Written by PETA
If you think that you can judge that package of dismembered animal bits by its expiration date, here's a cautionary tale that will make you think again. A customer at a Brooklyn grocery store found a newer "sell-by" label slapped on top of an expired one on a package of chicken and told the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets about it. The inspecting body for food safety shrugged it off, saying that sell-by dates are "nothing but a tool for store managers," who are permitted to relabel or repackage food.
60 Minutes called the fluid in which dead chickens float before they are processed for food "fecal soup," and we have heard enough horror stories to realize that most meat is contaminated with dangerous bacteria like E. coli, campylobacter, listeria, and other bacteria that live in the intestinal tracts and feces of animals. Meat and dairy products spoil fairly quickly, so this might be a good time to start avoiding the stuff altogether. I'm hoping for a run on our vegetarian/vegan starter kit displays, but if you don't have one nearby, you can download a copy or order one from our Web site.
It just goes to show—any way you slice it, meat is still just decomposing flesh.
Written by Heather Moore
If you enjoyed rock 'n' roll in the '70s, you can only love Joan Jett. If you just saw the film about her life, The Runaways, you can only love Joan Jett. And if you were walking by our literature stand at Union Square and 14th Street in New York City this afternoon, you can only love Joan Jett!
Further proving my point that you can catch a glimpse of rock and roll glory anywhere in the Big Apple if you keep your eyes peeled, today vegan party queen Joan Jett was handing out copies of PETA's vegetarian/vegan starter kit in Manhattan.
Want a peek inside what Joan was passing out? Order your own free copy.
On April 14, the New York City Council passed a cunning little bill (Intro. 35) that gives horse-drawn carriage drivers a rate hike. As we pointed out at the time of passage, this bill does very little to improve these long-suffering horses' living and working conditions. The City Council failed to incorporate most of the suggestions made by the ASPCA, including such basic elements as requiring that horses have year-round access to drinking water. Because of lack of enforcement, it's unlikely that the horses will ever even see the few benefits—such as the 5-week resting period—that have been promised them.
Because of the horse-drawn carriage industry's track record of unethical business practices and disregard for horses' welfare, the only solution is to get these horses off the streets and retire them to live out their remaining years in peace. Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito has introduced a bill (Intro. 86) that would phase out the industry and replace it with electric-powered antique cars or "green" horseless carriages.
Please, if you live in New York City or know anyone who does (such as friends of friends or anyone who cares about animals) simply make one call and let the City Council know that the only acceptable solution is to end this industry altogether by supporting and passing Intro. 86. Horses would thank you if they could.
We have to thank Joan Jett and her tweeting ways (Joan, you're in close competition with Chrissie Hynde to be my favorite sassy rocker chick) for the great turnout at yesterday's protests against two Queens, New York, restaurants that serve up octopuses and other animals while they're still alive. (No, I am not making that up—I wish I were.)
The owner of East Seafood restaurant was apparently so terrified that a kraken was going to seek vengeance on him for the torture of her smaller brethren that he locked the restaurant's doors for the duration of the protest. Good—no customers!
Please, help stop this abomination by writing to the Queens County D.A. and asking him to press cruelty-to-animals charges against live animal–serving restaurants such as East Seafood and Sik Gaek.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Well, it's not the law of our dreams, but we're happy to report that one part of a bill that has just been passed in New York City (and maybe just the one part) should improve living conditions for horses who are used to pull carriages. Under the new legislation, carriage operators are required to provide horses with larger stalls in which they can finally turn around and lie down (the current stalls couldn't be smaller unless you built them through the horses' flanks) as well as to allow the horses to come off the roads and spend five weeks out of every year at a stable with a paddock or a pasture.
A hike in fares has also been enacted. It probably won't make a difference, but it might decrease the number of misguided tourists who want to take horses for a ride. After all, it's the animals who pay the ultimate price in this money-hungry industry: Horses are forced to pull heavy loads in all weather extremes while walking on hard pavement, dodging loud traffic, and inhaling exhaust fumes that cause damage to their lungs comparable to that which heavy smokers experience. Does that sound even remotely romantic to you?
Anyone who has seen or thought about this wretched excuse for amusement knows that it's past time for the horse-drawn carriage industry to be put out to pasture permanently. Tel Aviv has done it, and now it's time for New York to do it. Please join us in asking New York City officials to ban horse-drawn carriages as a blight on the city. Thanks!
Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth
Showing cruelty of gastronomical proportions, restaurants in Queens (Sik Gaek and East Seafood Restaurant) are chopping up and serving live octopuses to customers. Octopuses have their tentacles cut off while they are still conscious and are then served, writhing, while their hearts are still beating. Others are slowly steamed alive in front of customers before their tentacles and upper bodies are cut into small pieces with scissors.
Since we can't "release the Kraken" on these animal abusers, we're unleashing our legal team on the district attorney—calling on the DAs to file cruelty charges against the restaurants. Because octopuses have sophisticated nervous systems and feel pain just as acutely as mammals do, we feel that the restaurants' practices clearly violate the state's anti-cruelty statute.
Recently, octopuses were observed carrying around coconut shells to use as shelter—making these complex cephalopods the first known invertebrate animals to use tools. These "deep" thinkers are also fond of decorating. They decorate their dens with bottle caps, stones, and other objects that they find on the ocean floor. They are so smart that they can also learn how to do things such as unscrew jars by watching someone else do it—once!
Let's hope that the district attorney in this case is just as smart and sentient. You can call or fax the Queens County District Attorney's Office and politely ask that they take action against these restaurateurs. We'll keep you posted. Until then, take this octopus-inspired poll.
Yesterday, we asked you to guess which quip-firing, sass-making, cruelty-free-baking, real scorcher was the star of our newest "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad. Today we're thrilled to unveil Bethenny Frankel's stunning new ad. Check out these scenes from the queen of the Big Apple's photo shoot:
Frankel used to wear fur, but then she saw a skinned animal on display at a demonstration outside a cocktail party. After being exposed to images of animals who are anally electrocuted or have their necks broken before their skin is peeled from their bodies, Bethenny ditched fur forever. As one of the classiest and kindest people on reality television, the story behind her decision to go fur-free is sure to inspire others to make the same easy and humane pledge.
Written by Logan Scherer
Aretha Franklin sang at the annual Rockefeller Center tree-lighting ceremony last night. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who got chills from her appearance—but not because of her singing … oh, no. My skin crawled because the Queen of Soul Cold wore this:
You may recall that Franklin was voted PETA's Fugliest Fur Hag in 2008. The hideousness she wore last night suggests that the face of fur wants to lock in first place for the upcoming 2009 vote. Can one of her "people" please explain to her—very slowly so she's sure to comprehend—that she does not want to be voted the world's most heinous person again? Pretty please?
Written by Karin Bennett
Having been put out to pasture by the producers of Jon & Kate Plus 8, Jon Gosselin was recently spotted taking his new lady friend out for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
Doggie abandonment (and his lady friend's questionable vest) aside, we're still willing to give Jon the benefit of a doubt, so we've sent him a letter educating him on the not-quite-fairy-tale horse-drawn carriage trade and asking him to make cruelty-free choices for his future dates.
Too bad he no longer has any use for these excellent date ideas …
Written by Amanda Schinke
On last night's The Daily Show (basically the only show I watch, other than Glee) Jon Stewart slipped in a quip about Manhattan's West Side—he called it the "sad-eyed carriage horse district."
Couple that with a recent episode in which Jon stood up to Liam Neeson's claim that the horse stables on the West Side are miniature luxury palaces, saying, "I don't think living on 52nd and 11th is a holiday for a horse," and I'd say that Jon is a regular hero for horses.
I think we should all join Jon in speaking up for horses who are abused in the carriage industry.
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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