Chelsea Handler is handling New York City's horse-drawn carriage problem by writing to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and asking him to support a proposal to replace the abused horses with vintage-replica electric cars, which she donated $15,000 to help build. "As if [the cars] weren't fabulous enough," she writes, "they also get a 10-12 hour drive on just one charge—even my vibrator doesn't do that."

The rescued dog guardian would be gleeful over Chris Colfer's new buddy. The Glee star tweeted, "I adopted a cat today from the West Valley Animal Shelter! His name is Brian, he's 8 years-old and 20 pounds! It was heartbreaking to see so many sweet animals needing homes. Please think about rescuing!" Go ahead and swoon.

And Lady Gaga now has two good romances in her life. The singer rescued a stray cat she named Polly and found her a home with Gaga's boyfriend Taylor Kinney of Vampire Diaries fame.

Not to be outdone, songbirds Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have reportedly gone vegan. People who won lunch with the couple report that they both ordered vegan food and talked about their healthy new eating habits. Can we look for Garth's new ode to raw foods, Cooking Outside the Fire perhaps?

Fiery rapper Waka Flocka Flame continues his quest to enlighten the hip-hop community about animal issues, with an interview in this month's XXL magazine. "The campaign I did with PETA was 'Ink Over Mink.' I never been a mink person period. I hate minks. I hate furs," he told the magazine. "I wouldn't put that s*** on and that was way before PETA. … It's just somethin' I stood by. Plus, I like dogs—my new PETA ad is for dogs. That's just what I stand for as a man."

To keep up with what the stars are doing right now to help animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.

'Tis the season for awards and accolades, and one person everyone is talking about is Glee star and PETA supporter Lea Michele. For her dedicated work with PETA to end animals' suffering, Lea was one of the Lifetime Impact Honorees at Variety magazine's annual Power of Women event. In her acceptance speech, Lea highlighted the cause closest to her heart—horse-drawn carriages. Watch her moving speech, which you can only see here on The PETA Files, and learn about her journey and activism with PETA: 

Lea narrated a shocking undercover video, which has shown countless people how horses suffer when they are forced to pull heavy carriages all day long in all weather extremes on busy city streets. In the past month alone, three horses have been involved in accidents, including a horse named Charlie, who collapsed in the street and died. Lea promptly fired off a letter urging Mayor Bloomberg to end carriage rides.

An auction organized as part of the Power of Women is helping raise funds for the honorees' selected nonprofits. Check out (and bid on) the custom-designed dress Lea wore to this year's Met Gala that she donated to benefit PETA.

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

If it seems like just last week that Mayor Bloomberg was callously dismissing the death of a horse used for New York's infamous carriage rides, that's because it was. And in the days since Bloomberg made unintentionally ironic comments like "[they] probably wouldn't be alive if they didn't have a job" (talk about a catch 22), there have been two more horse-drawn carriage "accidents." (Although what else can be expected when sensitive, easily frightened horses are forced to work 10-hour days in all weather extremes on New York City's crowded streets?)

On October 28, a horse hitched to an empty carriage became spooked and bolted straight into traffic. One witness said that the horse just missed several taxis, then crashed into a curb and fell on his side before running off again, only to become tangled in the broken carriage and harness.

The most recent incident happened during Friday's rush hour when a horse fell down in the middle of the busy street. Witnesses said the horse either collapsed on his own or because his leg became caught in the carriage when he bucked.

New York State Senator Tony Avella has renewed his call on Mayor Slayer Bloomberg to ban the barbaric carriage rides, which are a hazard to horses and to public safety. Please join him and click here to contact the mayor and New York City lawmakers now to urge them to support Intro. Bill 86, which would replace horse-drawn carriages with eco-friendly (and horse-friendly) classic cars.

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

It's bad enough to be forced to pull heavy carriages in all weather extremes through New York City's busy, exhaust-filled streets, but a necropsy on Charlie, the horse who collapsed and died while "working" last week, found that he also suffered from painful stomach ulcers and a cracked tooth. Charlie's death sparked renewed calls for a ban on cruel horse-drawn carriages in New York, including a letter from Glee star Lea Michele asking Mayor Michael Bloomberg to support a bill to end the rides. Bloomberg's comments on Charlie's death have been astonishingly cold-hearted: "Like everyone, eventually they die," he said. "Some die on the streets."

Charlie is the latest victim of an industry that exploits animals in order to turn a buck despite increasing opposition from the public and lawmakers. There have been countless incidents resulting in injuries to and the deaths of both horses and people when horses used for carriage rides become spooked and bolt into traffic or when carriages crash.

Whether you're a resident or a potential tourist, please tell New York City lawmakers that you support Intro. Bill 86, which would ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with eco-friendly classic cars.

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

mediabistro / CC

Magic 8-Ball says, "Outlook good."

According to a recent piece in the New York Post, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg paid a visit to Morton's Steakhouse in downtown Brooklyn, "but refrained from eating any meat and was 'strictly vegetarian.'"

Think Bloomberg has been talking to our friend Chris P. Carrot? Chris P. and Bloomberg are both politicians fighting to make our planet a little greener, so it only makes sense that they would run in the same circles—or at least run into each other occasionally. I know Chris P. hasn't won any elections (yet), but there's no denying that the guy's full of great advice on the green front. Bloomberg might be paying attention to Chris P. when the über-tuber says that going vegetarian is one of the best things that we can do for the environment.

Written by Shawna Flavell