Written by PETA
OK, so the weekend's almost here, but if you need a little something to get you through the workday, jump on over to Facebook to check out our new game, Shivering Kittens.
Don't let the sad-sounding name throw you. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to rescue the chilly kitties from a frigid fate—and invite your friends to join in. As a bonus, they'll learn a bit about how to help protect cats here in the real world. Gameplay is simplicity itself (think Tetris with a twist), and the grateful felines will even give you a thankful "meow" when you help them out of their predicament. Who knows? Trying to beat my high score of 134 saved kittens could even inspire you to spend the rest of your weekend—or your life—being a champion for animals!
Written by Jeff Mackey
No ifs, ands, or head butts—Bucky is one lucky goat. A California couple won $2 million from a scratch lottery ticket, and they plan to spend it to upgrade their animal sanctuary. They credit Bucky, the first animal they ever rescued, for their good fortune. Their decision means big bucks for Bucky and his buds (who include horses, chickens, and other goats). I'm guessing that Bucky will blow the money on kids, chicks, and a pimped-out pen.
How would you spend the money if you won the lottery? Leave us a comment and let us know. While you're dreaming of all that dough, be sure to watch the video of Bucky and the rest of the brood. Spoiler alert: One of the goats tries to eat the oversized check.
Written by Amy Skylark Elizabeth
One of the best things about working for the PETA Foundation is the knowledge that we are helping make a difference in the lives of animals every day. Even those of us in support roles (such as Finance and Human Resources departments) have the option to get out of the office and spend a day with PETA's amazing Community Animal Project fieldworkers.
On April 15, I did just that. I traded my heels for work boots, and I took a day off from helping humans so that I could make a huge difference in the lives of some very special dogs in our community.
The experience was as heartbreaking as it was rewarding. These beautiful dogs exist in backyards, exiled from the families they long to love, with little food or water, chained to whatever will hold them. They are kept among the trash, in blocked-off areas only few square feet in area. Sometimes we could barely tell that there were animals in the yards.
At each house we visited, we got right to work. We untangled and replaced heavy chains with lighter tie-outs so that the dogs could have room to move. We relocated doghouses to shadier spots, and we moved crap (both figurative and literal) out of the way so that the dogs would have a cleaner, drier place to lie down.
We were so lucky to come across Fluffy, whose area was so full of feces that it reached the top of his food bowl! I could barely stand the stench for 15 minutes—I can't imagine how he could spend his whole life among it. After a lot of hard work, we were able to move his PETA doghouse under a tree, secure his water bucket, and finally give him some fresh air to breathe.
With that, we were on to the next house. At this house I met an angel. She doesn't have a name and simply exists in a backyard, tied to a tree—and I'm unable to get her out of my head. My mission was to clean her filthy water bowl, but it was clear that what she really wanted was my attention. She could barely contain her excitement. She continually jumped up and down, wiggling her whole body, so happy to have someone notice her. If I tried to leave, she would jump up, grab my legs, and look into my eyes. This girl was starving … for affection.
At the end of the day, I'm not sure which was harder: Seeing the way these animals were forced to live or having to walk away.
If you're inspired by these stories, there are so many ways that you can help. First, you should have your animal companions spayed or neutered so that fewer dogs and cats end up in situations like these. You can volunteer in your community to help backyard dogs or to educate your neighbors about the importance of spaying and neutering. You can also take a moment to donate to PETA's Investigations and Rescue Fund, which supports PETA's outreach efforts.
Written by Vicki Carey, PETA Foundation Director of Human Resources
No, not that kind of stalker—they're just creepy. Think celery stalks. The authors of a new book, Stay Young, have dubbed celery "vegetable Viagra," after research has shown that it boosts men's pheromone levels, making them more attractive to women, increasing libidos, and strengthening climaxes. Of course, that's hardly news to us. PETA has been touting the aphrodisiac qualities of vegan food for ages—we even beat them to the "Veggie Viagra" line.
So remember, guys, if you want to score big in the bedroom, lettuce help you make the switch to a vegan diet. Whether you're into firm melons or long stems, you won't leek prematurely or artichoke when the big moment comes. You'll be pumpkin with confidence, but ladies, ignore his corny lines, and just ask, "Is that a celery stalk in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"*
*I wasn't sure it would happen, but I'm all punned out. Can you think of any good ones that I missed?
PETA Files readers know that we adore Ellen and Oprah for their endless efforts to help animals. Today we're throwing some love—and sending our thanks—to another daytime talk-show host, Dr. Phil, who earlier this week turned his viewers' attention from cheating spouses to the seedy world of dogfighting.
When he confronted a dogfighter during the show, Dr. Phil didn't mince words: "I think dogfighting is wrong. I think it is despicable. I think it is sick. I think it is disgusting." The good doctor also blogged about the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the sale of porn for pup torturers, declaring, "I was sick to my stomach."
We'd also like to point out that Dr. Phil's other guest, Paris Hilton, whom we've taken to task in the past for her own bad behavior, chimed in: "I kind of want to punch [the dogfighter] in the face."
After you thank Dr. Phil for taking on dogfighters, tell us what you think should be done to stop them?
Written by Karin Bennett
Animals have some fantastic friends across the pond. Some are famous for their great wit, while others are known for their head-turning, cruelty-free style.
And then there are the rabble-rousers at PETA U.K., who are relentless in their efforts to speak up for all animals who need a voice. They've just unveiled a new blog, Animal Writes. It covers all things animal rights, from the wonderful (such as PETA U.K.'s new anti-bearskin ad) to the worrisome (such as the sad case of Drizzle, a pony who dropped dead from a heart attack moments after being used by Prince Harry in a recent polo match).
I'll admit that if I hadn't read Animal Writes, I might not have understood how horribly ponies suffer in polo matches. Abuses are so routine that one guest at the polo match said blandly, "It was very lucky that Harry rode her off because we were spared the gruesome spectacle of watching the pony die."
I for one intend to stay in the know on issues and efforts in the U.K. by subscribing to Animal Writes' RSS feed. Will you?
Break out the party hats: Another retailer has gone fur-free! After PETA sent Caché women's specialty retailer a video showing animals being poisoned, gassed, skinned alive, and killed in other cruel ways, the company's chief executive officer informed us that Caché would stop selling real fur. Woot, woot!
According to one fur trade journal, U.S. mink farms sold 28,000 fewer skins in 2009 than in 2008, and the value of the skins that were sold dropped by 38 percent. Fur imports have also dropped considerably.
"Fur is back," my behind!
Let's keep hammering away at the fur industry—animals on fur farms don't get a summer vacation. To find out more, read the longer version of this blog on Care2
Written by Heather Moore
And the Best Civil Engineer award goes to … the beaver! Scientists recently stumbled upon the world's biggest beaver dam. Twice as long as the Hoover Dam, this whopping woodland creation can be seen from space.
Using their mad landscaping skills, several beaver families have been working on this 2,790-foot Canadian compound since 1975 (I wonder if their lodges have shag carpet). The hardest-working mammals in the construction business, beavers are a keystone species, whose dams create and maintain wetlands. Beavers are also gentle, curious, family-oriented animals who mate for life and share in child-raising duties. Did I mention that they're also fond of flute music?
Important, intriguing, and dam fine builders, beavers' biggest predators are humans who trap them for fur (fur trapping is the number one cause of death for beavers) or pick on them because they're perceived as "pests." Resolving conflicts with beavers and other wildlife is easy if you think like a beaver. Ingenuity, industriousness, good planning skills, and architectural know-how go a long way in peacefully coexisting with all our wild neighbors. So seriously, let's leave beavers alone and let them enjoy their music.
The following post originally appeared on PETA Prime.
Recently, I ran across some really sad cases of guardians who lost their feline companions and did not know what steps to take to recover them. Here are some basic guidelines that were originally published in my book 250 Things You Can Do to Make Your Cat Adore You. These steps should also work for most other types of animal companions.
The following are the basic rules:
Somewhere between watching House of Payne reruns on TBS and holding Madea movie marathons, I totally missed this Tyler Perry news: The man loves dogs.
It seems that a dog named Aldo changed Tyler's life. As Tyler explains in this moving essay, Aldo has quickly become his "best buddy":
"I find myself not working long hours so that I can rush home to walk him and feed him. It's so crazy! Who knew that me, Mr. Commitment Phobe, could feel like this about any living creature?"
And when Tyler visited his local humane society to adopt a pal for Aldo, he went home with three!
Not only does this man have a sense of humor, he's also looking out for the millions of animals sitting in animal shelters by making sure he adopts. After you sign up for the Tyler Perry fan club, check out these great reads by PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk to find out how you can make your own furry friends a little bit happier.
Written by Paula Moore
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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