theage / CC

Great news for all you PETA Files readers down under: Australian fashion designer Alannah Hill has agreed to stop using rabbit fur in her collections.

Good on ya, Alannah!

The girly-chic designer had a change of heart after hearing from thousands of PETA Asia-Pacific supporters who got fired up about fur after watching video footage that documents disgusting conditions on a Chinese fur farm.

Alannah joins the ranks of compassionate designers like Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, and Tommy Hilfiger, who have all sworn off fur.

Hopefully, other designers (Armani, are you listening?) will soon follow suit.

Written by Alisa Mullins

Snow is great when you're watching it through your window with a soy hot chocolate, but imagine being in harness, dragging a cart full of tourists through slush and ice all day, without even a blanket—despite temperatures in the teens—and with nothing but iron between you and the pavement. Doesn't sound like such a happy holiday to me. And when you call the ASPCA, they mumble that they really can't do much. Go figure! That's why PETA supporters Alec Baldwin, Calvin Klein, Todd Oldham, Kathy Najimy, and our very own Golden Girl, Rue McClanahan, have joined together to sponsor our holiday ad calling on New York City to ban horse-drawn carriages!

You remember our Kristen Johnston ad in which she appears as Lady Godiva on a (fake) horse? That ad reads, "Don't get taken for a ride. Horse-drawn carriages are cruel." With help from our famous friends, our ads are going to appear on the tops of hundreds of NYC taxis throughout the holiday season!

It certainly helps to have kindhearted friends in Hollywood places, especially when you're defending those with no voices of their own. Hopefully, this will remind anyone looking for a ride that there are kinder alternatives! So remember, if you're lucky enough to be in New York for the holidays, make sure to save a horse and ride the subway!

Thanks to Alex, Calvin, Todd, Kathy, and Rue, you'll soon see this ad all over NYC.

Written by Lianne Turner

latimes / CC

The latest spread in Us magazine features our favorite fur-toting trolls as they exemplify the ugly side of fashion. The haggard crones just can't seem to get enough of killing animals for their fur, whether they're wearing it, designing with it, or paying someone to rip it off the backs of animals.

When PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews was asked about a photo of Hairy-Kate dressed in a hideous fur vest, he said, "Fur adds 20 years and 20 pounds. Maybe Mary-Kate thinks this sad vest made of a dozen dead animals will make her look matronly and deflect the gossip about bulimia."

Think you've got a snappier remark? You know we want to hear it, so comment below!

Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky

starpulse / CC

We're all about New Year's Resolutions here at PETA. Mine is to quit eating so much delicious vegan junk food and start cooking healthier vegan meals. Pop star Katy Perry had a similar idea when she said, "I try to want to be a vegetarian 'cause I know it would be more of a healthier option for me."

She's right! On average, vegetarians and vegans weigh 10 to 20 pounds less than their carnivorous counterparts, and cutting animals from your diet solves all sorts of other health issues as well. So, if you were thinking about trying to lose weight for the New Year, taking our "Pledge to Be Veg" is a safe bet! Just to give Katy a little extra encouragement, we decided to send her a copy of Skinny ***** and a basket full of yummy vegan food! Not only that, we sent her a list of vegetarian restaurants to visit on her January 2009 tour. It should come in handy when she's trying to eat healthy on the road.

So kudos to Katy for a smart New Year's Resolution! Not only would her new diet give her more energy to perform, but it's an easy way to save energy, the environment, and animals as well. Happy New Year, Katy!

Do you have an animal-friendly resolution? Let's hear it!

Written by Lianne Turner