Written by Michelle Kretzer
Most of us would never consider leaving our four-legged family members behind in an emergency, and it seems that people a century ago had similar sentiments. On the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we are finally hearing about the dogs onboard—and the guardians who refused to leave them.
Widener University in Pennsylvania is hosting a centennial Titanic exhibit, part of which focuses on the twelve dogs who were onboard the ship. The three who survived were small dogs whose guardians smuggled them onto lifeboats, likely without the other passengers noticing. Passenger Margaret Hays reportedly got her dog, Lady, onto the lifeboat by wrapping her in a blanket.
At least one of the Titanic's passengers jumped out of a lifeboat when she was told her dog couldn't accompany her. Ann Elizabeth Isham refused to leave her Great Dane behind, and days later, a recovery ship found the body of a woman still clinging to a large dog, which all accounts identify as Isham and her beloved Great Dane.
More recently, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, PETA rescuers saw stories similar to Isham's repeated again and again. But these distraught guardians were forced to evacuate and leave their animals behind. Many animals didn't make it, although some were rescued and returned to their families after months of searching by PETA and other animal organizations.
The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina forced the issue of animals suffering during disasters into the national spotlight and resulted in the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, which requires state and local disaster plans to include provisions for safely accommodating animal companions in the event of a major disaster or emergency.
We've seen the benefits of the nation's heightened awareness of the need for disaster planning for animals in the wake of the recent Navy jet crash in Virginia Beach, Virginia, which destroyed or damaged 40 apartments. Virginia Beach Animal Care & Adoption Center immediately spread word to rescue workers that it would take in all displaced animals, and families knew that their animal companions had a safe place to go while they made arrangements.
Many more families are now doing their own advance planning to protect animals in emergencies, including taking the following steps:
Advance planning can't prevent natural disasters, but it can prevent disasters from becoming tragedies for our animal companions.
Greg Cook and his dog, Coco, became Internet sensations when the pictures of their emotional reunion following this month's Category 5 tornado spread like wildfire across Facebook and Twitter. Greg wasn't home when the twister hit in Limestone County, Alabama, and as he made his way through his neighborhood, which the storm had destroyed, he feared he would never see Coco again. When Greg spotted his leveled home among the wreckage, the chances that Coco had survived looked even bleaker.
Greg crawled through a window of what used to be his home and was wading through the piles of debris when he spotted Coco—soaking wet, shaking, and terrified but alive. Greg's emotion at that moment is evident as he tells his story in a video that he shot for PETA to urge guardians to make sure that their animals will be protected in case of a disaster.
Greg and Coco were fortunate—but many other animals and their guardians have not escaped disasters unscathed. Greg encourages all animal guardians to prepare for natural disasters in advance. Here are some top tips:
Written by PETA
Last Thursday, four rabbits in a Warwick Mall photo studio reportedly drowned in the floods that have been ravaging Rhode Island. Although the mall had been evacuated two days earlier, the bunnies—whom Portrait Simple studios was using as props for in-store Easter photos—were left behind in their cage on a "high shelf" in the studio. When employees returned to the studio two days later, they discovered that the cage had apparently fallen from its perch and that all the rabbits had drowned.
When PETA first heard about Portrait Simple's use of live rabbits for photos a few weeks ago, we contacted the studio and the store's director of operations told us that the rabbits were "well cared for, played with, coddled, and loved by our team members." Now, in the aftermath of these preventable deaths, we're asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate and if appropriate revoke Portrait Simple's exhibitor license in order to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens at the studio again. You can help by contacting Portrait Simple and asking it to implement a "no animals" policy at its stores.
I think it goes without saying that a vote for Pamela Anderson on Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) is a vote for beauty, talent, and animals—which is why I'll be casting all twelve of my votes for her by:
Pamela's run on DWTS has been riveting. And tonight, she's bringing the season's fieriest, most fascinating dance yet: She and her partner Damian Whitewood will be performing the paso doble (the traditional Spanish dance based on the interaction between a matador and bull)—and Pamela will be using the performance as an opportunity to speak out against bullfighting.
In preparation for her performance, which she and Damian are calling "Dance, Don't Bullfight," PETA sent DWTS a sneak peek of our soon-to-be-released anti-bullfighting video starring actor, singer, and guitarist Charo. Charo also joined Pamela in rehearsal to show her some Flamenco moves to spice up her compassionate choreography. With 20,000 people taking action last week to eliminate Madrid's proposal to declare the bloody "sport" to be an activity of cultural value, Pamela's kindly orchestrated move for bulls couldn't come at a more empowering moment.
You can cast 12 votes for Pamela tonight, and if she makes it through to next week, I just might definitely will have a contest lined up for you—so vote for her!
Written by Logan Scherer
Looking for a way to rebel against a Debbie Friedman–saturated childhood this Passover?
OK, as the daughter of a Hebrew school principal/music director, maybe it's just me, but everyone should check out Jewish-vegan-reggae-rock-hip-hop artist Matisyahu, whose video for "One Day" was rated one of the 10 most inspiring videos on the Web.
In response to a suggestion that he put a shrimp on the barbie while he's in Australia, Matisyahu recently tweeted, "Sorry babe [shrimp are] not kosher plus I went vegan."
The last time Matisyahu played in Norfolk, PETA delivered him a basket of vegan treats along with the video "If This Is Kosher…" narrated by Jonathan Safran Foer. The video shows footage from an investigation at Agriprocessors, the world's largest kosher slaughterhouse.
This is the year I start a new Passover tradition by sending my dad a similar PETA gift basket, only with a Matisyahu CD and a card reading, "Beets Beat Brisket." Leave a comment with your favorite compassionate Passover tradition (or a better slogan for my card)!
Written by Heather Drennan
In the aftermath of the recent record-breaking snowstorms that hit the East Coast, it is being reported that the roofs of up to 50 chicken sheds throughout the Delmarva Peninsula in Delaware and Maryland have collapsed under the weight of the snow. As a result, thousands of birds have likely suffered and died in the rubble of these buildings.
These storms were predicted well in advance, which means that farm operators had ample time to figure out how to deal with the snowfall. All responsible farmers should always have an emergency evacuation plan in place for situations like this one. Now, we're writing to Delaware and Maryland officials urging them to investigate and insisting that cruelty-to-animals charges be brought if evidence is found to warrant them. If some farm operators did nothing to prevent the roof collapses or to evacuate the chickens, and any animals died as a result of their inaction, then those farmers are directly responsible for the animals' deaths.
The best way to prevent fatal accidents like this? Decrease the demand for chickens and other farmed animals by going vegan.
Yesterday morning, walking to the D.C. Metro along the tenuous paths carved through the high banks of snow, the usual birdsong was missing. Then I heard a sparrow chirp and found a group of them sitting under a restaurant awning. I had cereal in a bag with me, so I scattered it under the awning, and out hobbled a pigeon who had been under a table, her legs clearly frozen. At each step, she stumbled and had to right herself. Because she ate, I didn't want to scare her by attempting to catch her and feared she would flutter off into the snow, so I watched her eat and then moved on. Last night, making my way home, I found her back under that table, frozen, snow all over her back. In D.C. and many other cities across the nation, there is no water for the birds and no grass for them to reach under the many feet of snow. At PETA's Washington office and around town, including in Lafayette Park and Union Station, we are doing our best to help them. This morning I had an idea: I picked up whole-grain bread and stuck slices of it in the saplings on the streets.
Birds and countless other animals around the city are struggling to survive. It is crucial that in these dire weather conditions, you take action in behalf of animals who would otherwise be left to succumb to the elements by providing them with something to eat and making sure that they have access to fresh water.
Written by Ingrid E. Newkirk
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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