Milwaukee Eighth District Alderman Bob Donovan found out what can happen when you try to quash a PETA protest: It can backfire—big time.

PETA had wanted to remind people of what goes on behind the closed doors of the Cargill Beef Solutions slaughterhouse in Milwaukee, but Donovan denied our permit, saying that his constituents shouldn't be subjected to a "disturbing" display. Our legal counsel pointed out that censoring PETA's protest would violate "not only the rights of PETA but the rights of [Donovan's] constituents." In the end, PETA got its permit, and all the media coverage of Donovan's attempt to block PETA's demonstration resulted in even more public interest and discussion.

The thought-provoking protest was led by drummer and Milwaukee native Andy Hurley (of Fall Out Boy and The Damned Things), who, along with other PETA supporters, sent curious onlookers home with "Glass Walls" DVDs and vegetarian/vegan starter kits. As for Donovan, he took home egg on his face.
 

Written by Michelle Sherrow

When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus paraded its 3-ton elephants through the streets of Washington, D.C., the animals might have been surprised to be greeted by one of their own. Well, one of our own, to be exact—a giant inflatable elephant, who grabbed a lot of attention from would-be circus attendees.
 

PETA members protest Ringling cruelty in Washington, D.C.

Kids were enchanted by our elephant and eagerly took copies of our comic book "An Elephant's Life" from PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. Parents stopped to talk to the demonstrators and learned how Ringling tears babies away from their mothers and beats them to force them to learn tricks.

What's that, Ringling? You didn't want people to find out about that part? Oops.

Click here to see how you can help stop Ringling's elephant abuse.

Written by Michelle Sherrow 

As Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressed a joint session of the U.S. Congress this morning, PETA members stood outside the Capitol with posters showing lambs who were victims of Australia's cruel mulesing mutilation.

Mulesing involves forcing lambs onto their backs and restraining them with metal bars. Large chunks of the animals' skin and flesh are either carved off or clamped with vise-like grips until the skin and flesh die and fall off. Both procedures are very painful, and sheep are rarely given adequate pain relief. Mulesing is a crude attempt to prevent flies from laying eggs in the folds of sheep's skin, but flystrike can be controlled in more effective and humane ways, as some Australian sheep farmers are already doing.

You can help end this mutilation by urging the Australian prime minister to push for all farmers to adopt humane methods of flystrike prevention.

Written by Michelle Sherrow