Written by PETA
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winner of the emergency kit is Zachary Locke. Congratulations!
My rescued beagle, Lulu, RIP, was determined to devour every piece of chocolate she laid her big baby browns on. I once foolishly thought that a huge dark chocolate bar I'd put in a file cabinet at the office was safe from discovery. Wrong. No opposable thumb? No problem. Somehow she still managed to push the small latch to the side while simultaneously opening the drawer.
After that incident—which involved a visit to the emergency vet—the chocolate went into the fridge, and the baster, hydrogen peroxide, and activated charcoal went into the bathroom cabinet, just in case.
The prize for this week's "Win It" Wednesday contest is sure to come in handy for emergency situations like Lulu's. It's this handy and stylish emergency kit for your pooch:
How do you win it? Post a comment to share the preventative action(s) you use to keep your dog safe. We've got one kit to give away, and the person who provides the most thorough plan of action wins.
The contest ends on October 21, 2009, and we'll choose one winner on October 23, 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
My dog, Charlie, loves to swim and goes nuts for the Crazy Daisy. But he won't go outside if it's raining. He plants his butt on the floor and refuses to budge—until I bring out the treats.
After all these years, I've think I've finally figured out why Charlie balks at walking in the rain. He can't bear the idea of being dried off with that old, faded beach towel.* It makes sense. After all, a distinguished dog like Charlie deserves a Soggy Dog towel, made just for dogs.
Actually, every dog deserves one—especially yours. Score one for your best friend by submitting the funniest caption for the photo below in the comments section.
We've got one to give away. The contest ends on September 16, 2009, and we'll choose the wining comment on September 18, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
*Sure, Charlie's really holding out for the cookies, but I'm still getting him the fancy towel.
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the dog windows are Michael Essi and Nicole Linklider. Congratulations!
How much is that doggie in the window …
… loving his view of the neighborhood?!
Regular walks are essential to a dog's physical, mental, and social well-being, but chillaxing with you in your shady yard is nice too. Now those breaks in the backyard can be a lot more entertaining for Fido, thanks to the Dog Window, which offers curious dogs a window to the world beyond the privacy fence.
Sure, you could order one today from PETA's Catalog, but wouldn't it be more fun to win one? We've got two to give away, and you can score yours by describing the perfect day, from start to finish, from your dog's perspective.
The contest ends on August 19, 2009, and we'll choose the two comments that really get tails wagging as the winners on August 21, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
Mike White's dog looks like a pig—and for that, we're grateful. It was Mike's unique-looking canine companion who first inspired him to try a vegan diet—and now the creative mastermind behind such quirky comedies as Year of the Dog, School of Rock, Nacho Libre, and The Good Girl has stepped in front of the camera to star in a brand-new veggie testimonial for PETA.
"You know I have a dog who looks like a pig," Mike explains in the PSA, "and I would look at him and I'd think, 'You know, I cannot eat pig anymore.'"
It's true—there are so many reasons not to eat pigs. One of them is that they are even smarter than dogs.
Mike also sat down for an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview, in which he told us of yet another great reason to go vegan—for your health!
Let's see: Saving animals' lives and drastically improving your health. If you're wondering where you can sign up for such amazing rewards, look no further.
Written by Amanda Schinke
For those of you who don't live in Massachusetts and need a reminder not to move there, the video accompanying a news report about three Hingham firefighters who braved icy waters to rescue a dog will serve as a cold dash of New England winter reality in the face.
The firefighters responded to a call for help from a woman whose rascally dog, Ollie, ran out onto ice-covered Hingham Harbor in hot pursuit of a seal. The seal apparently escaped unharmed, but Ollie plunged through the ice and was trapped in the frigid water. Enter our heroes, who valiantly swam and crawled through the slushy muck to reach Ollie and then painstakingly dragged him back to shore. It was obviously exhausting work, and one of the firefighters was taken to the hospital afterward as a precaution. A tired but grateful Ollie was taken to a veterinary hospital where he was treated and released.
We've honored Ollie's rescuers with a "Compassionate Firefighter Award," and we also threw in some PETA mugs and vegan hot cocoa mix to help them survive the rest of Massachusetts' merciless winter.
And let this be a cautionary tale for anyone who is tempted to allow a dog off lead anywhere near a frozen body of water. As The Boston Globe wisely points out, fuhgeddaboudit.
Written by Alisa Mullins
If you're still not sure what to get your honey this Valentine's Day, take a hint from Carrie Underwood. The four-time Grammy winner and Sexiest Vegetarian Alive veteran recently spilled the beans on what would make her toes curl this Valentine's Day.
Some candles, decorations, good conversation, and a piping-hot home-cooked vegetarian meal are all this songbird needs to get in the lovey-dovey mood. She doesn't mention her favorite dish, but I personally fancy a hearty meatless shepherd's pie with extra mashed potatoes. I'm just sayin'.
Guys, if you want to capture a girl's heart, take Carrie's advice and aim straight for the stomach. You can't go wrong with reputed aphrodisiacs such as stuffed pumpkin, followed by chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert.
But if your culinary skills end at microwave popcorn, don't despair. You can surprise your sweetie with one of these no-hassle delights, which are sure to make a lasting impression.
Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky
PETA is psyched to declare today our first-ever Win It Wednesday! Every Wednesday, right here on the PETA Files, we'll have a cool prize up for grabs. All you have to do is post a comment for a chance to win. This week, we're choosing three lucky winners to take home the exclusive PETA Crow and Roach couture T-shirt, which is popping up in all the most fashionable circles these days.
Hip L.A. T-shirt company Spiders & Caviar designed and made this limited-edition shirt especially for PETA. It's super-soft, super-cute, and could be super-free!
How do you win? This shirt reminds us that all animals—even less popular ones such as crows and roaches—are important. What is your favorite animal, and why? Post your answer in a comment to be entered! If you're a winner, we'll also ask you to tell us which style and size T-shirt you prefer.
The contest ends on February 25, 2009, and we'll choose the most endearing comments as the winners on February 26, 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
Yes, you heard right! On Entertainment Tonight this evening, Michelle Obama was quoted as saying that the family is planning to adopt a rescue dog. We at PETA couldn't be more thrilled! You may remember the letter that we sent to the Obama family back in July, immediately after we heard that the family planned to get a dog.
In her letter, Ingrid said, "No one needs to tell you that this country is proud to be a melting pot and that there is something deeply wrong and elitist about wanting only a purebred dog. Millions of Great American Mutts—the dog that should be our national dog—are set to die in our nation's extremely overcrowded pounds and shelters for lack of good homes. Compassionate people nationwide are choosing to adopt a homeless pound puppy—a grateful refugee from a society that has not always treated the true 'underdog' kindly—rather than cater to special interests who do not have dogs' interests at heart."
So you can see why we're quite proud of this whole thing and thank everyone who weighed in. We hope that the Obama family really listened to our message, and we hope that Barack, Michelle, and their daughters find a loving mutt who needs a good home.
Hey, America … we are SO over the Paris Hilton "purse puppy" era … let's give homes to dogs who really need them!
Written by Christine Doré
As a 501(c)(3) organization, PETA does not endorse or oppose any candidate for public office or any political party.
Some officious cop in San Marcos, Texas, recently thought it a better idea to berate a grieving couple instead of helping them get their dying dog to a veterinary hospital. Krystal Hernandez held Missy, a choking teacup poodle, as Michael Gonzalez rushed south along I-35 from their home toward the New Braunfels Veterinarian Clinic. The trio sped by Officer Paul Stephens at 95 miles per hour in a 70 miles per hour zone.
The rookie officer pulled the couple over, then called for backup. After Stephens pulled the couple over, things got really crazy.
Once Officer Stephens realized that the dog was in danger (according to him, Missy's tongue was out of her mouth, and she was unmoving), he gave Hernandez and Gonzalez a hard time instead of a helping hand. As another officer struggled to clear Missy's airway and administered CPR, Stephens lectured Gonzalez about his driving and imparted this insightful jewel: "It's a dog, OK? You can get another one. Relax." Check out the video below:
The officers claimed that the dog was already dead at that point, so there was no emergency.
San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams ordered a reprimand against Stephens, who is 23 and has served as an officer for 15 months, but found him not guilty of misconduct. The department also discussed dismissing Gonzalez's speeding ticket.
Gonzalez filed a complaint against the officer and claimed that valuable time was wasted, which resulted in Missy's death. Choking is a deadly serious matter and appeared in recent headlines when Oprah Winfrey lost one of her beloved dogs last year from a choking accident. We recommend reading up on the Heimlich maneuver for dogs. We also recommend asking the San Marcos Police Department to implement a sensible strategy for cases like this one that involves training for these situations and disciplinarian action should the death of an animal result from an officer's nonchalant and overbearing attitude. That's what community relations classes are for. Get involved here.
An Excerpt From "Grooming Sounds Grand Until Bowser Gets Baked" (From KP's Dog Blog)
Many people saw the grooming exposé "Pet Grooming Dangers," on the Today show on August 1, which was prompted by the grooming death of Sushi, the 2-year-old Labrador retriever of one of the Today show's employees. Sushi had been left for a week at a boarding facility and was supposed to get a bath before being picked up. When her guardian, Amanda, arrived to pick her up, instead of the thrill of a joyful reunion, she experienced the horror of learning that Sushi was unconscious. Not long after that, Sushi died at the vet's. Later it was determined that Sushi had been put inside a "cage dryer" for 30 minutes with the temperature set at 100°F.
I took one look at those dryers in the Today piece and shuddered. I couldn't believe my ears as I watched person after person, including someone from The Humane Society of the United States repeat some version of the mantra, "These cage dryers are safe if used properly."
Excuse me? First of all, the cage dryer has a setting that goes up to 100°F, so it has a built-in setting for death. Secondly, machines malfunction. A groomer might think that the dryer was set at 80°F, but in reality, it might go haywire and shoot up to 100°F or even 135°F. Thirdly, there are many dogs who, for various reasons, are automatically going to be at high risk inside one of these contraptions. These include dogs with flat muzzles, older dogs, dogs with heart problems, dogs with respiratory problems, etc. Finally, the dryers are run by mere mortals, who work for a largely unregulated industry. On any given day, a person can be distracted, tired, hung over, ill, depressed, or just plain stupid—any of which could cause a careless mistake, leading to tragedy…
Read the full entry on KP's Dog Blog.
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.
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