When Heather Lombardi considered transporting her kitten, Snickers, by airplane, she was assured that the cargo hold was climate-controlled. What she wasn't told was that the climate in the cargo hold was only controlled in flight. After the plane landed and Snickers was left in the hold for 50 minutes without heat, Heather found the kitten cold and unresponsive. At the time, the temperature outside was just 7 degrees. Snickers died as Heather rushed her to the vet. Our condolences to Heather on the loss of her companion.

Unfortunately, this is far from an isolated incident. Even the biggest hearts and the best intentions can't protect animals from the dangers of a cargo hold. Please, if you're traveling with your animal companions, take the extra time and effort to do it right—they're worth it.

nicsuzor/cc by 2.0

Written by Jeff Mackey

A Sports Illustrated swimsuit model's image on a plane is OK, but an ad with metal undies is too much? Really, Southwest?

Recently, Southwest Airlines rejected this ad saying that it was "too provocative" for their in-flight magazine, "due to the lack of clothing the woman is wearing." Can I get a ticket to Prudes-ville via Hypocrite City, please? The only thing revealing about this ad is the fact that going vegan is the best thing that you can do for your health, the environment, and animals.

Personally, on my next flight I'd much rather see metal panties with a pertinent message than another passenger wearing sweatpants with the words "Bootylicious" or "Juicy" stamped across the butt.

Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth

Officials are scrambling to contain the beyond-massive oil spill that's headed for the Gulf Coast and its wetlands and wildlife areas. At times like this, I know it's popular to blame big business, and that's fair enough. But in a free-enterprise system, business only gets big (and sloppy and greedy) because of consumer demand. This morning, PETA delivered that message to Alabama residents by flying a banner over downtown Mobile reading "Meat on Your Grill = Oil Spill."

Raising animals for food causes environmental devastation on a massive scale, and oil spills can be blamed in large part on the oil-guzzling meat industry—which owes its existence to the meat-guzzling public. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it takes more than 10 times as much fossil fuel to produce a calorie of animal protein as it takes to produce the same amount of plant protein.

This disaster will have a devastating, long-lasting impact on the region and its residents, including more than 400 animal species, but crying over spilled oil and blaming big corporations won't make a difference. To ease tremendous animal suffering, safeguard human health, and help prevent oil spills, go vegan.

Written by Karin Bennett

PETA's Bea Arthur Dog Park (named for the eternally fabulous Golden Girl) has everything that dogs love: a big, grassy lawn for rolling and romping, a bin filled with toys to chew and chase, a water station, and an easy-access ramp into the Elizabeth River for dog-paddling to their hearts' content! But it's not just dogs who love PETA's park—apparently, Southern Living does too: The magazine included the park in its feature on the South's best dog parks!

Let's raise the woof in celebration by taking our canine companions to the nearest dog park tonight for some tail-wagging fun! And if you're ever in Norfolk, Virginia, check out the Bea Arthur Dog Park:

I guarantee that if you follow the rules, you and your mutt won't be disappointed.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

It's "tofu buck" and "seitan bird" season over at Adult Swim thanks to the new online game Tofu Hunter.

Thanks to the creative minds over at This Is Pop, who also created our Breasts Not Animal Tests game, now's your chance to bag a nine-point block of tofu. Keep an eye out for the trophy buck (he'll score you bonus points), and avoid hitting any does (unless you're looking to end your game early).

As the name suggests, the game is a tongue-in-cheek takeoff on revolting hunting-simulator video games such as Deer Hunter, and it might not be for the faint of heart: Its disclaimer notes, "This game contains graphic depictions of violence against tofu." But if the thought of blasting animated blocks of soy curd disturbs you, just remember: Tofu never screams.

Written by Jeff Mackey

Oh, Mickey, you're so kind, your love for animals blows our minds … Hey, Mickey!

Why am I cheering for Mickey Rourke? Look at the mock croc he rocked at this week's Iron Man 2 premiere:

© Star Max Inc.

"[It's] some kind of crocodile or something," says Rourke. "It's not real, though … I didn't make it. A guy named David August made it. Sylvester Stallone turned me on to the guy. He's really a rock and roll dude."

A dude who has always worn his heart on his sleeve (and lapel), Mickey wouldn't hurt a fly—or a crocodile, a dog, or any other animal. Just check out his moving essay in the paperback version of PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's book, One Can Make a Difference: How Simple Actions Can Change the World. He writes about how his six rescued dogs brought him back from the brink and "saved my life!"

Via Vegetarian Star

Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth

There may not be many seals in the Sunshine State, but any who do venture that far south have a friend in U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings. The senior Democratic whip is lobbing a virtual pie in the face of the Canadian government by introducing a resolution this week urging our neighbors to the north to ban the commercial seal slaughter.

Seal fur and other spoils of the slaughter are already banned in the U.S., and the Senate passed a similar resolution last year condemning Canada's annual baby seal massacre—but this is a first for the House.

Why not add your voice to Rep. Hastings' by urging Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to make like a snowbird and retire the seal slaughter? (And don't forget to spread the word to your friends and family too.)

Written by Alisa Mullins

The Orange County Sheriff's Office has just released a 43-page investigative report into the death of Dawn Brancheau and is declaring her death an accident.

Dawn's death was no accident, and the Orange County Sheriff's report is entirely unsupportable on its face. Consider that a SeaWorld trainer who was acting as a "spotter" for Brancheau told investigators that Tilikum "has been deemed to have tendencies that make him unsafe," and yet Brancheau was allowed to "[lie] on her stomach, face to face with Tilikum … in three to four inches of water" at the side of the pool on a concrete slab, from which she was pulled into the water by the huge 12,000-pound orca.

The trainer also admitted that "no one ever goes in the pool with Tilikum because of his past history," yet video footage of Brancheau that was posted on the Web site of the NBC affiliate in Orlando and shot by a visitor to the park just minutes before her death clearly shows Brancheau in the water with Tilikum.

SeaWorld executives have long known that these animals pose a risk of death and injury, but they go for the money, exactly as mine owners who won’t risk a drop in profits by stopping to fix massive problems that put humans in harm's way do.

Another spotter confirmed that on the day of Brancheau’s death, Tilikum was "possessive," and the assistant curator of animal training admitted to investigators that "Tilikum's past history is that when he obtains a person, he does not let them go."

Despite knowing about the extreme danger posed by Tilikum and the fact that he had killed twice before, SeaWorld goes beyond ignoring the problem, understating the risks and paying money to trainers to risk their lives.

Continue reading.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9229859@N02/ / CC BY 2.0

Did you know that in a period of just 12 years, from 1996 to 2008, the market for soy milk grew more than eight times over? The folks in the dairy industry know—and it's got them scared. Never ones to play fair (subsidies, anyone?), the cow exploiters are now trying to get the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stop companies that make soy milk and other nondairy beverages from using the word "milk" on their product labels.

Heaven forbid that the word "milk" should become associated with something that's actually humane and healthy, right? At any rate, it looks like the FDA is going to ignore this insulting and time-wasting request, and it's a good thing too—who knows what the dairy pushers would go after next? Would new mothers have to buy "mammary secretion pumps"? And who wants to treat digestive upset with nondairy fluid of magnesia?

Thanks to Laura Lewis for sending this story our way.

Written by Jeff Mackey

Katharina Wirnitzer in action.

Athletes who are still choking down chicken or pounding whey-protein shakes can be relieved to know that they can trade in that garbage for gardein and soy protein powder. A new book, Bikeextreme, by sports scientist Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer is out to prove that as far as energy and vitamins go, vegan athletes are not at any disadvantage compared to those who eat meat. Wirnitzer also argues that even extreme athletes require far less protein than U.S. government guidelines (at the prompting of the meat, dairy, and egg industries) would have you believe.

"To maintain good health, a daily intake of 8–12 percent is more than enough and ideal for the highly strained metabolism of athletes," Wirnitzer says. She makes it clear that vegan diets "are not only well suited for all phases of life, as well as for top athletes, but if adequately implemented and combined with a supporting lifestyle, also optimally suited for endurance sports." To back up her research, Wirnitzer has first-hand knowledge of the subject—she's a two-time finisher of the grueling TransAlp Challenge mountain-bike race.

With endurance athletes like Dr. Katharina Wirnitzer, Brendan Brazier, and Rich Roll reaching the peak of their performance on a plant-based diet, there is no question about it: If you're a jock reaching for the top of your game, it's time to go vegan!

Written by Jeff Mackey