Written by Michelle Kretzer
Update: Today, The Washington Post ran a cover story highlighting PETA's efforts to stop the U.S. military from killing thousands of goats and pigs each year in crude medical training drills. As the newspaper points out, a bill that was signed into law last month requires the Department of Defense to submit to Congress by the end of this week a detailed strategy and timeline for the phase-out of these deadly exercises. This is the first time in history that Congress has passed a bill that protects animals from abuse in military training exercises. Please take a moment to write to the Department of Defense and urge it to act quickly to phase out these barbaric exercises.
Originally posted on January 4th:
The year has just begun, but already 2013 has seen an exciting first for animals! President Barack Obama has just signed into law a bill that requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to create a strategy for replacing the shooting, stabbing, and dismembering of animals in military training drills with non-animal methods. This is the first time in history that Congress has passed a bill that seeks to protect animals from being abused in military training exercises.
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Last year, people were outraged when PETA released disturbing, never-before-seen undercover footage showing live goats as they were stabbed, had their organs yanked out, and had their limbs broken and cut off with tree trimmers during a military training drill, all while the animals moaned and kicked.
Multitudes of you contacted your representatives demanding that these archaic forms of "training" end and that the abusers who were caught on video be held accountable. You won. Under a provision in the newly signed National Defense Authorization Act, the secretary of defense has less than two months to present Congress with a strategy for phasing out the use of animals in trauma training. And the people who were caught on camera abusing goats were cited for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
High-profile military veterans Oliver Stone, Bob Barker, and Gideon Raff have all joined you in asking the DOD to modernize its training program by replacing its deadly animal laboratories with more reliable methods such as human-patient simulators. These realistic models can breathe, bleed, talk, and even "die," and trainees can perform procedures on them over and over again until they master lifesaving skills.
While this monumental law requires the secretary of defense to create a plan to phase out the use of animals, it does not mandate a specific date by which animal training methods must end. Help us keep the pressure on by e-mailing the secretary of defense and other DOD and Department of Homeland Security officials and urging them to switch to superior non-animal training methods immediately.
Written by Jeff Mackey
When a PETA staffer found this dog named President Obama two years ago, he was stuck on a tangled lead in a trash-strewn yard without proper food, water, shelter, or attention of any kind.
He was fed table scraps by his owner, who would not consider allowing him indoors. Our staff member visited Obama frequently over the next two years, each time offering to find him a new home but always getting turned down. So PETA did what we could to keep the little guy healthy and comfortable, including providing him with a new doghouse and neutering him.
Recently, when a snowstorm was approaching, PETA's staffer took Obama some straw for warmth and found him wet and shivering in the freezing-cold backyard. But this time, the little tyke's owner finally agreed to let PETA take him, which just goes to show why it's so important never to give up when a chained dog needs help.) Here is Obama in his wonderful new home with his adopted "sister":
As you can see, Obama has made himself right at home with his new family—and, just like someone else we know, is taking full advantage of his second chance!
Written by Alisa Mullins
Would PETA miss the chance to educate nearly 1 million people about the benefits of vegan eating? Kale no!
Attendees of President Barack Obama's inauguration were so smitten by Chris P. Carrot, Celery Stalk, and Mother Earth that they actually lined up to have their pictures taken with the patriotic trio and snatched up vegetarian/vegan starter kits and copies of "Glass Walls"—a video narrated by Paul McCartney—while they were at it.
The vociferous vegetables even managed to win over a woman who was willing to consider eating fewer animals than she was wearing:
In his inaugural speech, President Obama promised to "respond to the threat of climate change." We can't think of an easier—or tastier—way to do that than by going vegan.
As President Obama hits the road, he's finding himself dogged by an elephant. PETA is asking Mr. Obama to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to start confiscating these abused animals, who are so cruelly trained and treated by Ringling Bros. and other circuses.
In fact, in the circus, abuse is the norm. Handlers frequently embed the sharp end of a bullhook into the soft tissue behind elephants' ears and knees and under their chins. The USDA has the ability and the responsibility to seize suffering animals, and yet the agency allows them to travel up to 50 weeks a year in cramped and filthy boxcars and trailers, to be kept in shackles, and to be beaten. Even lame elephants are forced to stand with all their weight pressing on their hind legs and to perform tricks that can only be painful.
PETA's complaints against Ringling Bros.—filed over several years—regarding beatings and the death of elephants, including one particular baby among several who succumbed during training, resulted in the largest fine in circus history. But while fining Ringling Bros. and then Cole Bros. circuses is a good step in the right direction, it is only small step, and it does nothing to abate the horrors that elephants are enduring right now. The USDA must use its powers of confiscation and remove from abuse the dozens of elephants who are still suffering in circuses. That's why PETA is appealing directly to the president.
Please take a minute of your time to weigh in regarding these suffering elephants and push for them to get the retirement they deserve. Please use this form to urge President Obama to order the USDA to confiscate all ailing animals from Ringling and other circuses now. And, if Ringling or another circus is coming to your town, please contact us, and we’ll give you all the information and materials that you need to convince people to stay away.
Written by PETA
President Obama released the "long version" of his birth certificate today, which proves that he is a Hawaiian-born American. One might say he is much like millions of American mutts who are unfairly criticized because of their lack of "papers." In fact, PETA is saying it—in an ad we plan to run in Obama's birthplace, Honolulu:
Obama declared, "We do not have time for this kind of silliness." Dogs in animal shelters don't have time for silliness either. Every second that passes—and every purebred dog purchased on a whim from a breeder or a pet store—brings shelter dogs one step closer to dying for lack of a good home.
If you must have a dog with "papers," please adopt a purebred from a shelter. And if you just want a Great American Mutt to love, shelters are full of those too.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
In the spirit of the holiday season, PETA is sending a gift basket full of treats and toys to the Obamas' "son," Bo, as a reminder to his human family that millions of dogs who are every bit as deserving of presidential perks as the first dog suffer cruelty and neglect. This gift basket, which is full of the kinds of goodies that dogs' daydreams are made of, also happens to be the prize for this week's "Win It" Wednesday contest.
Want to win it? Of course you do. Tell us what animal protection measure you'd immediately sign into law if you became president. The first thing that pops into my head? I'd pass a law requiring that all dogs be allowed inside—no more shivering 24/7 on chains or in filthy backyard pens. Give it some thought and then wow us. The person who comes up with the "law" we think would deliver the biggest punch in the fight for animal protection will score the prize.
The contest ends on December 28, 2010, and the winner will be chosen on December 30, 2010. 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
Shoppers will soon be able to know, without a doubt, whether a furry garment is a fabulous fake or was ripped from an animal's back if President Obama signs into law a bill called the Truth in Fur Labeling Act.
The act would require all fur products to be labeled with the species of animal who was killed to make them as well as the products' country of origin and manufacturer, among other information. Currently, the labels of fur garments that cost less than $150 aren't required to provide this information, and some real furs are purposely mislabeled as faux (a sure sign that real fur has fallen out of fashion).
Let's hope that President Obama quickly signs this bill into law, because it will help compassionate consumers steer clear of the real (dead) thing while reminding all the Cruella de Vils out there which kinds of animals were killed for their coats. While we wait for the president's signature, we can take a stand against flaying animals for "fashion" by adding our own autographs to PETA's fur-free pledge.
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
First, can we just address the fact that the yearly presidential pardon of two turkeys for Thanksgiving makes no sense? Presidential pardons are meant to forgive the questionable—or criminal—activities of people. Turkeys don't cheat, lie, or kill (OK, sure—their flesh can kill, but that's not the birds' fault). Every turkey is innocent—and inquisitive and smart. And they all suffer immensely on factory farms, on crowded trucks, and in slaughterhouses.
That having been said, in advance of this year's presidential pardon of two turkeys, PETA's ally and true-blue friend to animals Bill Maher has used his razor-sharp wit to pen a letter to President Obama on our behalf, urging the commander in chief to send the birds to a reputable animal sanctuary. For the past several years, pardoned turkeys have been shipped off to Disneyland and various tourist attractions—hardly a peaceful "retirement" for crippled birds, many of whom die before the next year's turkeys make it to the Rose Garden. Bill wrote, "I realize that in this election year it hasn't been easy for a Democrat to stand up for freedom, but it can be easy for everyone—including Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and yes, even Tea Baggers—to stand up for compassion."
While we wait for President Obama's response to Bill Maher's letter, please encourage everyone you know to stand up for compassion—and turkeys—by celebrating with PETA's vegan holiday recipes. They're sure to satisfy every craving, from a savory start to a sweet finish—and all delicious bites in-between.
Could the Brosnans be any kinder? First, Pierce helped homeless animals by designing a spay-and-neuter license plate, and now Pierce and his wife, Keely, are leading a truly vigorous international effort to make sure that the worldwide ban on whaling—which is now in jeopardy—remains intact. The ban has been in effect since 1986, but the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is considering lifting it if the three countries (Japan, Iceland, and Norway) that are currently ignoring the ban will reduce the number of whales they kill each year. In short, the IWC is proposing to reward these countries for their continued whaling during the international moratorium.
In the weeks leading up to the IWC's vote on this issue, more than 144 scientists and experts have signed a petition urging the IWC to keep the ban on whaling. Pierce has also made this heartfelt plea to the Obama administration not to support a proposed plan that would allow Japan, Iceland, and Norway to continue killing whales while the moratorium is in place: Please, listen and act: The time is now!
Join Pierce, Keely, and other compassionate people who are working to save whales by urging President Obama to take a strong stand against the slaughter of these animals. Call and fax, and get everyone you know to do the same—this minute. If we can't save the whales, what hope is there for other animals?
While U.S. residents watch and worry about the oil spill, a different kind of oceanic nightmare is brewing, one that will cause immense suffering and death for countless whales for many years to come.
On June 20, the International Whaling Commission will meet in Morocco to vote on a proposal to lift a 24-year international ban on commercial whaling for Japan, Norway, and Iceland—the three countries that have pretty much thumbed their noses at the ban. The Obama administration backs the lifting of the ban. Anyone who knows anything about the history of the ban—which has slashed the killing from somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 whales a year to between 1,200 and 1,700—is outraged that the president is going back on his election pledge to strengthen a ban and instead throwing the country's might behind lifting it.
We know some fascinating things about whales: Humpbacks create "bubble-netting" by blowing a stream of bubbles to surround their prey, and females form long-lasting friendships with each other. Many people know that sperm whales have the biggest brains of any living being, but did you know that they're able to dive more than a mile? Or that they communicate by clicking? Or that some scientists believe that sperm whales "are so self-aware that they might have begun to evolve a concept of religion."
We also know that if the whaling ban is lifted, whale families will be torn apart as more are slaughtered. Act now to help animals: Politely tell President Obama that you oppose the cruel slaughter of sentient beings. Then prove it by going vegan if you haven't already.
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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