Written by Jeff Mackey
Just what exactly is PETA doing to help combat the animal overpopulation crisis and provide vulnerable animals with assistance? This infographic breaks it down:
What You Can Do
Help animals in your neighborhood as well as low-income areas get spayed and neutered, promote adoption from animal shelters instead of buying from breeders or pet stores, and demand appropriate animal-care standards in your community.
Visit PETASaves.com for more information.
Written by Michelle Kretzer
Hannah, my German shepherd-something-something-something mix, and I love our walks. I let her choose which direction she wants to head in, and we ramble off in search of new sights and smells.
No matter which path strikes Hannah's fancy, we always seem to see other dogs out for their evening strolls whose guardians act like it's a race to the end of the block. When the dogs try to stop and sniff something, send some "pee-mail," or greet Hannah, their guardians sometimes yank them away and drag them down the street. You can practically see the dog's nose twitching, trying desperately to catch whatever interesting smells he or she can as their human rushes along like a marathoner.
I've developed a little trick to use when Hannah starts to approach a dog or when another dog wants to stop and sniff near us: I say to her, loud enough for the other guardian to hear, "OK, just say 'Hi' for a minute," and that's usually sufficient to spare the other dog a bad case of leash-lash. My boss, who is equally irked by leash-lashers, takes a more direct approach. She matter-of-factly says, "Can our dogs meet for a minute?" or "Why don't we just let them sniff?"
When a friend of mine is out and sees anyone with a dog—although she doesn't have one—she always stops and says, "Oh, what a beautiful, smart face!" or "They love to be outdoors, don't they?" to get people to appreciate their dogs and to remember how much walks matter to them. When provoked, that friend can bite, too! Seeing someone dragging a dog along or keeping a leash too tight, she will say to the guardian, "Boy, that dog isn't allowed much fun on his walk, is he!"
Whatever approach works, I think we owe it to dogs to try to stop their guardians from yanking them away from whatever they're interested in, denying them the social interaction and ability to explore surroundings that they need and crave and possibly even injuring them. When you consider that a walk is the highlight of the day for most dogs, don't they deserve to enjoy it?
We all know by now that chaining or tying up dogs outside is cruel and dangerous, right? But if you're thinking that an "invisible fence" is a safe way to give your dog some time outdoors, think again.
Painful, Dangerous, and Bewildering
Like us, dogs are made of flesh and blood and nerve endings, three things that don't mix well with electricity. Invisible fences deliver a painful shock when dogs cross a buried electrical wire. There are collars that do the same thing. Some are controlled by the owner, who keeps a remote-control shocking device handy to be used whenever the owner feels that the dog has misbehaved, while others shock automatically, triggered by barking. Beyond the physical pain and the anticipatory fear that the shocks induce, these devices can injure a dog both physically—from burns to cardiac fibrillation—and psychologically, causing severe anxiety and displaced aggression.
Not understanding why or how they're being hurt, dogs subjected to shock collars and invisible fences may direct their fear or aggression toward what they believe is the source of the shock—which may be passing bicyclists, the mail carrier, or your neighbors' children.
Punished for Coming Home
Has your dog ever recklessly bolted after a squirrel or in a panic at a loud noise? Dogs often run right through invisible fences in the heat of the moment, but to cross back over that line means that they'll get a painful jolt—a prospect that leaves some too scared to return. And even if invisible fences succeed in keeping animals contained within certain boundaries, the nonexistent barrier certainly won't protect them from cruel humans and roaming dogs or other animals who can easily come onto your property.
No dog should live in fear of getting shocked for barking or crossing an invisible line. Real fences and positive training methods in which dogs are rewarded for good behavior are humane and effective. If you want to give your dog a stimulating experience, throw a dog party instead!
It seems as if every other week there's another horror story about an animal who has died or gone missing during airline travel. The most recent one involves Xiaohwa, a frightened cat who bolted when an employee opened her crate at John F. Kennedy International Airport—she is still lost inside the building.
It's just not a good idea to entrust our beloved animals to a system that we barely trust with our shampoo and underwear.
Although some airlines do allow a limited number of small animals to ride inside the cabin, many still think that animals should be treated like baggage. The cargo hold of a plane is a loud, terrifying—and often deadly—place. Because it isn't climate-controlled, it can quickly become sweltering or freezing, putting animals at risk of dying from heatstroke or exposure.
So as the holiday season approaches, many animal guardians are opting to take the scenic route and drive to their destinations. Here are our top tips for traveling with animals to help make the trip smooth sailing:
Some people find that it's easier on animals if they're allowed to stay at home in the care of trusted family members, friends, or sitters. When your animal companions are staying at home, you will want to do the following:
Happy holidays to you and all your family members!
Tulsa, Oklahoma, resident William Lewallen is facing charges of child neglect, after police reportedly found his 4-year-old toddler locked outside, naked and crying, and his 18-month-old daughter locked inside a crate and covered with feces.
Although the children apparently showed no immediate, obvious signs of physical injury, PETA is sending the Tulsa District Attorney's Office a book containing some surprising facts about just how deleterious, phsyically and psychologically, crating can be to living beings: Dog in a Box (there's also Dogs Hate Crates).
Both books are the result of extensive research revealing that crated dogs suffer from loneliness, confusion, and fear and present case studies showing that when dogs are deprived of the social interaction, companionship, and exercise that they (and humans) need, the result can be myriad health and behavioral problems, such as aggression, withdrawal, hyperactivity, depression, eating disorders, separation anxiety, and muscle atrophy.
It's easy to see how someone could have suffered psychological torment while locked inside a crate.
PETA hopes that, if the charges against William Lewallen are proven, he gets to find out exactly how it feels to be locked up for a long time.
Confined to barren, muddy pens with no protection from the elements, no food, and no water, the nearly 70 dogs owned by Cajun Country "Ranch and Animal Rescue" in Wilburton, Oklahoma, were struggling to survive. Their skin was stretched tightly over their rib cages, and fleas and ticks had ravaged their bodies. The horses on the property fared no better, their bones clearly visible. The bones of dead dogs lay piled up like leaves, and more bones were scattered throughout the property.
When PETA received a tip-off, we alerted local officials, who told us that they shared our concerns. One of our contacts in the area was an expert on hoarding situations, and after he surveyed the property for us, he confirmed our fears about the "rescue."
The next day, armed with a warrant, police raided the property and arrested the owners, Anne Marie and Shane Duhon. According to news reports when police entered the couple's home, they found three children living in squalor. Animal feces covered the house, including the children's beds, and cockroaches crawled across the littered floor. Reportedly, the children were covered with bites from fleas, ticks, and other insects. While the Department of Human Services took the children to a safe location, a multitude of volunteers, mobilized by PETA supporters in the area, came in with horse trailers and kennels and moved all the animals to awaiting reputable rescues and animal shelters.
Some of the animals were so far gone that they needed to be euthanized. At trial, the Duhons pleaded guilty to child neglect and cruelty-to-animals charges. They were put on probation for five years, banned from having any animals during that time, and told that if they violated the terms of their probation, they could face prison time.
While animal hoarding behavior stems from a desire to "save" animals, hoarders' mental illness causes them to keep amassing animals, and well-meaning people encourage hoarders by giving them animals and/or money. They end up with far more animals than they are capable of caring for—with disastrous, deadly consequences for their victims. If you suspect that a local "rescue" is actually a hoarder, alert animal control or PETA immediately.
We owe it to our animal companions to learn a little "dogese" or "catish," so here are the meanings of some of the most common animal behaviors:
Now that you're fluent in your animals' language, read up on how to be a great guardian.
Written by Guest Blogger
The following is a guest post from Brophie, who accompanies his guardian to PETA's Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters every day.
As a former "backyard dog," I spent many years outside in all weather extremes. I didn't receive the medical care I needed when I was sick or much of anything I needed, really—but what I craved the most was love.
Then my owner—during Hurricane Irene—left me in the backyard to fend for myself. When the fence blew away (yes, the wind was that strong), I managed to make my way to a fire station. Somehow, I knew that was the best place to go in an emergency. The wonderful firefighters called PETA, and soon I was here in the office, resting on a cushy bed. I received plenty of food, treatment for severe flea allergy dermatitis, and lots of ear scratches (those were what I enjoyed the most). A PETA Foundation staffer couldn't resist my handsome mug (could you?), so I finally learned how it feels to be part of a family.
Like you, we dogs are pack animals. We need our "pack" around us, to snuggle with us, play with us, take us for walks, and make us feel loved every day. I'm fortunate enough to experience all these things now, and I would love for all dogs to have these opportunities, too.
I also get to go to the PETA office every day, where I play with other smart people (dogs) in the PETA dog park and go for walks with my human. Of course, the calming influence of having dogs at work isn't appreciated in every office, so it's vital for guardians to go home on their lunch breaks or hire a well-recommended dog-walker to come by so those dogs don't have to sit "holding it" all day. They also get some essential mental stimulation and exercise. Having plenty of toys around helps, too—they keep our minds and bodies active. But what we really want—and need—is quality time with you, so please, when you come home, take us out for a long walk and play with us. Don't just go dashing off somewhere, leaving us to stare at the wall.
I've seen how the other half lives. And I can't tell you how much happier and healthier I am now that I have all the love and affection I could want.
PETA is urging the public to beware of PETCO's "Turtle Relinquishment Program"—a deceptively named ploy to essentially solicit free turtles from unsuspecting people in order to funnel them back into the pet trade, through a meat farm!
Most states have laws either banning or restricting the sale of turtles, so it is likely that any you see at a pet store were captured illegally or raised in less-than-humane conditions.
Capitalizing on a recent rash of pet turtle–related cases of salmonella poisoning in humans, the shameless pet store chain—which has a terrible record already when it comes to animal welfare—has announced that anyone can bring a turtle of any size to its stores. PETCO then ships those turtles to its own vendor, Concordia Turtle Farm in Louisiana, which has said that it will "treat" the turtles for salmonella.
Well, this might sound like a noble effort to some, but shipping turtles is extremely stressful on them. And to add insult to injury, there really isn't any way to rid reptiles of salmonella—they naturally carry it in their intestinal tract! What's more, what PETCO doesn't tell consumers, and what PETA has learned, is that Concordia Turtle Farm exports 80 percent of its turtles overseas—mostly to China, where they grow larger and are then slaughtered for meat. Although it's unclear whether the relinquished turtles will end up on Chinese plates, this business deal brings up several important questions. Why would PETCO ally itself with a meat-trade supplier? And if it's "concerned" about human health, why is the company selling turtles in the first place?
Living conditions during the trip from the breeder or dealer are typically cramped and unsanitary, and many reptiles do not survive the ordeal.
Please help keep turtles safe by urging the CEO of PETCO to end this ghastly program and stop selling turtles altogether.
When PETA India Science Policy Adviser Dr. Chaitanya Koduri and his wife, Vidya, found Laila, she was a terrified puppy alone on the streets of Mumbai. But after the couple welcomed her into their home, giving her the care and affection that every dog deserves, Laila blossomed into, as Dr. Koduri describes, "this beautiful, naughty girl who will never get tired of playing. She needs to put her nose into anything and everything."
As you can see, Laila—showing her paws decorated with golden turmeric—gladly joined in the family festivities on Ganesha Chaturthi, which celebrates the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the Hindu deity with the head of an elephant.
As Laila's story shows, people who offer homes to animals in need not only save those animals' lives but also fill their own homes and hearts with boundless love. Please never buy from breeders or pet shops—always adopt.
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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