Written by PETA
When the earthquake hit Washington, D.C., yesterday, thousands of people evacuated the Smithsonian museums and streamed onto the National Mall where, ever so conveniently, they were met by PETA's Glass Walls exhibit. In the aftermath of all that shaking, the exhibit staffers gave away more than 500 vegetarian/vegan starter kits and "Glass Walls" DVDs narrated by Sir Paul McCartney!
While the East Coast quake gave PETA's outreach efforts a boost, you don't have to wait for the next act of nature to see the powerful Glass Walls display. Visit the exhibit across from the Museum of Natural History most days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through September 4.
Written by Heather Faraid Drennan
The first member of an international animal rights group to reach the disaster area, PETA Asia-Pacific senior campaigner Ashley Fruno has been in Japan with Isabella Gallaon-Aoki of Animal Friends Niigata since taking the first flight to Tokyo after the airport opened on Saturday night.
There are few signs of life in the hardest-hit areas, but Ashley and Isabella have encountered many citizens who have stayed in their badly damaged homes for days because many evacuation centers are not allowing companion animals inside. With countless people being forced to evacuate because of radiation fears and with animals being barred from many emergency shelters and flights out of the country, animal shelters like the one run by Isabella's group are being inundated with animals.
In all their media interviews, Ashley and Isabella have been urging people never to leave their animals behind—if conditions aren't safe for humans, they aren't safe for animals either.
In addition to pitching in at the badly overtaxed Niigata shelter, Ashley has been providing food to animals left behind by evacuees as well as to animals whose guardians are having a hard time getting supplies because of long lines of hundreds of people waiting to get into stores. She is also working with local veterinarians to rescue and care for the few surviving animals they are able to find.
Here's what Ashley has to say about her rescue efforts near the epicenter of the earthquake:
The tsunami ripped through the region with such force that cars were smashed into houses, debris was swept for miles through rice fields, and entire families drowned in their homes. In the hardest hit areas, we saw no animal life whatsoever. We did see some paw prints in the mud at one point, but they didn't lead anywhere, and we could not find any animals nearby.
When we first arrived in Sendai, gasoline lines stretched for miles and hundreds of people were lined up outside supermarkets to gather whatever supplies they could from the nearly bare shelves. We came upon a woman carrying her dog, a young sheltie who was terrified and stressed by the earthquake and aftershocks and the chaos that ensued. Tears came to the woman's eyes as she told us that she had risked her life for three days while staying in her still-shaking house because the evacuation center would not allow her to take her dog with her. She had finally been able to take her dog to a family member's home in an area of the city that had not been hit by the tsunami.
We spent several hours searching for the two dogs who appeared in a highly publicized You Tube video. One of the dogs appeared to be sick or injured, and his friend was protecting him. Someone gave us a tip as to where they might be, but it appeared to be inaccurate, as it seemed unlikely that anyone could have survived in the named area. We were relieved to learn later that both dogs had been rescued—the healthier dog is now in a shelter, and the sick dog is in a veterinary clinic.
Ashley and Isabella continue to visit the worst-affected areas in search of animals who need help, and they remain in touch with the volunteer relief center, city office, and prefecture office, which plans to set up a temporary shelter for animals in the northern part of the city. Ashley reports that the most pressing issue now is finding temporary housing for animals whose families are homeless or who have been forced to evacuate.
You can help by sending a polite e-mail or fax to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and asking the U.S. Department of State to allow U. S. nationals to take their animal companions with them when they evacuate Japan. You can also help fund Ashley's work and other rescue work by donating to PETA U.S.' Animal Emergency Fund, which provides grants to organizations that do rescue work, including our affiliate PETA Asia-Pacific.
The ferocious tsunami in Japan, caused by one of the largest earthquakes on record, surged several miles inland and claimed the lives of hundreds of people and countless animals. PETA Asia-Pacific is sending staffers to some of the hardest-hit areas along the eastern coast to offer aid. You can help animals in disasters by donating to PETA's Animal Emergency Fund.
The key to protecting ourselves and our animal companions in any kind of disaster is being prepared. PETA offers a tip sheet for animal guardians on how to prepare for any type of natural disaster that may arise. Tips include having an animal emergency kit ready, keeping all animal tags and records up to date, and having window stickers in obvious places on the front and back doors, alerting emergency responders to the presence of animals in the home.
We will give you more information about PETA Asia-Pacific's rescue efforts in Japan as it becomes available.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
Phew! PETA's "BOYCOTT PETCO" brick* survived the 5.7-magnitude earthquake that shook San Diego's PETCO Park on Monday—and here's a photo snapped by an activist last night to prove it:
Don't get me wrong—PETA loves the stadium's tasty, animal-friendly eats but hates the massive suffering that PETCO causes by buying animals from shady dealers and selling them to anyone who walks in, intentions be damned. Animals like the poor fellow below who are bred for and shipped to PETCO and other pet stores get their world shaken to pieces every single day by being mishandled, abused, or even thrown into the trash to die. They are crammed en masse into crowded, filthy containers at animal distributors such as U.S. Global Exotics and Sun Pet, and they're often denied basic necessities, including food, water, adequate air, and veterinary care.
Let's shake things up for PETCO (the store—not the stadium!) by telling it to stop selling animals immediately or we'll shop elsewhere for our dog beds, cat trees, toys, and treats.
Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post
*Line up the first letter of each word to find the brick's hidden message!
For almost two months, rescue workers from around the world have been hard at work trying to clean up the devastation in the wake of Haiti's tragic earthquake. Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, with support from PETA, continues to address the needs of displaced animals in Haiti, while Maryland-based Food for Life Global—the world's largest vegan relief organization—is distributing vegan meals every day to hungry people in Port-au-Prince. Thanks to the hard work of both of these organizations, the world can see that it is possible to relieve suffering without harming animals.
How can you make a difference? Lift the spirits of those who are helping the animals and humans of Haiti by posting a brief message of support to rescue workers now, and consider honoring their hard work by pledging to go vegan, volunteering at your local animal shelter, or donating to PETA.
Written by Logan Scherer
The situation in Haiti is obviously bleak for all living beings. PETA is asking rescue and relief agencies on the ground in Haiti—some with rescue dogs from the U.S. and Europe who are helping locate trapped people—to please spare a moment if they can to aid any suffering animal by offering scraps, drops of water, or any other emergency assistance possible. We are offering funding for any emergency services, including for euthanasia to put badly injured animals out of their misery. We are appealing to every kind member of earthquake specialist teams as well as EMS personnel, news reporters, and any other person who is in everyone's debt already for going about the vital task of searching for and rescuing human beings.
All living beings—no matter what their species—deserve the kindness of others. We also ask aid personnel who come across animals who are suffering without any hope of being saved to attempt to be strong and to quickly—and as humanely as possible—put them out of their misery.
Keep checking our blog for updates on the disaster in Haiti and for ways you can help the country's animals.
The aftershocks of Haiti's massive earthquake are still reverberating. The human death toll estimates are in the tens of thousands, but no one has a clue how many animals have been hurt or killed. We know that you are as worried as we are, so please know that we are monitoring the situation and looking for opportunities to help in case they arise. Of course, it is a terribly difficult situation: Criminal acts abound and can only increase, the likelihood of martial law looms, and there is a severe water shortage. The outbreak of disease from contaminated water and broken sewer systems is sure to follow. There are no commercial flights in and out of Haiti, and there is no functional SPCA or humane organization on the island. But we are receiving information from PETA members' families inside Haiti, and we will update you as to how you can help the island's animals if we find a way.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, PETA teams rescued more than 300 cats, dogs, birds, and other animals and helped care for thousands more at emergency animal shelters. Of course, every day is a bad day for animals who are not often on people's minds—like those in slaughterhouses and fur farms in the U.S. and overseas. Please, never forget them: They also need help. Meanwhile, please make sure that you and everyone you know is aware of how to protect your own animal companions by preparing for a natural disaster—before it strikes.
Thank you for thinking about animals in trouble.
The little pig, named Zhu Jianqiang or "Strong Pig," was trapped under rubble and emaciated after only eating charcoal and drinking rain water to survive!
In light of the tragic Midwest floods—in which pigs swam for days to get to safety, only to be shot to death, which is just one horror story among so many—the rescue of Strong Pig from the rubble of such a devastating natural disaster is a beautiful glimmer of hope, right? I told you this was heartwarming. These pigs—who were supposed to be slaughtered in two parts of the world where pork is a staple food—desperately struggled for their lives right along with humans, and it leave no doubt as to pigs' commonality with us.
While knowing that this little guy has a safe place to lay his head from now on is reason enough to love this story, I've got to admit to the little kick that I get out of thinking about the folks who view these intelligent beings as no more than "food" getting a glimpse into the human-like quality of their dinner.
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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