Written by PETA
On last night's Family Guy, the show tried (sort of) to make the point that dogs' lives are not worthless (how risqué of them). But I'm not totally convinced that the animal rights message came across through the myriad of violent deaths of cartoon dogs.
Incidentally, I've been waiting, like, nine years for that oh-so-clever PETA/Peter joke. Especially since other notable animated shows tackled animal rights issues (and, yes, even PETA) years ago.
Family Guy's been on notice ever since we found out that its writers are captive manatees. (We're against that sort of thing, you know.) This episode has us thinking that Family Guy might want to fire the animal writers and hire people who can generate material that doesn't make us roll our eyes.
Written by Amanda Schinke
Remember when Oprah did that show exposing puppy mills? Everybody was talking about it! We love when the truth about animal cruelty gets out to the public, and now Jane Velez-Mitchell is stepping up to educate her viewers on New Year's Day. If you've watched her show, Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell, on CNN Headline News, you know that she definitely has her facts straight about animal rights. Jane is a vegan environmentalist (can you be one without the other?), and she's not afraid to voice it.
Her show on January 1 will cover puppy mills, animal birth control, shelter adoption, Prop 2, and a ton of other important animal protection issues. That's right, a whole show devoted to animals! You know what that means: Cancel your plans (or set your DVR), grab some friends, and watch!
The show will air on Thursday, January 1, at 7 p.m. EST on CNN Headline News.
So, how can we get more shows like this on the air? Well, we can start by letting CNN know we want them! It's super easy to write to CNN and tell its representatives what you thought about this show. Also tell them that you would love for more people to follow in Jane's footsteps and stand up for animals.
Written by Lianne Turner
Yes, there were wonderful milestones achieved for animals in California and Massachusetts in this election, but is our new President-elect, Barack Obama, fighting for change in the animal world as well? Here's PETA's official statement:
President-elect Barack Obama has said, "I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other. And it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals." Because PETA is devoted to fighting animal abuse and recognizes the link between cruelty to animals and violence directed against humans, the organization is very encouraged by this statement.
PETA is also pleased that Obama and his wife, Michelle, have announced that they will adopt a rescued dog for their daughters instead of patronizing a pet store or breeder. PETA opposes large-scale breeding facilities, known as "puppy mills," as well as private breeders who bring puppies and kittens into the world while nearly 4 millions cats and dogs must be euthanized at the nation's extremely crowded animal shelters every year. PETA supports animal shelters and encourages all prospective companion animal guardians to visit their local shelter.
PETA was also encouraged to see that unlike other Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in the past, Obama did not pander to the National Rifle Association and other pro-hunting organizations by heading into the woods and shooting defenseless animals.
PETA looks forward to working with President-elect Obama and the new administration to help create change for the millions of animals who suffer unnecessarily in this country. What's next? If his stance on other animal issues is any indication, perhaps the next president will put a tofu chicken in every pot.
Written by Christine Doré
So it was great to read on People.com this morning that the actress and producer is jumping headfirst into the blogging world. And by headfirst, I mean straight into the deep end of animals rights. Hey, we like a girl who gets right down to business!
She mentions her love for her dogs, nonprofit organizations, and Hole in the Paper Sky, a recent short film about the life of a man who is forever changed by the companionship he receives from a laboratory dog. Whether you've seen PETA's video about animal testing or not, Hole in the Paper Sky sounds like a definite tearjerker.
Anyway, Biel is MySpace Celebrity's feature icon, and here's her blog. So while she's mastering the whole blog-lingo thing, I recommend jumping on over there to see what she has to say.
And don't worry, Jessica. There are no blurkers here. ...
Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky
Well, if you missed 30 Days on FX last night, don't say we didn't remind you. Fortunately for everyone, George Snedeker—the hunter (and incredibly good sport) who agreed to spend a month with a family of animal rights activists, including PETA's very own Melissa Karpel—has taken some time to answer a few questions about his experience. To watch this episode in its entirety, please click here. Check our the interview below ...
1. When you were first selected to participate in this show, what did you expect the experience to be like? I was pretty scared. I expected to be surrounded by people that just wanted to argue for a whole month. I'm not afraid of an argument, but I thought the numbers were stacked against me. All I was told was that I would be totally immersed in the animal rights movement. As far as the people I would meet, I expected a lot of angry people that yelled a lot. I figured girls and guys alike would be hairy-legged sandal-wearing hippies. For the most part, I was mistaken.
2. How did your opinion of animal rights activists change after your 30 days with the Karpels?I realized almost immediately that animal rights activists, PETA members specifically, were very normal folks. That being said, there are some out there—just as with the factory farms—that give everyone involved a bad name. I learned about several examples of the abuse, neglect, and suffering that occur in factory farming. It's not a pretty industry, and if people were able to experience what I did, you might see a major change.
3. What were your best, and worst, experiences during the 30 days? Living with Melissa and her family as a vegan for the month was by far the most fun. It just took a few days for us to find common ground, and then we worked from that point in a nonjudgmental way. The Karpels are a wonderful family that I was proud to be a part of throughout my adventure. I have made great friends with them, and I miss them. I am a lucky man. It's not hard to find the worst experiences—there were two. First was the initial time I spent at Animal Acres, and second was the time I spent at the UCLA protest. Without getting into specifics, I can just say that being the loudest is not always the best way to be heard. These people were deliberately offensive and were the most close-minded individuals I have ever met. On several occasions, I was verbally abused. I traveled 3,500 miles with an open mind to learn, not to be judged.
4. Are there any animal rights issues that are particularly important to you now that you hadn't thought about before staying with Melissa and her family?I am aware that there need to be changes in factory farming, but aside from veganism, I haven't heard about a practical alternative. I personally prefer to buy my meat and produce from grocers that support the smaller local farms. The Burberry demonstration was hard-hitting, but we don't have very many fur coats in North Carolina. The one subject that I find the most offensive is vivisection. I can't give away anything about the show, but I had no idea how unnecessary it was. Tissue samples are infinitely more effective. For the sake of money, it seems people are abusing animals just because they can. They should be ashamed of themselves and pray that they never have to answer for their actions.
5. What are your views on the tactics that PETA uses to draw attention to the suffering of animals? One area where I think PETA could use some P.R. work is separating themselves from some of the other animal rights groups out there. The term most people relate to animal rights is PETA. Anything that happens for the sake of animals, regardless of how offensive it is, gets hung on the neck of PETA. Consequently, most people think PETA people are nuts. I believe PETA does it the right way: education. ... They keep it fun and provide people with information.
6. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?I can't imagine changing a thing. Our director, Jay Blumke, and producer, Matt Hobin, did their homework. It would take years for anyone else to get the entire experience that I had. I had total access. It is amazing what can happen if you walk into something with an open mind, even if it is against everything you know already. You might think you are 100 percent right on a particular subject. Here's a news flash: You don't know everything. Just watch, listen, and learn. I still can't get a hold of "bugs." Is it against the PETA tenet not to like them? I have about 1,000 red bugs (chiggers) that hate me. They're trying to eat my legs clean off. Is it OK to hate them back?
And here are some photos of George and Melissa delivering doghouses that didn't make the final cut of the episode:
Without letting even the tiniest opportunity to help nonhuman animals swim by, my inventive comrades have devised a delightful new stratagem to help free some of our sea-dwelling sisters and brothers.
The Pitch: To open the world's fist-ever Lobster Empathy Center in the lobster-execution capital of the world (Creative, yes?) The Setting: A prison (Bloody genius!)
The proposed attraction would include wrapping visitors' hands in giant rubber bands for the duration of their stay, serving faux-lobster treats, and giving kiddies free stuffed toy lobsters labeled "Lobsters Are Friends, Not Food."
Can't wait to go, right? I know, me neither! Sadly, our dreams will have to be put on hold for a bit, as the prison was just sold to the highest bidder. But do keep us in mind if you hear of any sweet oceanfront prison property up for grabs!
Now if all this talk has given you a hankering for some vegan lobster tail, here's a recipe to satisfy your urgings.
Killer birds from PetSmart. It sounds like a reimagined version of Hitchcock's The Birds or maybe Troma's follow-up film to Poultrygeist, but it's a true, tragic story. A bird-loving family from Corpus Christi, Texas, reportedly lost their beloved father—and the daughter almost lost her life—after they both contracted psittacosis from a cockatiel whom they had purchased at PetSmart and named Peachy. Check out the Associated Press Article here if you don't want to take my word for it.
Peachy, who also died, allegedly from this "parrot fever," was bred at Rainbow World Exotics, a breeding mill that PETA recently investigated, where we found rampant abuse and neglect of small animals and exotic birds. Bird-breeding facilities such as Rainbow World Exotics are no different than puppy mills—they're massive animal factories that crank out birds with no regard for their health, happiness, or individual best interests. It doesn't just hurt the birds when unsanitary, inhumane conditions are the norm.
The good news is that this heroic and forever scarred family is now standing up to PetSmart and demanding an end to the sale of all birds. And you can help them succeed!
And please read this important info about how to keep you and your bird safe.
Angel's Story: Another PetSmart Casualty
The following open letter is a response to this letter.
Dear Best Week Ever, We really appreciate that you shared your suggestion with us about tiny footwear being the key to convincing people not to eat animals anymore. I don't know why we didn't think of this sooner. Your idea is genius.B.W.E., we couldn't agree more that upping the cute factor to nearly vomit-inducing levels is a tactic that perhaps we should try more often in order to dissuade people from eating animals. And we're going to start now. We are adding "provide boots to all chickens" to our list of demands for KFC. Sure, it might not be the most pressing issue the twisted corporation needs to address (they should probably focus on fixing the whole scalding birds alive thing and preventing future rat infestations), but every little bit helps!In addition to cuteness, there's also the practical value of wearing boots while crammed in pens or sheds with zillions of other animals. Unsurprisingly, those floors aren't too clean and even Britney Spears wouldn't be caught barefoot in a factory farm. OK, maybe she would, but little chicks shouldn't be. Not to mention that the boots will provide extra ankle support for chicks and make it harder to hang them upside-down in shackles.Again, thanks for the great suggestion and we'll be sure to keep you posted on the status of our new "Chicks for Boots" campaign. Regards,The PETA Staff
She's blue about being pimped out to a circus and a zoo! Meet Sydney—the pachyderm protagonist in Sanctuary Song, a new opera opening this summer in Toronto. A dynamic combination of song, dance, and theater, this ele-friendly opera follows Sydney as she recounts her life during a journey to a sanctuary in Tennessee. Discussing her abduction by poachers and her years spent in a circus and a zoo, she relives the fond memories of her friends and family as well as the fearful memories of captivity. Will Sydney be reunited with her childhood friend in the last act? No spoiler alert here! Like they say, it's not over until the elephant sings.
Can't make it to Toronto to see Sanctuary Song? Put on your favorite aria, and check out the lovely ladies at this real-life Tennessee sanctuary.
… it stars me, so it must be awesome. Actually, it stars a bunch of people at the forefront of PETA’s work to help animals, who really know what they’re talking about. I just get to introduce them. This month’s Podcast features PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich talking about how to be an effective advocate for animals (e.g., more with the positive outreach, less with the vegan police force), and it’s really compelling stuff. So if you’ve got 20 minutes to spare this afternoon, get your headphones on, pull up an Excel spreadsheet to make it look like you’re working, and listen to Bruce’s Effective Advocacy tips. Then let me know what you think.
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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