A longtime Janet Jackson fan is leaving the Rhythm Nation after Jackson had a wardrobe malfunction worse than her infamous Super Bowl halftime appearance. After PETA supporter Sean Oltersdorf learned that Jackson was appearing in ad campaigns for Blackglama furs, he put his 25-year collection of Janet memorabilia on the auction block, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to PETA.

On his eBay site, "Janet Jackson: Better NAKED Than Nasty," Oltersdorf explained his decision to bidders:

"Janet has decided to partner with fur designer Blackglama and put her name on a line of mink pelts. As the guardian to six rescued animals (three of whom are chinchillas, who [on fur farms] are bred in deplorable conditions and often skinned alive for their beautiful fur), I can't—in good conscience—simultaneously support this kind of cruel ambition while having a care for those without a voice. I am responding with my own partnership with PETA and auctioning my entire Janet Jackson collection (over 60 items) and donating 100% of the proceeds to PETA."

Perhaps the best part of Oltersdorf's auction page is the picture he posted of his chinchillas with the caption "Janet, what have you done for US lately?" People who think Jackson should stick to making music—not hawking cruel clothing—can bid on the collection until December 9.

rightpundits / CC

Thanks to PETA's investigation and the great job done by Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, officials, Holly Crawford—the woman who disfigured several kittens in hopes of selling them as oddities on eBay—has been convicted of cruelty to animals and may face up to several years in jail!

In December '08, an eBay shopper tipped us off to Crawford's auction of a miserable-looking kitten with a docked tail and heavy jewelry through much of his body. Crawford marketed him as a "gothic kitten." The ad read: "[S]ix weeks old floppy eared pure black gothic kitten.14 gauge ear piercings.14 gauge submission ring on the back of the neck. docked tail with 14 gauge barbell on the end of the nub. comes with 14 gauge surgical steel jewelry and decorative submission lead." Yes, not only had Crawford repeatedly pierced this kitten (which is bad enough), she had also "docked" his tail with a rubber band—and all without any anesthesia. Oh, and she'd done this to his littermates as well!

Posing as interested buyers, PETA learned that one of the kittens had already ripped out a piercing and that Crawford was waiting for the wound to heal before she pierced him again. During conversations with PETA, Crawford stated that the kittens could be walked by an ornamental leash fastened to the "submission rings" in their necks. The woman said she had done it to these tiny animals because she thought it was "neat." In addition to inflicting immense pain and disfiguring these beings, Crawford had effectively impeded their hearing, physical balance, and psychological health, according to court testimony from a veterinarian.

We submitted information to local authorities, Crawford was charged with cruelty to animals, and all the kittens were confiscated. A year later, she went to trial and—thanks to a blistering prosecution that included testimony from PETA investigators—Crawford was found guilty!

As we await Crawford's sentencing, please keep in mind animals who depend on you as their witnesses. Speak up for any animals you know of who are being abused. Remember, they are voiceless. It's up to you!

Written by Logan Scherer

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Our friends at ecorazzi have pointed out one of the coolest auctions going on at eBay right now—the auction to win those ridiculous (in an awesome way) faux-fur boots that Stephen Colbert wore in his Christmas special.

That's right—the next time you find yourself in your log cabin, hiding from a bear and singing a duet with Willie Nelson, you can be doing so in classic Colbert style! Stephen apparently claims that the boots are made of yeti fur—and fur from make-believe animals is the kind that I like best.

The auction ends tomorrow, so act now! The costume pieces worn in "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All" are being auctioned off one at a time, and all of the proceeds are going to Feeding America. Pretty sweet, right?

Of course, the auction has already raised more than $1,000, so if you don't have an extra $1.5K to shell out on some memorabilia but still want to look snazzy, you might consider these vegan faux-fur boots from MooShoes. Um, holiday wish list, anyone?

Written by Amanda Schinke

Last Friday, as you know, was a very special Friday—Fur-Free Friday! In the hope of stopping people in their tracks if they were about to buy fur, PETA members all over the world were busy encouraging shoppers to cross the cruel stuff off their shopping lists.

In Aspen, Colorado, a pair of rockin' "snow bunnies" snowboarded on 6 inches of fresh snow and straight into people's hearts. Snowboarding in a bikini? Now that's dedication! And check out those boards—where can I get one of those?

Meanwhile, more "bunnies" were on hand in all parts of the world, including Moscow, Helsinki, and Reykjavík, asking passersby to "love us, don't wear us." Oh, bunnies, how could anyone wear you?

And finally, PETA activists in New York were giving away fur coats to the only people who have any excuse to wear them—the homeless. PETA held a "fur kitchen" at a Manhattan homeless shelter, where they gave donated fur coats to men and women who can't afford to buy their own sources of warmth.

If, by the way, you're still wondering what to do with the fur coat you haven't worn since you found out how cruel the fur industry is, you might consider donating it to PETA, where it might become part of an education display, provide bedding for an animal in need, or keep a homeless person warm on freezing nights.

Great job and a big thanks to all the activists who took part in Fur-Free Friday events! If you participated in any of the festivities in your city or town, post a comment sharing your story!

Written by Amanda Schinke

If you haven’t heard about the little tiff we’re having with eBay at the moment, the point of contention is that the company refuses to prohibit the sale of live cats and dogs—as well as items lined with dog fur—on its Chinese website. Which, honestly, this is really an issue that everyone can get on board with, especially once you see the photos posted by eBay sellers showing animals chained to cages on the streets, puppies trapped in wire-bottomed cages, and other horrors that would be more suitable in an animal-cruelty case file than on an international auction site that’s supposed to have a code of ethics. Well, since the company has been turning a deaf ear to our pleas, this morning, we took them straight to the shareholders: Our fearless campaigner Deedra spoke at the Boston eBay shareholder meeting, while my friends Melissa and Julie stood outside to let passersby know exactly what’s going on at eBay China. Check it out, and if you’d like to write to eBay about this issue, click here.