Written by PETA
I'm fascinated by some celebrities' bizarre backstage demands—the Backstreet Boys' list of "must-haves" includes black nail polish while John Mayer's concert rider includes a demand for four soft-headed toothbrushes.
The most recent celebrity requests to pop up during my Internet perusing left me giddy instead of scratching my head. Sir Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, and Morrissey are making animal-friendly "front of stage" demands during their summer tours. Sir Paul has ensured that meat-free options are available for fans at his shows, two of the Pretenders' recent shows offered only vegetarian fare for concertgoers, and Morrissey requires people working his shows to abstain from meat.
I can think of a handful of celebrities who could learn a lot from these three about using their clout to help animals rather than hurt them.
Written by Karin Bennett
You know what I like best about the summer—besides grilling veggie dogs until they turn black?
Summer concerts!
I'm especially excited this year because The Pretenders are going on tour and PETA has first dibs on their upcoming tour dates.
To find out where you'll have a chance to see PETA pal Chrissie Hynde live and in-person this summer, keep reading—but first:
Here's that sneak peek at a few of The Pretenders' summer dates. Enjoy! And, hey, maybe I'll see you in Central Park this August.
8/10, New York, New York8/14, Washington, D.C.8/18, Chicago, Illinois8/22, Denver, Colorado8/26, Vancouver, British Columbia9/3, Los Angeles, California
Written by Amanda Schinke
Several historic lighthouses in the U.S. and Puerto Rico have been "excessed" by the National Parks Department and are now up for grabs, at no cost, to nonprofits and other eligible entities.
Of course, when we heard this, a light bulb lit up over our heads—a coastal lighthouse would be the perfect place for to set up the national headquarters for our Fish Empathy Project.
In hopes of luring Dan Wenk, acting director of the National Park Service, with our bid, we've written him a letter outlining some of the details of our proposed exhibit.
PETA's center would feature educational displays proving that fish are intelligent animals who learn tasks, use tools, show affection, and feel pain when they are dragged from the sea in nets or impaled on hooks.
The lighthouse would also be home to the world's first Fish Empathy Quilt, a 300-square-foot quilt that pays tribute to the billions of fish who are abused and killed every year—as well as a café serving delicious faux-fish sticks and other tasty fish-friendly foods.
We'll let you know if he bites!
Catch this small sampling of the terrific responses we're getting to PETA's Canadian maple syrup boycott:
And a special thanks to the restaurants and pancake houses that have already pledged not to buy Canadian maple syrup—at least until this massacre ends. Economic pressure is what often makes the difference.
Perhaps best of all are the pictures we've received of people throwing their Canadian maple syrup bottles in the trash can. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say. In this case, they're worth about 338,000 (that's the "quota" of baby seals who were clubbed to death this year).
We'd definitely love to see more of these pictures so we can show Canada that its reputation is in the trash can—literally. You can submit your photos here with your name, hometown, and a heartfelt message to the Canadian government. Then look for your picture here on the PETA Files later this month.
Written by Shawna Flavell
Update: Michael Jackson has announced that he will not be using any live animals in his concert series at London's O2 arena. Click here for more info.
The King of Pop has a sordid past when it comes to the way he treats animals, but we were still shocked by Michael Jackson's reported plans to ride an African elephant and use other exotic animals during his upcoming 30-day stint at The O2 arena in London.
PETA Europe wrote a letter to The O2 to let officials there know about Michael's sketchy track record of animal neglect. The letter included some basic information about how exotic animals actually don't want to perform stupid tricks on a stage surrounded by screaming people, bright lights, and stage explosions.
So come on, Michael, pull a "Britney" and leave exotic animals out of your performances.
The people from peta2 are hitting the road, just as they do every summer. They're going to concerts, festivals, and all the other things that hip, young people (read: not I) attend. This year, peta2 is rolling out its cutest campaign ever: WOOF!
The idea is pretty simple: Tests show that pigs are actually smarter than dogs, and it's obvious that they can feel complex emotions and experience pain, just as dogs do. So why on earth do folks (rightly) love their dogs so much but turn a blind eye to the pigs who are beaten and butchered on factory farms to make meals for people?
To help the peta2 crew turn heads as they road-trip it across the country, we've gone so far as to get their RV detailed with a sweet (that word is still "in," right?) campaign banner, which is certain to inspire thought—and choruses of "Aww"—from all who see it. If you want to see the RV in real life, check out the peta2 MySpace page to find out when the peta2 road crew will be at a venue near you!
So, thanks to all of you who responded to PETA's call to action and contacted the EU about this issue!
That's another 27 countries that will most likely cut ties with an industry that bludgeons and skins baby seals alive. With European ports closed to seal fur, Canada's barbaric annual seal hunt may just come to an end. Kinda makes you want to sing "Another One Bites the Dust," doesn't it?
We are confident that EU leaders are finally starting to turn away from the annual torture of defenseless baby seals on Canada's ice floes each spring just to benefit Canadian fishers. Well, the whole world's watching you now, Canada, and the next move will be yours.
Upset about the torture of bulls, over 60 activists from across the globe, including some Americans, got completely downright naked and protested against the encierro, or the Running of the Bulls, in Pamplona this weekend. Notice any recurring themes in the protest tactics of animal rights folk? That's right! We're pretty good at, ya know, getting noticed.
Lying down near the end of the Running of the Bulls route and dressed only in black underpants with matador barbs protruding from their backs, the activists dramatically highlighted the immense cruelty and suffering that bulls endure. These half-ton animals are chased through crowded, winding, and sometimes rain-slicked streets while runners and spectators hit and taunt them. The bulls often crash to their knees or collide with walls in their panic. It's seriously sad, sick "hey, look at me, I'm a man" stuff that we're dealing with here, folks.
Even though Spain was recently in our good graces for their compassion to apes, the Running of the Bulls is a massive blemish on the country's reputation, and it needs some serious rethinking. Even Spanish TV stations know what's up, and they refuse to air this hideous event. Maybe Pamplona's mayor could learn a lil' somethin'-somethin' from the folks at Red Bull?
For more information, check out RunningOfTheNudes.com, and take a look at the below pictures from the demo.
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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.