Written by Michelle Kretzer
Pro athletes don't do anything halfway. So studly New York Jets safety Bret Lockett wasn't content simply to pose with a strategically placed faux-leather football for his PETA anti-fur campaign. Instead, he decided to play spread offense and turn his ad unveiling into a whole weekend. First, he helped PETA dedicate our Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters to longtime supporter and Hollywood heavyweight Sam Simon.
Later that evening, Bret hosted an unveiling party at Hampton Roads hotspot the Granby Theater, greeted fans, and talked about why fur should be sidelined. "What really hurt me was when I saw that an animal was still able to move and lift [his] head up after he was completely skinned," he said. "It brought tears to my eyes."
© Charles Long Photography/PETA
And the next night, he went with the PETA gang to laugh aloud as Bill Maher made fun of hunters and other animal abusers in his stand-up performance. All weekend, wherever he went, Bret dined on vegan food, sported PETA T-shirts, and enthusiastically discussed animal rights issues with fans who approached him.
It's easy to see why No. 26 is No. 1 for animals.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Ravens weren't the only winning animals in Super Bowl XLVII. Great apes finally got a reprieve when CareerBuilder at long last decided to stop dressing up chimpanzees in business suits and featuring them in ads about immature coworkers. The ads were unintentionally ironic, since the chimpanzees truly were immature, as in babies. Thank the football gods that CareerBuilder decided to retire those idiotic ads before Ray Lewis got his first hip replacement.
In fact, no great apes were used in any Super Bowl commercial this year, the first year since all the top 10 U.S. advertising agencies pledged never to use great apes in their advertising after meeting with PETA.
As shown in PETA's video exposé, narrated by Anjelica Huston, great apes are torn away from their mothers shortly after birth and are beaten in order to force them to perform. Once they get too powerful and dangerous to control, they are often discarded at dismal roadside zoos.
Great apes weren't the only animals given the day off. Most of the exotic animals featured in the Super Bowl ads were computer generated, not that the average viewer could tell the difference. It makes a big difference to the animals, though, when advertisers opt for realistic computer-generated imagery and animatronic stand-ins and refrain from subjecting real animals to the rigors and abuse of training both on the set and off.
During a PETA undercover investigation of a facility that trains big cats, we documented that the animals were deprived of food, dragged by chains around their necks, hit in the face, and smashed over the head with ax handles. When they're not being forced to perform, exotic animals are confined almost constantly to cages and chains.
If this Super Bowl is any indication, cutting-edge companies seem to be recognizing that compassionate customers are turned off by animal abuse and will tune out cruel ads—because the only squirrel dance that we want to see during the Super Bowl features a burly linebacker.
Update: In deference to the wishes of Manti Te'o and his representatives, PETA is abandoning its plans to erect a billboard featuring an image of the Notre Dame standout next to the slogan "Sometimes Faking It Is Better. Score Faux-Chicken Super Bowl Recipes at PETA.org." Hopefully, people will still defer to the wishes of chickens and not rip their wings off.
Originally posted on January 28th, 2013:
Manti Te'o may have been buffaloed by a fake girlfriend, but he shouldn't feel too bad: Sometimes fake is actually better. That's why PETA created a billboard urging football fans to avoid unnecessary roughness to chickens on Super Bowl Sunday by intentionally grounding real chicken wings and opting for play-action fake fowl instead.
Those animals in PETA's "Glass Walls" video? Unlike Manti's make-believe girlfriend, their deaths are real. Birds slaughtered for their wings and other body parts are often dropped into tanks of scalding-hot water while they are still conscious and aren't covered by even the meager protections of the Humane Slaughter Act.
The price of chicken wings is currently skyrocketing because of higher feed costs caused by this summer's drought, which makes now the perfect time to try vegan wings, such as Gardein Classic Style Buffalo Wings, a favorite of vegetarian and former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams.
This Super Bowl Sunday, opt for healthy and humane faux wings (find recipes at PETA's Living page). That way, nobody gets hurt.
Written by Jeff Mackey
At the same time as vegan star running back Arian Foster and the Texans are making my hometown proud on the field (Bayou City, represent!), PETA has announced its 2012 list of the Top Five Vegetarian-Friendly NFL Stadiums.
Football is played with a ball called a "pigskin" (often erroneously), but folks who are fans of both team sports and animals will find a growing variety of cruelty-free foods to enjoy on game day at arenas throughout the NFL. So even if your team is stuck in the basement this year, you can still score a victory for animals way up in the cheap seats by hitting up the concession stand for some vegan goodies!
© Levy Restaurants
Check out the Top Five Vegetarian-Friendly NFL Stadiums:
1. Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Eagles
As the Eagles battle for the top spot in the always-tough NFC East, Philly fans can take pride in the fact that Lincoln Financial Field tops PETA's list of vegetarian-friendly stadiums for the third year in a row, thanks to its awesome array of meat-free options, which include a mock-steak sandwich, a "chicken-steak" sandwich, a seitan brisket, and veggie burgers and dogs.
2. Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots
Pats fans have more mouthwatering vegetarian options than Tom Brady has offensive weapons. Gillette Stadium moved up from number four on PETA's list of vegetarian-friendly stadiums, thanks to its black-bean burger, grilled portobello mushroom burger, and grilled veggie flatbread wrap. Meanwhile, fans continue to devour the stadium's standby favorites—veggie dogs and veggie burgers.
3. O.co Coliseum, Oakland Raiders
Rookie head coach Dennis Allen may be experiencing some growing pains in Oakland, but Raider Nation has cause for celebration: O.co Coliseum made PETA's list of vegetarian-friendly stadiums for the fifth year in a row. With a veggie dog, black-bean burger, and veggie burrito leading the charge, fans of the Silver and Black can turn their health around by enjoying delicious, protein-packed vegetarian meals.
4. Georgia Dome, Atlanta Falcons
Matty Ice is playing like an MVP, but the MVP of the Georgia Dome's concession stands may be the mock-meat Sloppy Jane, made with peppers, onions, molasses, and brown-sugar barbecue sauce. Also available and fresh off the burner (no Michael Turner pun intended) are veggie dogs and veggie burgers, possibly the best duo since Roddy White and Julio Jones. You don't have to pose in a PETA ad as Tony Gonzalez did to enjoy these options.
5. Ford Field, Detroit Lions
The Lions may be dropping in the standings, but Ford Field has climbed in our rankings of the best meat-free fare. Outstanding dishes such as vegan sloppy Joes, hearty veggie burgers, hummus with vegetables, and fruit cups with chili lime salt dominate the concession stands here the same way that Megatron dominates on the field.
Scoring honorable mentions are the Kansas City Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium, the St. Louis Rams' Edward Jones Dome, the San Francisco 49ers' Candlestick Park, and the New York Jets' and New York Giants' MetLife Stadium.
With so many healthy and animal-friendly foods available almost everywhere you go, there's never been a better time to go vegan than right now!
Football season is about to, well, kick off. It's fitting that in a sports league with so many teams named after animals—the Bears, the Eagles, the Dolphins, the Lions, etc.—there are plenty of players who show compassion for our furry, feathered, and finned friends. Here are 11 current and former NFL pros whom the animals are glad to have on their team:
Sedrick Ellis (New Orleans Saints)
New Orleans Saints player Sedrick Ellis lives up to his team's name in his PETA ad encouraging folks in the Big Easy and elsewhere to make plans to take care of animal companions before emergencies happen.
©Photo: Josh Williams Photography. Grooming: Brandie Hopstein
Arian Foster (Houston Texans)
Houston Texans running back Arian Foster makes my hometown proud with his outstanding skills on the field and makes animal advocates cheer for his embrace of healthy and humane vegan foods.
Foster image: AJ Guel Photography| cc by 2.0
Lance Briggs (Chicago Bears)
Playing in the Windy City, linebacker Lance Briggs knows what cold weather can feel like, which is why dogs don't belong outside in the wintertime, as his PETA ad explains.
©Photo: Jimmy Fishbein www.jimmyfishbein.com
Glenn Dorsey (Kansas City Chiefs)
Also speaking up for cold dogs is Glenn Dorsey, who posed for a PETA ad with his dog Bugsy, of whom he said, "Bugs don't care if we win or lose, he's still gonna love me."
©Photo: Matthew Collins, Makeup: Melissa Blayton
Aaron Curry (Oakland Raiders)
Aaron Curry posed with his rescued dog Laila for a peta2 "Be Your Dog's Biggest Defender" ad urging people not to chain their dogs.
© Photo: Christopher Record, Makeup: Adrian Howe
Willis McGahee (Denver Broncos)
When he played for the Baltimore Ravens, Willis McGahee, now on the Denver Broncos, bucked the cruelty of fur by baring his tats—and much more—for a red-hot PETA "Ink, Not Mink" ad.
© Photo: Ken Penn/www.kenpenn.com, Grooming: Tomara Watkins for Stilista Agency
Terrell Suggs (Baltimore Ravens)
Another Ravens player happy to show his skin to save animals' hides, Terrell Suggs is one of the toughest linebackers in the NFL, but he considers the production of fur "cruel and evil" and will never cross the line by wearing it.
© Photo: Gabrielle Revere/www.gabriellerevere.com, Makeup: Demi V./www.DemiV.com
Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons)
Tony Gonzalez, a six-time Pro Bowl veteran, also stripped down for PETA, alongside his wife, October, to declare, "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur!"
© Photo: Robert Sebree, Hair: Eric Sebbag for The Cloutier Agency, Makeup: Camille Clark for The Cloutier Agency
Ricky Williams (retired)
Ricky Williams, a vegetarian, hosted PETA's faux–chicken-wing taste test, crowning Gardein's vegan buffalo wings the winner.
Michael Strahan (retired)
Former NFL star Michael Strahan has a new job as co-host of "Live With Kelly and Michael," but PETA helped keep him occupied making a public service announcement for "backyard dogs."
© StarMaxInc.com
Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
Drew Brees and his wife, Brittany, who are both lactose intolerant, teamed up with dairy-free brand So Delicious for a promotion benefiting the couple's charitable foundation—and anything that encourages nondairy living also helps cows used for milk.
Brees photo: Ian Ransley Design | cc by 2.0
Even if you have no hope of making it to the Super Bowl, you can still be a champion for animals—learn how.
The TV networks have been notably, um, unenthusiastic about running PETA's Super Bowl ads, so this year PETA is planning to take its message directly to the players and fans by placing billboards in the teams' hometowns of New York and Boston as well as Indianapolis, which is hosting the game, making an irreverent plea for people to put down the chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday.
Chickens © iStockphoto.com/Sunnybeach
It's estimated that some 600 million chickens are killed for the wings consumed just during the Super Bowl. Yikes! And that's after the abuse they all suffered through on factory farms.
Not only is this wing-eating obsession cruel, it also shows a lack of imagination. After all, there are so many mouth-watering alternatives to the old same-old same-old. For vegan game-day treats that will satisfy the most ravenous sports fan, check out these recipes for fab finger foods that won't cost birds their limbs.
If your party guests insist on being served wings, try the meatless variety, like Gardein's buffalo "wings"—the choice of the NFL's Ricky Williams—or just roll your own!
Bikinis in December? Sure.
Eye blacks with garters? Why not?
Fur? What, are you crazy?
The Lingerie Football League's Toronto Triumph took to the streets yesterday to call "foul" on fur.
Courtesy of Dave B
The ladies braved the chilly temps to show Torontonians that football players can take a beating, but that furry animals shouldn't have to. Unless someone was cruisin' for a bruisin', my bet is the shoppers steered clear of fur.
Written by PETA
Did you know that in Ukraine, a dog or cat found wandering the streets can be shot on sight or poisoned and left to suffer? Their bodies are tossed into a cremation truck and burned, and some are reportedly burned while alive. It is estimated that in the city of Kiev alone, 20,000 dogs have already been killed in these cruel ways.
Ukrainian authorities are trying to "cleanse" the country of homeless animals before it hosts the European Football Championship in 2012. At a preliminary match between Germany and Ukraine in Kiev last weekend, members of PETA Germany and the Kiev Society for the Protection of Animals protested, calling on Ukrainian authorities to stop the cruel killings and asking the Union of European Football Associations to get involved.
Many German soccer (known as "football" in other parts of the world) players have now joined PETA Germany in publicly criticizing Ukrainian authorities for the torture of these dogs and demanding that the city use humane methods to manage the homeless animal crisis. The only solution to animal overpopulation is a spay-and-neuter initiative, but in the meantime, the city's unwanted animals at least deserve a peaceful, painless end to their lives.
Please contact the Ukrainian Embassy and politely urge officials to stop these cruel killings immediately. Click here for the e-mail address for your state, or if your state is not listed, you can call 202-333-0606.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
Written by Colleen Borst
My husband probably thinks that I watch Atlanta Falcons games with him to be supportive of his favorite team, but I'll confess, it's for tight end Tony Gonzalez.
Last Sunday's game was especially cool because toned Tony edged out Cris Carter and Marvin Harrison to become second in career receptions, with 1,104 catches. He now trails only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. But Tony got one reception that Rice never did: a warm reception from compassionate folks everywhere for the naked anti-fur ad that he and his lovely wife, October, starred in.
Tight end indeed.
Well, here it is—your very own backstage pass to the photo shoot for PETA's yet-to-be-released "Tackle Cruelty, Bench Fur" ad, which features lovelies from the Lingerie Football League's Chicago Bliss.
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any hotter, four of the posing players revealed that they'd rather go naked than wear fur:
Still want to see more? Be sure to check back soon for the release of the ad and an exclusive interview with the girls. But for now—as you can see from the LFL's Facebook page—our photo shoot is already gartering garnering a lot of attention.
Written by Karin Bennett
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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