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.

A Miracle

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.

Don't Leave It to Chance

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:

• Make sure that animals are wearing a collar or harness with current ID tags.
• Get animals microchipped and keep your information current with the microchip company.
• Keep current photos of animals in your wallet or purse to help rescue teams identify them.
• Keep current medical records—along with phone numbers for the animals' veterinarian and local boarding facilities—in an easily accessible place.
• Make an emergency evacuation kit that contains leashes, medicine, water, food, litter, and phone numbers of hotels that welcome animals.

Just days after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake near Richmond, Virginia, shook the Eastern seaboard, including PETA's offices in Norfolk, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the region is now bracing for Hurricane Irene, which is expected to strike the Carolina coast sometime on Saturday. Already, parts of North Carolina are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Staffers at PETA's headquarters in Norfolk are bracing for the storm. Brandi, Bubbles, and Marshall,  the three cats who live at the office, are ready to evacuate at a moment's notice. The cats' carriers—one for each cat—are kept in a readily accessible supply closet, and a staffer will be spending the night at the building in order to be ready to immediately remove the cats if conditions worsen.

We are also alerting the media and sending out public service announcements to help get the message out about safeguarding animals to make sure that the public has the info that they need as the hurricane approaches, and we're even calling people whose animals are kept outside and whom we have helped in the past through our Community Animal Project. Even if you're not in the path of a hurricane—or an earthquake—now is still the time to make arrangements for safeguarding your animals in the event of an emergency:

• Storm shelters for humans may refuse animals, so check with hotels, relatives, and friends to see if you and your animals can stay there until the emergency is over. Never leave animals unsupervised in a car where they can suffer heatstroke. To find out if there is an emergency shelter that accepts animals in your area, call your county emergency management office or local animal shelter.
• Make sure that your animals are current on rabies vaccinations and are wearing collars with identification tags (microchips are even better). Pack leashes, bowls, towels, blankets, litter pans, litter, and at least a week's supply of food and medications. Be sure to have a carrier and/or leash and harness (frightened animals can slip out of collars) on hand for each animal.
• Place signs in your windows and on your front door indicating how many and what kinds of animals are inside in case you are ever away from home when a disaster strikes—rescue teams may be able to save them.
• Never leave animals behind in an evacuation. You may not be able to return home for weeks, leaving animals to die lingering, painful deaths by starvation, dehydration, or drowning. If conditions aren't safe for you, they aren't safe for your animals, either.
• Keep an eye out for other animals in need, including strays and animals left behind by neighbors. If you see an animal in distress and are unable to help, note the animal's condition and location and call authorities for help as soon as possible.

TVs, couches, and even homes are replaceable, but best friends aren't. Visit PETA.org for more emergency-preparedness tips, and please consider making a donation to the Animal Emergency Fund. 

Written by Michelle Sherrow

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

Photohound / CC by 3.0

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.

© Star Max Inc.

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:

1. calling 1-800-868-3411
2. texting the word "vote" to 3411
3. Giving her all 10 of my online votes

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

tinyfarmblog / CC

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.

Written by Logan Scherer