This week, PETA's cavorting cow has been urging people in cities across the U.S. to dump dairy from their diets with a not-so-subtle hint.

Why's this heifer in a huff?

Last week, PETA released undercover footage of cows who were kept on a Land O'Lakes supplier's factory farm in pens covered with feces. They were denied veterinary care and even kicked or stabbed with pocket knives when they were too weak to stand.

If dairy foods were deadly for your relatives, you'd want people to ditch it, too, right? Well, dairy foods have been linked to a slew of human health issues, including allergies, obesity, prostate cancer, heart disease, and autism.

Written by Heather Drennan

On Monday, the journal Pediatrics published a study that showed a significant increase in the number of children who are diagnosed with autism or a similar disorder.

To educate the parents of autistic children about a possibility for improvement in their child's condition, we are relaunching our autism billboard:

Studies have shown that many autistic kids improve dramatically when put on a diet free of dairy foods. One study of 20 children found a major reduction in autistic behavior in kids who were put on a casein-free diet (casein is a component of cow's milk). Another study conducted by researchers at the University of Rome showed a "marked improvement" in the behavior of autistic children who were taken off dairy products. There are also countless heart-wrenching stories from parents of kids who had suffered the worst effects of autism for years before dairy foods were eliminated from their diets. Here is one mother's story:

Please, if you know someone with an autistic child, ask them to give this treatment a chance. There's no guarantee of success, but it's worth a try.

Ladies, allow me to introduce you to Jonathan Fagerlund:

dreamlinemusic / CC

But first, a disclaimer: Even when my husband is goofing off for the camera, I think he's a hunk.

Not only is Tim good-looking, he also refuses to eat animals, confronts every fur hag he encounters, and participates in horse-drawn carriage protests.

So I assure you, the only reason that my heart's all aflutter right now is the triple red-eye I had earlier—not because I have a thing for Swedish singer Jonathan Fagerlund.

Sure, he's smokin' hot. And talented—at 18 years old, he's already appeared in a television series and released two albums. But above all else, Jonathan is compassionate. He just set up a True Friends Memorial and donated $500 to help animals who are victims of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. He even links to the memorial page on his Web site and encourages his fans to take action.

Now, before you start combing through pages of Jonathan's photos on Google Images,why don't you follow his lead and honor someone's memory on PETA's True Friends site?

Written by Karin Bennett

… 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.

blogs.venturacountystar / CC

Alcor Life Extension Foundation, which claims that dearly departed Aunt Suzie may be brought to life one day if she's freeze-dried via cryonics, is under media fire, thanks to a former chief operating officer's published tell-all. But it's the account of Alcor's horrific cryonics experiments sent to PETA by the author that got our blood boiling. He wrote:

Although Alcor admits that the results of mutilating, killing, and freezing animals "will not be exactly applicable to human cases," the company has conducted and funded animal torture for decades. Alcor's own Web site details the nightmarish suffering endured by a dog named Dixie who was drained of all her blood and then infused with new blood, causing her to suffer severe seizures and brain damage:

It's no wonder municipalities across the country have prohibited cryonics experiments on animals. In 1993, Alcor's animal experiments were halted in California. Unfortunately, the company still conducts and funds cruel experiments on animals in other places—but not for long. PETA's fight to stop these atrocities begins with our letter to the company's president and executive director, Jennifer Chapman. We'll keep you posted.

Written by Karin Bennett

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a bacterium that infects pigs—usually on crowded, inhumane factory farms, where infectious diseases such as swine flu spread like wildfire. Erysipelas causes fever, chronic arthritis, heart inflammation, painful skin lesions, and often death. Up until a few weeks ago, most of us at PETA had never heard of erysipelas either.

blogs.venturacountystar / CC

There is a vaccine for erysipelas, but each batch produced was tested by infecting pigs with the disease. The test caused the animals immense suffering, which was often followed by death. Enter PETA's scientists, whose heads are no doubt getting a little big right now, what with two big victories in one week.

In August, PETA's Regulatory Testing Division wrote to the USDA asking the agency to follow Europe's example and adopt a non-animal in vitro test for the erysipelas vaccine. We pointed out that the in vitro ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay—try saying that three times fast) test is more humane and is also much more reliable than simply administering the vaccine and seeing whether or not the pigs die. It also helps to ensure vaccine consistency.

Last week, we received a response from the USDA announcing that the test involving the use of pigs will no longer be used. The icing on the cake is that the USDA also said that it is moving away from a hideously cruel method that uses mice to produce antibodies and will instead use a cell culture–based system that is humane and reliable.

Not ones to rest on our laurels, we at PETA are also working to replace animal tests with in vitro tests for tetanus, hepatitis B, whooping cough, clostridium, and leptospirosis vaccines. Already, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is on board when it comes to ending the use of hamsters in the manufacture of leptospirosis vaccines—a decision that will save the lives of about 40,000 hamsters a year. Hopefully, we'll be able to report back with another victory soon.

Written by Alisa Mullins

Update: After receiving a complaint from Leslie Franks Solicitors that the description of its client hadn't made the distinction that Barker was not convicted of murder but rather of "causing or allowing" the death of Baby P, PETA U.K. redesigned this billboard. Convicted child abusers' violent acts send just as clear a warning to anyone who might overlook animal abuse.

It's been shown many times that those who abuse animals often go on to commit violence against human beings. (Remember what Eli Roth said?)

With that in mind, our friends at PETA UK have just placed a billboard in Haringey, the North London borough that is now infamous for being the location of the horrific abuse of "Baby P," a 17-month old boy who was found dead in his bed with a broken back, his fingertips sliced off, and his fingernails pulled out with pliers. He was also punched so hard in the face that he swallowed a tooth.

As a child, Baby P's abuser, Steven Barker, tortured animals, including frogs, whom he would skin before breaking their legs. How much suffering could have been prevented if Barker's fascination with inflicting torture on animals had been taken more seriously?

Baby P's case is a chilling reminder that cruelty-to-animals cases must be reported and aggressively prosecuted in order to protect helpless victims of all species.

Written by Amanda Schinke

Dancing With the Stars has hosted a virtual cornucopia of PETA supporters, from contestants Joanna Krupa and Steve-O to dancing pro Karina Smirnoff and judge Carrie Ann Inaba. So we were bummed to learn that DWTS planned to use a chimpanzee as a "guest judge" on last night's episode.

jrenseyblog.wordpress / CC

Yesterday morning, several organizations, including PETA, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, and International Primate Protection League, contacted the show's executive producer, Conrad Green, to try to convince him not to air the segment. In our letter, we alerted Green to the fact that workers tear captive baby chimpanzees away from their mothers and beat them in order to force them to perform. We also sent along our moving video about great apes in entertainment, which is narrated by Anjelica Huston.

Anjelica must have worked her magic, because the kind Mr. Green got back to us right away to let us know that the segment featuring the chimpanzee would be cut and that he would never use great apes in the future. Good to his word, no chimpanzee put in an appearance on last night's show, according to the crazed avid DWTS fans on our staff.

This just goes to show that if you speak up, good people like Conrad Green are quick to do the right thing.

Written by Alisa Mullins

I don't know much Italian, besides this, but even I can figure out that "Vadis al Maximo" means "something something maximum." After reading about the historical society's push to revive chariot races at the crumbling Circus Maximus in Rome, I'm thinking that the translation is "Horse Abuses Maximum."

wiki.ed.ac.uk / CC

Fortunately for us (and horses), Rome's chariot races will remain safely tucked away in the annals of history. PETA U.K. fired off an urgent plea to Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno to nix the notion, explaining that chariot races are stressful to horses and place the animals and spectators at risk. City official Umberto Croppi promptly responded, "I can reassure you by saying that … the city of Rome will not allow the holding of similar events."

We're trying to eliminate abuses in the U.S. horse-racing industry, including whippings, drugging, and slaughter. So a molto "Thanks!" to Rome's mayor for giving Italian stallions a break.

Written by Karin Bennett

I thought that getting Tom Cruise to squirm uncomfortably during the premiere of The Jay Leno Show would be the program's most misguided attempt at "fun." Wrong.

Apparently, Jay Leno's stint as a teenage employee under the Golden Arches got execs at NBC and McDonald's thinking that the talk show host should feature a month-long promo for the fast-food giant on his new program.

With the news that McCruelty is slated for some prime-time exposure, out came PETA's "chickens." They greeted audiences lining up for yesterday's taping of The Jay Leno Show with news that McDonald's refuses to adopt an improved slaughter method called "controlled-atmosphere killing" (CAK). McDonald's American suppliers still use an archaic killing method that causes countless birds to suffer broken wings and broken legs, have their throats cut while they're still conscious, and be scalded to death. Even McDonald's own advisers agree that the company should eliminate the worst abuses by switching to CAK, which is already used by McDonald's European suppliers.

It looks like someone's trying to start a conga line, doesn't it?

Ever the optimists, we're crossing our fingers in the hope that Mr. Leno will use his influence to convince McDonald's to help billions of birds.

Stay tuned for updates.

Written by Karin Bennett