How did you celebrate your last birthday? Did you have dinner at a nice restaurant? Take in a ballgame? Go to your friend's house for a surprise party? PETA Foundation staffer Kendall Bryant—aka "The Straw Boss"—would have none of that. She spent her birthday delivering straw bedding to cold dogs in North Carolina with her accomplice Dan "CircusesHurtAnimals.com" Carron. And because Kendall is a talented photographer and videographer, she documented her trip and turned it into a must-see video: 

Kendall and Dan met pit bulls Tyson, Diamond, Pretty, and Tiger, who were all struggling to stay warm as best they could during the first snowfall of the winter. You can tell by their furiously wagging tails that they were nearly as thrilled to get some attention as they were to get fluffy straw, a hearty meal, and, in the case of Tyson, a lightweight tie-out to replace his heavy logging chain.

The pair also helped Bear, a golden retriever mix whose drinking water had frozen solid, and a pack of beagles, possibly used for hunting, who eagerly gobbled up the food that they were offered. (Many people don't realize that dogs kept outside in the wintertime burn more calories to keep warm and therefore need more food.)

In total, Kendall and Dan helped 18 dogs, three rabbits, a cat, and a rooster that day. I'd call that a birthday well spent.

It was a truly great year for PETA—and for the many animals whose lives were improved and saved by the string of victories won over the past 12 months, all made possible by the vital support of its treasured members. Take a look at the highlights:

A new year means new opportunities to help animals, and we all hope 2013 brings even more brilliant victories—but to make that happen, PETA needs everyone to offer as much support as possible.  Don't miss out—become a member today. Your tax-deductable year-end gift will support PETA's crucial work and make 2013 the brightest year yet for animals!

The following was written by Emily Allen, CAP Associate Director. 

As Forrest Gump might say, fieldwork performed by staff of PETA's Community Animal Project (CAP) is kind of like a box of chocolates—because on this job, you never know what you're going to get. We rescue abandoned, abused, and neglected animals in the areas surrounding PETA's Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters. It's a big task, and we are looking to expand our team.

On any given day, we could be crawling through a sewer, climbing a tree, or digging through a junkyard to rescue a terrified animal; shuttling animals of low-income families to our no-cost to low-cost spay and neuter clinics; or traveling into an impoverished neighborhood to deliver doghouses, bedding, food, and toys to animals who have been left outdoors. 

We often come to the aid of neglected "backyard dogs" like Rambo, whose owner had left him trapped in a filthy pen with no food or water and whose every bone stood out like bare limbs on a tree. We worked with police to get him confiscated, and the owner was convicted of cruelty. That sweet dog, so trusting despite having been betrayed, was adopted by a fantastic family, gained 30 pounds, and now relishes the safe, comfortable indoor life—except for romps in the park, of course—that every dog deserves. 

We are also called upon to help suffering stray and feral cats. One old cat was so severely injured that his image will stay with me forever. His side was practically covered by an open wound that was teeming with maggots. A woman had been feeding strays in her yard but was apparently oblivious to the cat's condition. We whisked the dying animal back to our office and gave him a peaceful release from his suffering. 

Every day and every story are different, but I leave work each day feeling that, like the tale of the child who was saving the starfish who washed up on the beach, I may not be able to help them all, but I can help this one and that one and this one and …

Do you have what it takes to rescue abandoned, abused, and neglected animals? Apply to be a CAP fieldworker. 

Tired of giving your family and friends neckties, candles, and pairs of gloves every year? Most of us already have overstuffed closets, and really, how much cinnamon aroma can one take? This year, think outside the tie box and give a PETA Present. 

Make your friends and family all warm inside by letting them "deliver" comfort to a cold, lonely "outdoor dog" this winter, help save a rabbit from losing his or her fur for a collar, or help get an animal released from a laboratory. Or make personalized gifts—just choose the campaign that you are most passionate about and specify what you would like your donation to be used for.

Your gift recipients will receive an e-card on the date that you choose to let them know that they have helped an animal in need, and if you need to make use of all those tie boxes, you can print out the description of the gift to put under the tree.

It's the season for tidings of comfort and joy—and we can help make it a little bit more comfortable and joyous for animals, too. Thank you!

Want to have a New Year's celebration that's "off da chain"? Start by getting dogs off theirs. (Chains, that is.) Since it's time to make resolutions, make one of yours a pledge to see an end to chaining in your community by year's end—all it takes is persuading local officials to make (and then pass) a kind of resolution of their own!

Need more convincing? Meet Ziggy. This was his life before PETA—and a caring animal advocate, Alexis Tsiouris—came into it:

Alexis and PETA worked together over the course of a year to get Ziggy (then named Gizmo) off his chain and into a true home. After PETA alerted Alexis to Ziggy's plight, she delivered straw and treats to him. Both Alexis and PETA contacted his owner, who finally surrendered him to Alexis. Ziggy now lives indoors with his loving family, including three other dogs:

Ziggy's life is as bright now as it once was bleak. But with so many "backyard dogs" on chains and ropes, one-dog-at-a-time rescues—while worthwhile and often necessary—can't effectively help them all.

That's why it's so vital that tethering (chaining) bans become law in every community. While Ziggy was chained up, for example, PETA had sent law-enforcement officials to check on him twice, but they determined that his situation was legal so nothing could be done about it. A chaining ban would give authorities the necessary tools to help dogs like Ziggy.

What You Can Do

This year, put "Get a tethering ban passed" at the top of your list of New Year's resolutions and get it done before 2013 comes to a close. Learn how and then make your resolution: no more chained dogs!

Staffers from its Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters and Washington, D.C., office have endured the impact of Hurricane Sandy's winds and storm surge, but that's not stopping PETA from doing everything in its power to help the animals in the storm's path. Community Animal Project fieldworkers are on call 24/7 and have already been hard at work helping animals left to fend for themselves against the storm and the flooding.

Of course, the best way to protect animals is to prevent them from being put in harm's way in the first place. That's why PETA sent out emergency-preparedness alerts to media across Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and other at-risk areas before the storm to remind guardians to be ready to allow animal companions to stay indoors and to take them along if forced to evacuate.

Unfortunately, not everyone has heeded this advice, and frightened, vulnerable animals like the dog you see here in Newport News, Virginia, have been left tied up outside to face the storm's onslaught. So PETA has sent urgent requests to the governors of all states likely to be affected by Sandy asking them to protect all their citizens—including the four-legged ones—by issuing immediate "no chaining" orders for their states.

The orders should require that all dogs be allowed to stay indoors and not be left chained outside, where they may drown, freeze, be strangled, or get hit by flying debris in the midst of the hurricane, as happened to Smokey, who died alone outside during Hurricane Irene on the chain that he had been attached to since puppyhood.

No matter what the governors decide, though, if Sandy is headed your way, please allow your dogs and cats to stay indoors with you, be prepared to take them with you if you have to leave, and urge your neighbors to do the same!

By now, we hope everyone is prepared as Hurricane Sandy batters the eastern United States and Canada with gale-force winds, massive walls of water, and, in some spots, snow. While we wish that everyone who evacuated would have taken their animals with them and that those who are staying will have allowed their animals indoors to ride out the storm in safety, we know that not everyone understands that domesticated animals cannot survive "on instinct" and that they stand little chance if left outside. Especially during natural disasters, animal advocates must be vigilant about helping chained dogs, "outdoor cats," and rabbits left outside in hutches.

If you know of animals kept on chains or in hutches or pens, please look out for them! You may be their only hope. People do not always do what's needed, and animals die miserably during these weather emergencies. If necessary, beg guardians to allow their animals indoors until the storm is over. If the guardian refuses, be persuasive and ask to take the animals to your home and then return them when it's safe. If all else fails, note the animals' condition and location and call animal control, the police, or other local authorities and implore them to use their power to rescue the animals. If people have left and you must take emergency action to save an animal in rising waters or another situation, then you must do what you need to do.

PETA's vans at our Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters and Washington, D.C., offices are stocked with food, medicine, and other supplies, and we will be diligently combing the surrounding areas searching for any animals in need. In times of disaster, we rely on our generous Animal Emergency Fund donors to make these rescues possible. If you are able, please consider supporting our Hurricane Sandy rescue efforts. 

The story is a common one but still heartrending: Deuce's owners bought him as a puppy, but when he got big—although still full of energy and enthusiasm—instead of giving him gentle guidance and abundant exercise, they kicked him out of the house and chained him to a tree.

A Chain Is Not a Home

Fortunately for Deuce, one kind soul saw that he was tied up in the mud without shelter on a rainy day and took pity on him. After other rescue organizations refused to help Deuce, PETA was contacted and immediately arranged to have the pup picked up—the uninterested family surrendered him to the rescuer—and taken to a reputable animal shelter.

That would be enough of a tail-wagger for many animals who are facing a similar plight, but Deuce's good fortune continued: Shortly after arriving at the animal shelter, he was adopted by a loving family, and now he spends every day indoors as a cherished member of the household.

What You Can Do

Both dogs and cats are happier and safer indoors. Please, if you spot an animal left outside, be ready to help—and don't take "no" for an answer!

After observing a large number of dogs who were living in filthy conditions, chained, breeding, fighting, or confined to hot areas—and getting no help from local animal control—a caring person notified PETA, and one of its caseworkers jumped into action.

The miserable pups were covered with fleas and living without veterinary care or socialization. Two of the dogs were kept inside a trailer that had no air conditioning or any other kind of ventilation. One was significantly underweight. Those responsible for the sad conditions of the dogs clearly didn't care about their welfare, so the caseworker persuaded them to surrender the animals and arranged for an area resident to pick up the 13 dogs and carry them to a reputable local animal shelter—from which one has already been adopted into a loving home.

What You Can Do

PETA will continue to monitor the situation to make sure the dogs' former owners don't acquire more animals, but this case again illustrates the importance of speaking up when you see animals in trouble and being persistent until they get the help they so desperately need.

A New York state man was shocked to see a tiny kitten drag himself into his yard by his two front paws. The lower half of the kitten's body was smashed and limp, so he had likely been struck by a car and the driver had failed to stop and check on him. There is no way to know how long the kitten had been suffering, dragging his broken body.

The man called local authorities, but they showed little interest in helping the injured animal. Frustrated, he called PETA for help. We contacted local animal-control officials, but because it was after hours, they told us they couldn't send an officer out until the next day. We persisted, stressing how badly injured the kitten was and how imperative it was that he get immediate help. Animal control relented, and within an hour of the man's worried call, the kitten was mercifully euthanized and freed from his agony.

Sometimes one hour is all it takes to save an animal from immense suffering. It may require persistence and patience, but you will prevail if you refuse to take "No" for an answer. And if all else fails, call PETA.