing through house Frank and Tom will be Racing to be the oneAt the top of their new cat tree
I know, I know. It'll be a cinch for you to top mine, but do us a favor and tell us which holiday classic you've drawn your inspiration from. The entry that most makes our judges burst out into a sing-along will win.
The contest ends on December 8, and the winner will be chosen on December 10. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Good luck!
Written by Karin Bennett
Please note: Glee is a registered trademark of Twentieth Century Fox. Twentieth Century Fox is not affiliated with PETA, nor do they endorse, sponsor, or otherwise support this promotion.
Yesterday was the official first day of summer, but PETA's Web site has been scorching for days, thanks to our Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity contest. We're into the final heat—voting ends this Wednesday, June 23—so if you haven't weighed in, don't let those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer get you just yet. Put the pedal to the metal and vote now to help us choose this year's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity. Here are some of the current frontrunners:
I know it's tough to choose just one man and one woman, but if I can do it, so can you. My personal faves: The Howard Stern Show cohost with the infectious laugh, ravishing Robin Quivers, and the achingly handsome actor Joaquin Phoenix. Now go cast your vote for two sexy veggie celebrities to help us decide the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity of 2010.
*We all know that you can't be a meat-eater and call yourself an environmentalist.
Last fall, a jury found Sholom Rubashkin, former Agriprocessors CEO, guilty on 86 federal financial fraud charges. Now, a judge in the case has announced that Rubashkin will be sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $31 million in restitution!
This is the culmination of a long, sordid history of financial crimes at the plant as well as violations against humans and animals dating back to PETA's original undercover investigation in 2004.
This undercover investigation exposed that Agriprocessors was hacking out the tracheas and esophagi of cattle immediately after the kosher slaughter cut, when the animals were still conscious and able to feel pain. Many animals remained conscious for prolonged periods, some even struggling to their feet in agony three minutes after their throats were cut, their organs dangling from their necks.
Dr. Temple Grandin, the world's leading slaughterhouse expert, called this "the most disgusting thing [she'd] ever seen." The USDA agreed with PETA and cited Agriprocessors for "engaging in acts of inhumane slaughter." Sholom Rubashkin tried to defend these egregious methods, but PETA undercover investigations in both 2007 and 2008 caught his facilities again performing dressing procedures on conscious animals. Dr. Grandin said, "The undercover video clearly showed that when they think nobody is looking, they do bad things in this plant."
At least Sholom Rubashkin will not have the opportunity to harm any more animals for the next 27 years.
Written by Shawna Flavell
You may remember that a couple of months ago we blogged about Daniel Bryan, an up-and-coming vegan wrestler in the WWE. Bryan was making waves and had even defeated one of the WWE's top superstars, The Miz. But in a controversial decision that has outraged fans, stars, and wrestling legend Shawn Michaels, Daniel Bryan was fired from the company.
Now, there's a grassroots movement to bring him back, and PETA is tossing our name in the ring in support. Check out the letter we just sent to WWE CEO Vince McMahon, and send a polite comment to the WWE asking it to bring Daniel Bryan back!
Written by Chris Holbein, manager of PETA's Special Projects Division (and resident WWE super-fan)
Actor Seth Rogen has played freaks, geeks, and police, but in my opinion his recent "role" reading the children's book The Story of Ferdinand (commonly called Ferdinand the Bull) to a group at The Colburn School in Los Angeles was his best yet. This book is about a bull named Ferdinand who reasonably wants to smell the flowers instead of being stabbed to death in a bullfighting arena.
Of course, back in 1936 when the book was written, sensibilities were of the "kill 'em and hang 'em on the wall" variety, so author Munro Leaf didn't go into detail about how bulls who are used in bullfighting are beaten and sometimes have their horns shaved (to keep them off-balance) before they are let into the ring. Because this is a book for kids, Leaf also didn't mention that bulls are repeatedly stabbed with knives (called banderillas) until they are dizzy, weakened from blood loss, and suffering agonizing pain. Even though the goal is to kill the bulls, they are often still conscious when their ears and tails are cut off as trophies and they are dragged from the ring.
There's no question that bulls would rather be doing anything other than becoming victims of bullfights. Take a minute to speak up for bulls by signing this petition to end the Running of the Bulls.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
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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