Written by PETA
… and you can win it!
Our favorite hockey player is at it again. This time, Georges Laraque of the Montréal Canadiens is joining the many other athletes who have stepped up to show how going vegan doesn't just do a body good—it does a body great.
Just in time for (Canadian) Thanksgiving, Georges is releasing his brand-new vegan ad, in which he highlights the many reasons to say "Non!" to turkey.
Georges also sat down for an exclusive Q&A with PETA in which he reveals that it was a movie that first convinced him to go vegan:
To celebrate his brand-new vegan testimonial, Georges has donated a signed hockey puck and a glossy photo—which are now up for grabs.
How do you win? Just leave a comment below telling us who your favorite vegetarian or vegan athlete is and why. The most fan-crazed comment will take home the prize.
The contest ends on October 22, 2009, and we'll choose one winner on October 26, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Que le meilleur gagne!*
Written by Amanda Schinke
*That's how the French-speaking Québecois might say, "May the best one win," mes amis.
What do you get when you combine our favorite hockey player with one of our favorite faux-chicken sandwiches?
Hat trick! Georges Laraque was so impressed by a Canadian KFC's vegan sandwich, he ordered two more to go.
While there is one major animal offense that keeps Canada in the penalty box, KFCs in Canada offer an awesome vegan sandwich—and they are also making efforts to phase in controlled-atmosphere killing. Partner that with Georges Laraque's insatiable hunger for animal liberation and I'd say you have one of the sweetest assists Canada's seen in some time.
Written by Shawna Flavell
If our protest in the middle of New York City's Times Square wasn't enough anti-bullfighting action for ya, just wait until you see the pictures from this mother-of-all-protests in Pamplona, Spain, yesterday.
Two hundred "bloodied" and bare bodies from all over the world (I'm not exaggerating—we're talking U.K., Australia, America, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Belgium, Norway … you get the idea) gathered outside the Pamplona mayor's office in protest of the horrible abuses that bulls suffer during Pamplona's nine-day festival of San Fermín.
Before the Running of the Bulls, workers use electric prods and sharp sticks to rile the bulls into a frenzy. Then, the bulls are often debilitated with tranquilizers and beaten before being taken into the bullfighting ring—where they are repeatedly speared with banderillas (barb-tipped wooden daggers) before being stabbed to death.
Help us put an end to this bloodbath.
PETA's reenactment of our "Fur Is Dead" public service announcement (PSA) stunned D.C. tourists last week. News crews from WRC-TV, Roll Call, and others caught all the action—giving new meaning to the term "beat reporting."
Thanks to all who made our action a smashing success!
Written by Karin Bennett
Ooh …
Ahh …
Remember, the Fourth of July comes only once a year, but you can make your own fireworks every day with veggie Viagra! Enjoy your holiday!
Georges Laraque (or "Big George" to friends and fans) is known for duking it out on the ice as the star enforcer for the Montréal Canadiens, but these days he's fighting for animal rights.
Georges already protested a fur expo in Montréal, and now he's just delivered a slap shot to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the bloody seal slaughter. Georges sent a letter to Prime Minister Harper, writing, "Blood on the ice is fine when it comes to Canada's national sport because players are willing participants, but the blood of helpless baby seals that stains the ice each year is Canada's shame."
He joins other notables who have denounced the slaughter, including Canadian Senator Mac Harb, British Columbia native Pamela Anderson, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and President Obama.
I think everyone can agree that this hockey champ is a pro at sticking up for animals.
With baby seal corpses littering Canadian ice floes, this year's seal slaughter has finally ended—but the outrage over the Canadian government's refusal to stop the killing is just getting revved up.
Outcry against the seal slaughter is echoing around the globe. The European Union and the U.S. have banned seal products, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution calling for an immediate end to the slaughter, and world leaders have spoken out against the massacre. Demonstrations from London to Hamburg and Los Angeles to Toronto have made headlines, and people all over the world have sent a strong, united message that the seal bloodbath must end.
It's clear that the Canadian seal slaughter is quickly losing favor and support: This year, about three-fourths of the seals who were expected to be bludgeoned or shot to death were spared. But we still need your help to make sure that Canada doesn't think the protests will end just because the killing has slowed.
One dead seal is still too many, so we've revved up our campaign to get the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee to use its clout to stop the seal slaughter. Check out our new Web site OlympicShame2010.com and give us a hand, won't you?
The mutilation and slaughter of 19 cats in the South Miami-Dade area of Florida has made national news recently. Now that 18-year-old Tyler Weinman has been arrested and charged in connection with the killings, an article published today points out that the accused cat killer participated in classroom dissections last year.
Fearing Weinman might be a danger to himself and/or others, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer has ordered a psychiatric evaluation—and house arrest if Weinman makes bail—noting, "I'm concerned about his safety and the safety of the community.''
Smart woman. After all, most—if not all—notorious serial killers got their start abusing animals (think Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, Son of Sam, and the Boston Strangler, just to name a few). Heck, even the main character in Showtime's popular series Dexter is a serial killer whose first victims were animals.
Parents and educators need to be aware that classroom dissections teach students that it's OK to be cruel. Schools should instead be teaching students to respect life by teaching anatomy via any of the many humane alternatives that are available. That's why we've written to the principal of Weinman's school urging him to stop all animal dissections and replace them with non-animal learning methods, which we are offering to provide free of charge. After all, I'm sure he doesn't want to risk adding any of his students' faces to the "Most Wanted" lists of criminals who "graduated" from dissecting frogs, rats, and cats to killing and cutting up men, women, and children.
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the vegan soccer balls are Keren Genet, Rev. Meg Schramm, and Hannah Claire Jarvis. Congratulations!
The World Cup has just started, and you can already spot the true fans. Dedicated soccer (or, if you prefer, "football") enthusiasts all over the world are breaking out their jerseys and dusting off their giant foam fingers.
Before you start practicing your Ronaldinho moves, don't forget to make sure that your ball is cruelty-free. Many sports balls are made of leather, despite the cruelty and human health risks involved in producing it. Hasn't anyone at FIFA ever been to CowsAreCool.com?
For this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're giving away leather-free soccer balls from Fair Trade Sports so that cows can keep their skins and you can kick butt on the field.
How do you win? Tell us about your favorite animal-friendly athlete in a comment below. The three most fan-crazed comments will win.
The contest ends on July 1, 2009, and we'll choose one comment as the winner on July 3, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!
Written by Lianne Turner
Did you catch PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk on CNN Headline News last night? She was on Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell to speak out against plans to build a monkey-breeding facility in Puerto Rico.
Reports that this breeding farm would be stocked with monkeys snatched from their native homes in Mauritius are nightmarish enough, but the babies would then be sold for laboratory experiments. You know, like at Columbia University and Covance? Yikes!
Props to Jane Velez-Mitchell for recognizing that this story is newsworthy and for treating it—and folks concerned about animal rights—with respect. If you missed it, you should definitely check it out. Then head over here and tell Puerto Rico to cut out the monkey biz.
Written by Jeff Mackey
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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