Vegan marshmallow peepers! That's right, the sugary (but pig skin–laden) treats have taken the vegan leap thanks to Sweet and Sara's Easter Chick & Bunny. They are the cruelty-free, must-have edible couple of the season:

Want to call these confectionary cuties yours? Just tell us what excites you most about the upcoming arrival of spring—from extra-long walks with your animal companions to Easter-inspired month-long candy binges. We're giving a bag of these peepers to the reader with the vision that most makes us crave March's out-like-a-lamb end.

Enter by sharing your springtime hopes in the comments section. The contest ends on March 24, 2010, and we'll pick the winner on March 26, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Logan Scherer

© Star Max Inc

In an effort to rebuild his image, Mike Tyson has a new Animal Planet series in the works, tentatively titled Taking on Tyson and slated to premiere in 2011. The former heavyweight fighter will use the program to showcase his passion for pigeons via his exploits in the pigeon-racing industry.

While we would never knock someone's love for these intelligent birds, Tyson's claim to care about pigeons is rather incredulous given that he chooses to tout using them in a "sport" that—like horseracing—exposes them to danger and death. In a typical race, the birds are taken great distances—sometimes as many as 500 miles—away from their homes and then released to see if they can find their way back. It can only be a traumatic experience, as evidenced by the fallen pigeons who succumb to storms, shotgun pellets, and collisions with high-tension wires and who are often found starving, exhausted, and a long way from home. Pigeons mate for life, and the likelihood that both partners will find each other again or that the bird who is released will be reunited with the one left in the coop is a crapshoot. For those banded birds who are found by concerned citizens or turned in to humane societies and have their bands traced, the voice on the other end of the phone is likely to say what we have been told directly, i.e., "Wring their necks, that's what we do with losers."

Mike Tyson likes to tell the story of the first time that he beat someone up, saying it was over someone wanting to hurt one of "his" pigeons. Well, in pigeon racing, he'll meet a lot of people he can beat up if that's the criteria, but if he really wants to rehabilitate his image, then the seedy underbelly of the pigeon-racing world isn't the ideal stage for him. If you'd like to contact Animal Planet to state your opinion on whether this show should air or if the network should stick to Whale Wars and Animal Cops, please send a polite message to Discovery Communications' viewer relations department.

Written by Logan Scherer

Men who can't get it up down there, beware: A new study suggests that those who suffer from erectile dysfunction "are twice as likely to succumb to cardiovascular disease or heart attacks as those who do not have the problem." German researchers say that since penile blood vessels are smaller than those in the heart, atherosclerosis appears in the penis a few years before it reaches your ticker.

Finally, someone's listening. Guys, we've told you that the saturated fat and cholesterol in meat, dairy products, and eggs clogs your arteries and slows the blood flow to all your organs, making you a Sally in the sack and increasing your risk of dying young from a heart attack. Not only does going vegan save the lives of more than 100 animals a year, it also gets your blood flowing and your love life going.

Written by Logan Scherer

There's only one rule at Vosges Chocolate's Exotic Candy Bar Library: Once you've checked out your selection, it's totally yours to keep. And with fancy vegan chocolate flavors such as Creole and Black Pearl, we have a feeling that the shelves will be empty in no time.

Want a collection of your own? We're giving away one of these edible libraries to the reader who comes up with the best animal-friendly literary mash-up. (Seriously—if Jane Austen and zombies can successfully join forces, then so can animals and literary classics!) My compassionate mash-up? To Save a Mockingbird!

Start wiggling your inner bookworm, and then enter by posting your re-imagined title in the comments section. The contest ends on March 24, 2010, and we'll pick the winner on March 26, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Logan Scherer

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the 'Tofu Never Screams' Tote and Tee are Mike Hoyt, Annie, and Kelly. Congratulations!

It's almost time for Halloween: my favorite holiday. Every year, I'm eager to gorge on vegan Swedish Fish Sea Kittens and decide on a costume.

This year, I've been thinking about going as Evil Ronald McDonald, with frizzed-out red hair, a hatchet, and a blood-splattered yellow jumpsuit—all topped off with PETA's Ronald mask.

Now PETA's quirky "Tofu Never Screams" tee and tote, which just happen to be this week's "Win It" Wednesday prize, have me thinking about a second costume idea. I may finally have a perfect use for that big, horrible block of Styrofoam in my hall closet.

How do you win one of this week's prize packages? Share your most creative, animal-friendly costume idea and the tote (perfect for carrying home that mountain of candy) and the T-shirt can be yours.

The contest ends on October 14, 2009, and we'll choose the three most creative comments as winners on October 16, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Karin Bennett

fredericknewspost / CC

This past June, a Maryland man, David Beers, who sought revenge against a couple who had asked him to leave their property, admitted that after leaving the couple's yard in a huff, he later returned and snatched their 18-month-old dog, Zoey. Beers drove off with Zoey and then hurled the four-pound dog out of the passenger side window of his car and over the side of a bridge. Her tiny body was never found.

When we first heard about the story, we wrote to the prosecutor and pushed for vigorous prosecution of Beers. We also asked that Beers be required to undergo a psychological evaluation and receive counseling and also be prohibited from having animals.

Now Beers is headed to court and faces a felony aggravated cruelty-to-animals charge, which could mean three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Zoey's death is a reminder of the dangers that await dogs who are tethered outside or are allowed to roam unsupervised. Please, don't ever take chances with your pooch's well-being—and always take a moment to educate others who might not know any better.

Written by Karin Bennett

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the vegan chocolate bars are Heather, Saucy, and Mary L. Congratulations!

Raise your hand if you're a junk-food junkie. Yeah, me too. Candy, chips, fried stuff—whatever your fix is, we're all in this together.

Luckily for those of us with a major sweet tooth, Go Max Go Foods has a brand-new line of chocolate bars that mimics some popular candies—but without all those unhealthy animal products, trans fats, and hydrogenated oils. But wait, it gets better: You could win a chance to taste-test them yourself!

vegblog / CC

How do you win? Leave us a comment about your favorite vegan junk food. Check out this list if you need help with ideas. Three winners will win a pack of all four candy bars from Go Max Go.

The contest ends on June 3, 2009, and we'll choose the three most mouthwatering comments as the winners on June 5, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!

Written by Lianne Turner