In the wake of the deaths of six bulldogs during flights last year, Delta Airlines has announced it will no longer ship English, French, or American bulldogs. Bulldogs, whose short snouts prevent them from cooling themselves effectively, are among the breeds most affected by the rigors of transport in unventilated cargo holds.

As my former Pennsylvania puppy mill bulldog, Bruce, snores beside me, I can't imagine how anyone would ever consider subjecting their dog to the terrors and dangers of a cargo hold. Bruce starts breathing hard when the temperature goes above sixty and he would hate being separated from his family and stuck in a cage in a dark, noisy place.
 

Jen's rescued bulldog, Bruce, isn't being rude. His raspberries are filled with love.

 
PETA strongly advises against ever shipping any animal in an airplane cargo hold, which can be extremely dangerous—even fatal. Most cargo compartments are kept unventilated in order to help prevent fires. Cargo holds generally have no heat or air conditioning, and they can reach extreme temperatures quickly. Sometimes cats and dogs escape from carriers that have been damaged in transit and become lost inside airplanes or airplane hangars.

Delta's off to a flying start by not allowing bulldogs on board. Even better is Pet Airways, whose only passengers are companion animals—and they all fly first-class.

 
Written by Jennifer O'Connor

Less than a year and a half after taking over as the University of Georgia's (UGA) mascot following the death of his predecessor, Uga VII died last week. With his passing comes a communal outpouring of grief and new discussions about the search for his successor.

theunquietlibrarian / CC

It's no coincidence that Uga VII died of a heart ailment similar to the one that killed Uga VI. Puppy peddlers rely on inbreeding to preserve bloodlines, which creates genetic defects and makes dogs susceptible to congenital illnesses. After years of genetic manipulation, countless bulldogs suffer from constant skin and eye infections, hip dysplasia, and weak respiratory systems—which are worsened by the kind of poor ventilation and hot, humid weather that Uga VII was exposed to as a constantly traveling mascot. Bulldogs also can't give birth naturally because of their large heads and small hips, so breeders artificially inseminate the females then cut them open year after year for c-sections.

In addition to breeding deadly defects, breeders contribute to the companion animal overpopulation crisis. Every year, approximately 4 million animals in animal shelters are euthanized because there simply aren't enough good homes. To help end the crisis—and UGA's string of preventable mascot deaths—we're asking the University to honor Uga VII by replacing him with an animatronic or solely using their costumed mascot, Hairy Dawg.

We can't think of a more fitting legacy for Uga VII than to stop the breeding of animals, which causes so many lethal genetic problems like those that undoubtedly contributed to his untimely death.

It's always right to root for compassion.

Written by Logan Scherer

Eva Mendes' performance in Bad Lieutenant has Hollywood talking. And today, with Fur-Free Friday fast approaching, the talk of tinsel-town debuted PETA's new fur exposé.

Eva says, "I didn't always know how animals were killed for their fur, and I even wore fur once myself." But then the compassionate (and smoldering-hot) actor learned that millions of animals are killed every year in the cruel fur industry. "I swore that I'd never wear it again," she says. Now, in PETA's new exposé (and just in time for the holiday shopping season), Eva is urging viewers to go for a look that kills without killing animals—by forgoing fur in favor of glamorous alternatives.

Why should you go-go-faux? Dogs, cats, foxes, minks, rabbits, and other animals often suffer the pain of having their skin ripped from their bodies while they are conscious and able to feel every agonizing minute. The only way to bring an end to the suffering is to follow Eva's lead and never wear any fur.

Written by Logan Scherer