Written by PETA
This New Yorker usually steers clear of Midtown, thanks to the crowds, the horse-drawn carriages, and Macy's.
But I'm willing to ride the jam-packed Q to Times Square because I'm excited to see PETA's eye-popping McCruelty posters, which features an illustrated eye of a chicken who's been scalded to death and have been plastered all over Midtown. These posters are a follow-up to last week's Chi-town light show and are meant to pressure McDonald's to implement new slaughterhouse technology that would eliminate the worst abuses of chickens killed for McNuggets.
If you're like me, you're wondering where our eye-catching ad will show up next. Maybe on a huge banner draped over the St. Louis Arch? Share your suggestions in the comments section below.
Written by Karin Bennett
Members of the lunch crowd at a McDonald's in Providence, Rhode Island, probably weren't expecting to be greeted by a giant "chicken" bearing "Unhappy Meals" when they headed out on their lunch breaks. But hardly anyone could resist the lure of our chicken, and word is that almost every driver stopped to talk with the big bird and his posse. Many people even went elsewhere for lunch once they learned how countless chickens are forced to suffer painful broken bones, bruises, and scalding—while they're still alive—at slaughterhouses run by McDonald's suppliers.
Demonstrators are revved up to distribute leaflets all summer long. Get in on the action and help bring McDonald's to its knees. Sign up for our Action Team today!
PETA is poised to take the mic on Wednesday to speak in behalf of chickens at McDonald's shareholder meeting in Oakbrook, Illinois. We're all set to grill CEO Jim Skinner and plan on asking him to change the way that his restaurants' suppliers slaughter birds by switching to controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK), a less cruel slaughter method.
For years, we've tried to convince McDonald's to require its suppliers to use CAK, which would eliminate some of the worst abuses suffered by the millions of chickens who are turned into McNuggets every year. But despite our efforts, the company still refuses to implement CAK.
After the meeting at 12 noon, we'll lead a protest at a nearby McDonald's restaurant, during which two PETA members will soak in "bloody" water to draw attention to the fact that many chickens at slaughterhouses that supply McDonald's are boiled alive in scalding-hot water.
If you live in the Chicago area, feel free to join the festivities!
There was no love lost between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings as they battled on the ice last night in game three of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but there was love in the stands during intermission when Jason Levy asked his girlfriend, Nicole Hughes, to marry him.
But wait—there's more! While the couple's special moment was rolling live on the stadium's huge screen, Jason surprised the audience when he held up a sign reading, "McDonald's Breaks Birds' Wings and Legs."
Jason jumped at the perfect opportunity to tell thousands of people that the fast-food giant refuses to alleviate the suffering of the chickens killed for its restaurants by adopting an improved slaughter method called "controlled-atmosphere killing." Currently, birds killed for McDonald's are grabbed by their legs and slammed upside-down into shackles, and many are still conscious when their throats are cut and they are immersed in scalding water.
So, to sum up: First, PETA Foundation staffer Alex Bury and her then-fiancé Jack Norris got hitched at a KFC restaurant in Toronto to celebrate the introduction of a faux chicken sandwich at most Canadian KFC outlets. Then, Jason Levy spotlights McDonald's cruelties to birds in his marriage proposal.
Anybody else have any ideas for the "fast-food cruelty nope-tials" (ouch) tour?
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the Colonel Sanders Bobblehead are Stray, Lindsey, Brad, Amy, Bradshaw, and BJ. Congratulations!
For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're calling out Colonel Sanders for Kentucky Fried Cruelty! As you know from our Super Chick Sisters game and The Roost Web series, the farms that supply the Colonel's KFC restaurants raise and kill chickens in horribly cruel conditions. Birds raised for KFC are forced into filthy cages and sheds and are sometimes scalded alive while they are still conscious. It takes a pretty awful mindset to be responsible for this kind of cruelty, so we created an evil Colonel bobblehead figurine to reflect KFC's true nature.
How do you win? Post a comment about what you'd say to Colonel Sanders if he were still around. I know it's difficult, but keep it PG-13 so that we can make sure your comment gets approved. The five people who post the most creative answers will each win a Colonel Sanders bobblehead.
The contest ends on April 29, 2009, and we'll contact the winners on May 1, 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
John Salley is the first man to win four different NBA championships with three different teams, the man who helped lead the Bulls to their record 72-win season, the current host of the Best Damn Sports Show Period, an actor in one of my favorite movies of all time and … alright, I'm gushing. We'll just leave it at this: This dude is a pretty big deal.
John's going to be in Chicago today, talking to hundreds of kids about the amazing things his vegetarian lifestyle has done for his game, both on and off the court. And to give the kids a taste (literally) of what he's talking about, John and PETA are going to be giving away free veggie burgers from Chicago's Soul Vegetarian East. I don't think I could be more jealous!
If you're in the area, stop by and try getting an autograph (and a burger) for me. If not, no worries: We'll have pictures from the event for you tomorrow. Until then, check out John's vegetarian testimonial:
Written by Shawna Flavell
Here are some photos from the event:
Digging through tax records, deciphering difficult directions, and struggling with simple math totally sucks. What doesn't suck? The tax refund that results from this headache. Whether your tax refund is already in the bank or somewhere in the mail, here are some cool and cruelty-free things to do with that extra coin:
Written by Amy Elizabeth
PS If you didn't get a tax refund, don't worry—hugs (and copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit") are still free …
Every year on tax day, I do two things:
This year, instead of searching for (non-existent) free or cheap vegan grub, I'm procrastinating by contacting my Congressional representatives and asking them to tax meat (instead of me). There's already an excise tax on things like gas, tobacco, and alcohol, so why not meat?
As the number one cause of climate change and a contributing factor to the high rates of obesity in America, animal products that hurt our health and our environment (not to mention animals) should be outlawed. That probably won't happen, but a tax on meat would at least help cover the health and environmental costs that result from raising and killing animals for food—and (hopefully) it would encourage companies to give away 35-cent veggie burgers and free vegan tacos next year on April 15.
Now, what to do about filling out that 1040 sooner?
It seems that people are getting wise to how the horse-racing industry causes horses to suffer and die, and they're staying away from the tracks in droves. The most recent casualty is Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. Pimlico's owners have gone bankrupt, and it now appears that the state may take possession of the track.
With the death of the racing industry looming, we're asking Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley for his help in turning Pimlico into a horse empathy park. Pimlico should serve as a memorial for the thousands of horses who have died in pursuit of "the roses" (such as Barbaro, who died following his excruciating injury during the Preakness, held at—guess where?—Pimlico). The notorious racetrack can become a center where people can experience what it's like to be a "champion."
If Governor O'Malley comes through, visitors could tour educational displays about horses, see exhibits of painful bits and spurs, and even experience blinkers, whipping, and the "fun" of racing around a track with a heavy weight on their back. If it helps shut down more racetracks, I can't think of a better way to spend a vacation!
Written by Jeff Mackey
We're disappointed to report that, although the Obamas had publicly expressed their intention to adopt a dog from an animal shelter or rescue group, they have instead accepted a Portuguese water dog as a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Let us be clear: The new first dog, Bo, is not a rescue. While he was returned to the breeder by his first owners, that subtle point is missing from or buried in most news reports and is no doubt lost on the masses of people who will be lining up at pet shops and demanding "Obama puppies." These puppies will eventually lose their appeal, once people get tired of taking care of them, but because most pet shops and many breeders don't take "returns," guess where those unwanted "Obama puppies" are going to end up? At extremely crowded, overworked shelters like D.C.'s Washington Humane Society (WHS).
Speaking of which, the Obamas have promised to make a donation to WHS, which is great, but, as we told the President in a letter we sent today, WHS doesn't need his money as much as it needs his business (i.e., going in and adopting a shelter animal)—and the business of all the people who do what Obama did just because he did it.
The Obamas can't undo their missed opportunity to set a great example for Americans by adopting a shelter dog, but they can still set another important example: They can arrange for the first dog to become the last dog in his lineage by having him neutered. We've offered up our mobile clinic's services for the first "snip" and will let you know if the President takes us up on our offer.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Update: We are glad to report that Bo has been fixed, and we hope that the Obamas will publicly stress the importance of spaying and neutering. We also hope that they will encourage people to adopt mutts—lots of mutts are "hypo-allergenic," and, best of all, saving their lives is also good for your heart.
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.
Follow PETA on Twitter!