When a PETA staffer left her desk for a few minutes, she returned to find that the sweetest case of theft ever had occurred. The culprit was Franco, a 7-week-old puppy who is greatly increasing the office's cuteness quotient while he awaits his forever home.

When Franco was first surrendered to PETA, we feared that he might have parvovirus. Thankfully, it turned out that his lethargy and anemia were caused by a severe case of intestinal worms, and he is recovering nicely with treatment. And the better he feels, the more his rambunctious personality comes out to play. He stumbles around the office on his wobbly puppy legs, grabbing pant legs and skirt hems and making a toy out of everything.

Like most puppies, Franco has tons of energy. When he wants attention, he will readily let people know by following them around and "talking," and he rewards everyone's affection with a thousand kisses. He is searching for a family that will take him on long walks, give him plenty of playtime and attention, and housetrain him gently. If your home is the perfect place for Franco, please e-mail Adopt@peta.org.

Little Olivia was found in a warehouse district and brought to PETA by a distraught worker. She needed round-the-clock veterinary care to treat an infection that almost left her blind, anemia so severe that she was a candidate for a blood transfusion, and advanced malnutrition. Soon, Olivia slowly started to regain her strength. She had clearly been someone's companion since she was spayed and declawed, but she wound up wandering about by herself and no one knew why. PETA ran ads, but no one responded to them or to the "found animal" reports that we filed or to our fliers. Her background remains a mystery. 

Despite everything that she had endured, Olivia still loved humans, especially the devoted PETA fieldworker who spent the night on the floor with her the first few nights of her sojourn with us. We wanted to make sure that her gentle spirit and seemingly endless desire for affection would never be taken for granted again. Even though we placed Olivia's picture and an appeal to adopt her on the front page of PETA's website, alerted our members and supporters through Facebook, and put fliers around town, we didn't find a suitable adopter. Luckily, a PETA staffer who had taken her in to foster decided that the precious cat should stay. She loves her feline brother, Clyde, who is also a PETA rescue. 

Although some people can pay top dollar for a Yorkshire terrier, that doesn't always mean that the little dog will have a great home. And poor Benny certainly didn't. PETA found him dodging traffic on a dangerous street and took him to our headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. He had a collar but no tags or microchip, and again, although we filed reports and posted fliers and ads, no one bothered to claim him.

Even though Yorkies are popular, Benny had been through enough, and not just anyone who wanted a cute tiny dog would make a suitable adopter. It took a lot of looking for a home, but thanks to a local vet clinic, PETA found a retired couple who had just had to euthanize one of their two Yorkies because of old age and failing health. When we visited with the family at their home, they fit Benny to a T, and Benny is now helping the other dog stop grieving.

It isn't easy to find decent, lasting homes for animals—not just homes where they will be sheltered, fed, walked, and sometimes petted but homes where animals are respected members of the family. Every animal deserves companionship, excellent vet care, playtime, fun outings to the park or beach (for dogs), and a peaceful, painless release when their lives have come to an end. PETA won't compromise our standards and send an animal into a substandard home just to make our adoption rates look good.

So, can you help? We are now searching for the perfect home for Bea. She was found wandering the streets, and although she is in good health and thus likely hasn't been on her own for long, no one seems to want to claim her. 

Bea is a calm, sweet beagle-Chihuahua mix who weighs about 25 pounds. She is young and housetrained. She gets along well with children and other dogs and would be happiest with someone who is often home. She is irresistible. 

If you think that your family is the perfect adoptive family for Bea and you would like to help with our next success story, please e-mail us at Adopt@peta.org.

Back in February, PETA sent out a news release about the number of sick, injured, elderly, and otherwise unadoptable animals we had to euthanize during the previous year. PETA openly publishes these figures every single year and simultaneously calls on the government and citizens to help promote anti-chaining ordinances (many of the dogs our caseworkers encounter are aggressive or horrifically neglected after having been chained outside for their entire lives), to help reduce the cost of euthanasia of old and ill animals who belong to people with a low income (these account for many of the animals PETA helps), and to implement sterilization programs and laws to reduce the homeless-animal crisis.

In other words, old news is now being regurgitated with a vindictive spin by—among others—a front group for Philip Morris, Outback Steakhouse, KFC, cattle ranchers, and other animal exploiters that kill millions of animals every year—and which do so not out of compassion but out of greed. Before falling prey to the hysteria, please have a look at BermanExposed.org and ConsumerDeception.com.

PETA's statistics are also often used, as they are being used now, in a truly perverted way by some "no-kill" evangelists to try to turn people away from the "evil" of what is actually a dignified, merciful release from suffering. They never give a complete picture, and they always use inflammatory language and labels like "puppies" and "kittens," even if the animal was a 17-year-old dog who was unable to breathe properly because of a heart condition. Such people are sure that if you shuffle enough animals around from shelters to hoarders' basements or just throw stones at shelter workers and call them "psycho" and so on, people will join their number. But they offer no realistic solution to the multiple tragic problems associated with easily acquired and easily discarded "pets."

Anyone who reads our website or receives our newsletters, in which we discuss this issue regularly, knows that PETA has a division that does hands-on work with animals. We run a shelter but in the most merciful way. We help—because no one else will—the animals who are society's rejects in the area near our Virginia headquarters. These animals are aggressive, feral, on death's door (often with large tumors hanging from their bodies), or otherwise unadoptable. We have published many blog posts about our caseworkers' heartbreaking work over the years, and more information can be found at PETASaves.com. 

It's important to note that the figures used by anti-PETA campaigners are deliberately chosen because they are just the euthanasia figures. They do not include perspective—i.e., the more than 10,000 dogs and cats PETA provided with no-cost to low-cost spay and neuter surgeries and other veterinary services in the last 12 months alone, the hundreds of animals delivered to large high-traffic shelter facilities for adoption, the counseling and aid services that PETA provides in order to enable people to keep and properly care for their animals, and the animals we have put up for adoption, like the cat currently featured on our website, whom we nursed back to (almost) good health and who is still seeking a permanent home.

The "no-kill" shelters in the area surrounding PETA's headquarters, like many such places that sing the "no-kill" refrain for fundraising purposes, actually not only refuse admission to animals (because they are constantly "too full") and reject dogs and cats who are injured, sick, or dying but also refer these "undesirable" animals to PETA, which bears the veterinary or euthanasia costs. For more information on this topic, visit PETASaves.com.

People who are shocked to learn how many healthy or adoptable animals have to be euthanized annually or are questioning PETA's euthanasia record should ask themselves if they are spaying and neutering their own animal companions, helping people with a low income "fix" theirs, adopting from shelters instead of buying from breeders and pet stores, funding education campaigns about proper animal care and adoption (among other things), and demanding higher animal-protection standards in their own communities. They should also look carefully at the photographs of the animals who come out of the impoverished areas that PETA serves. Of course, they should definitely not be eating or wearing animals or their skins, using products tested on animals (who are usually killed at the end of the tests), or engaging in any activity that results in killing animals not out of mercy but for selfish reasons.

PETA is proud to continue to stand tall and roll up its sleeves to help animals. 

When people talk about PETA's euthanasia statistics, those aren't just abstract figures to me—my dog was one of those animals. Kodah, aka "Bug," was technically "taken into custody and euthanized within 24 hours." It was more like euthanized in minutes. That's because she was dying.

Kodah-Bug was diagnosed with cancer on a Friday and went downhill quickly. By 1 a.m. the next night, she was suffering, struggling to breathe. I called PETA, and without a moment's hesitation, someone met me at the building in the wee hours of the morning. The PETA staffers who are certified to perform euthanasia are the most caring, compassionate, gentle people I know. My sweet girl deserved the most peaceful and painless end possible. She found it at PETA.

Almost a year after Kodah's passing, a PETA worker found a dog running loose on the streets. She was a starving, terrified stray who had to be lured with food morsels over the course of several hours. I fostered Emma for several months, getting the word out by putting up fliers, posting her picture on social media, and blogging about her and her need for a good home. No takers. Luckily for her (and me), I was in a position to adopt her. What would have happened to Emma had PETA not rescued her?

PETA's euthanasia numbers are decried by "no-kill" fanatics and others in order to upset people. But behind those numbers, there are animals who need help, and they wouldn't get it elsewhere. No one seems to talk about the much higher numbers of animals helped by PETA's spay-and-neuter program—PETA has sterilized more than 90,000 animals for free or at a fraction of a standard vet's office fee since 2001, preventing millions of animals from being born into a world already overflowing with homeless ones. But those numbers aren't as "sexy." "PETA Saves Countless Dogs and Cats From Abandonment, Abuse, and Neglect" just doesn't have quite the same shock value.

Unfortunately, PETA's mobile spay-and-neuter clinics can't get to all the animals in need, and there just aren't enough good homes out there for the millions of animals who need them. The shelters are full, and people keep buying from breeders or giving up their animals when their lives change.

If you're angry about euthanasia, volunteer at an animal shelter or donate to PETA's spay-and-neuter efforts—go out and do something. No one should point fingers and complain because everyone is needed to do something good, to take action and make a difference.

Written by Kristen Stine

It breaks our hearts to report the passing of Roxie "Rock Star" Patterson, a little wiggly slip of a dog with an exuberant personality as big as a 20,000-seat stadium. Roxie was rescued 11 years ago by PETA cruelty caseworkers after one of the other dogs in her home killed the family's cat and started eyeing her next. The caseworkers discovered that poor little Roxie was also being bullied by the family patriarch because she wasn't "macho" enough. Roxie won the heart of former PETA Foundation Director Jannette Patterson and thereafter went with her everywhere. She seemed to enjoy flying and napping under Jannette's airplane seat, always ready to give her a smooch upon arrival.

We knew Roxie by another name, too—"Noodlehead," for her silly natural '80s hairband hairdo. She became internationally famous after she was featured on the cover of Animal Times and the PETA calendar, on PETA holiday cards, and in a spay-and-neuter public service announcement with John McEnroe. She was even chosen by the New York Daily News as New York City's Ugliest Dog (go figure).

To commemorate the 11 years that she shared with Roxie, Jannette is dedicating the next 11 days to helping other animals who are abused, as Roxie once was. For every dollar that Jannette spends on non-essential items (such as shoes, clothing, books, and coffee-shop lattes) during the next 11 days, she is going to donate an equal amount to PETA's "Roxie Rules" Matching Fund—and she's asking her friends, family, and fellow PETA members to do the same.

We know that Roxie's passing leaves a big hole in Jannette's heart and in the universe. We are grateful that Jannette, in typically kind Jannette fashion, has chosen to channel her grief into helping us rescue the next canine rock star out there waiting for a chance to show everyone what she's got. Rock on, Roxie.

The little dachshund was allowed to roam, and that's what he was doing when he probably got attacked by another dog, sustaining an eye injury that became painfully abscessed and swollen. Untreated, Slim's infected eye bulged grotesquely out of its socket.

When PETA learned about Slim, we pressured local animal control officials to compel the owner to get veterinary care for the suffering dog. The owner made a vet appointment, but the cost of the recommended surgery was beyond his means. When animal control told the owner that his only two options were to get Slim the surgery that he desperately needed or to surrender him to people who would, the owner relinquished him.

Within 72 hours, Slim had the surgery. Now, he is on the mend in a foster home, and as he awaits adoption, he is finally receiving the loving care and attention that every dog deserves.

When one of Ricky Gervais' young fans tweeted the star with the message "my parents agreed if you retweet this they will buy my sister a dog & let you name it," Ricky agreed but with one important stipulation. "A rescue dog tho," he mandated. We would expect nothing less from the man who is a constant voice for homeless animals, urging people to adopt, never buy, and bashing greedy breeders and puppy mills. And like many compassionate celebrities, Ricky consistently uses his Twitter account to reach millions of people with animal-friendly messages.

We can always count on Ricky to get an animal rights point across while he's making people laugh. And Jon Stewart did, too, with The Daily Show's humorous coverage of Iran's launching a monkey into space: "Iran, you think the CIA is tough? You just got PETA on your ass, and those guys don't f**k around." We'd love to hear Jon's take on Funny or Die's spot-on spoof of Dodge Ram's pandering "God Made a Farmer" Super Bowl ad, "God Made a Factory Farmer." 

And Waka Flocka Flame's hilarious Instagram photo had us laughing at how ridiculous people look in fur:

Happily, Beyoncé went fur-free at the Super Bowl, but she draped herself in python skin, iguana skin, and leather instead. PETA is urging the singer to take a cue from other beautiful, talented performers such as Carrie Underwood, who puts on a dynamic show in cruelty-free fashions. 

And it was the epitome of a dynamic cruelty-free show when Vaute Couture designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart presented the first completely vegan runway show at New York Fashion Week. Celebrities are flocking to the line, which is named after "haute couture" but spelled with a "v" for vegan.

New York isn't the only city celebrating cruelty-free fashion. Across the pond, our affiliate PETA U.K. presented the first-ever Vegan Fashion Awards, with celeb judges Sadie Frost and Meg Mathews honoring animal-friendly fashion from top designers and retailers such as Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and Topshop. 

To keep up with what all your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter. 

Update 2: 

Well, the results are in, and the friends of felines have carried the day: The new Monopoly token will be a cat—inspired by a real-life rescued kitty (see below)—to replace the older iron token.

Thank you to all you Monopoly fans who cast your votes in recognition of the fact that no one wins when people breed and buy animals. Remember: The best way to show more than a token interest in helping homeless cats is always to adopt them from shelters or rescues and make sure they're spayed or neutered. 

Update:

Following PETA's appeal to replace the current purebred "Scottie dog" token in Monopoly with one representing a rescued mutt (see original post below), Hasbro Gaming Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader Eric Nyman responded in a letter to PETA, saying:

You can vote for the new cat token here. 

Originally posted on January 16th:

Monopoly players can be fanatical about their token of choice—I always have to play as the dog. Now, Hasbro is shaking things up with plans to retire one of the traditional Monopoly tokens, with the decision based on online voting. It looks like the little pooch will make the cut, so PETA is urging the company to make another change that could save real dogs by altering the token's look and referring to it as a "rescued mutt" instead of a purebred "Scottie dog."

Breeding Hurts—and Kills

How would this switch help dogs? Including a dog who is clearly a mixed breed would remind players that these canines are just as lovable, loyal, and deserving as any purebred and that every time someone chooses to buy a dog from a pet store or breeder, a homeless animal loses his or her chance at finding a home. For millions of dogs in shelters, there is no "Get out of jail free" card. Approximately half of the 6 to 8 million animals who enter shelters every year are euthanized, largely for lack of a good home.

Purebred dogs are also more likely to suffer from debilitating conditions and painful congenital disorders. Scotties, for example, are often affected by a hereditary disorder called "Scotty cramp," which can significantly impair their ability to run or even walk normally. Because they are not bred to produce specific physical traits, mixed-breed dogs have a lower risk for respiratory problems, bone disease, hemophilia, cataracts, hip dysplasia, and other disorders.

What You Can Do

 Please never buy any animal from a breeder or pet store. Instead, give a shelter mutt a "Chance"—you'll gain a wonderful companion while also helping to alleviate animal overpopulation, which causes so much misery.

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! 

I'll be the first to admit that there's no way I could fill out a "Lettuce Lady" bikini the way that Pamela Anderson does. And that's OK, because Pam's biggest asset for animals is something every one of us can develop: compassion.

Take, for instance, another Pam we met recently. She called PETA from her hometown in Missouri because she had spotted two dogs who were chained in their owners' backyard. One had a small plastic doghouse with no insulation. The other had only a barrel propped against a tree. Both had only dirty water to drink. But because the dogs had food, water (albeit dirty), and some form of shelter, Animal Control wouldn't act. 

Still determined to help, Pam called PETA. We explained that people who sentence dogs to chains are often quite willing simply to give them away to anyone who asks and helped her decide what she would say to the dogs' owners. It worked. The owners told Pam that she could have one of the dogs, Vandy—and just like that, he was free. The other dog, Diesel, belonged to the homeowners' daughter, however, and they wouldn't part with him.

Pam enlisted the help of a friend who volunteers at a local shelter, and together they took Vandy in and placed him up for adoption. It wasn't long before the pup had a new, loving indoor home.

But Pam wasn't finished. After PETA explained that straw is the best insulation for cold outdoor dogs because it is warm and doesn't hold moisture, Pam and her friend went shopping and returned with straw to help the chained dog survive the winter. 

They continued to visit Diesel to play with him and make sure that his water bowl was clean. And we're pretty sure that when Diesel saw them coming, he got more excited than he would have even if Pamela Anderson had come walking into his yard. Soon enough—you guessed it—the owners agreed to let the women take Diesel to the shelter as well, where he is currently awaiting his own happy ending. Now, Pam has set her sights on getting a chaining ordinance passed to help all the chained dogs in her town.

Will you be a "Pam" for animals in need? Join PETA's Action Team to learn how you can help animals, wherever you are.