This is it, people! The circus industry is built on masking animal torture as family fun—and it's time to force that industry to crumble. As you may know, this week PETA broke our latest undercover investigation into Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. With the powerful footage obtained by our investigator, we are closer than ever to seeing animals freed from the living hell that is life in the circus. Can you imagine being stolen from your mom and chained for an average of more than 26 hours at a time, sometimes for as many as 60–100 hours straight, only to be beaten and forced to perform day after day?

My friends, you're in a position to help end their suffering. How, you ask? For starters, watch the video. Second, sign this petition and forward it to all your friends via every social networking site you're on. (There are even links at the bottom of the petition to help you do it.)

And finally, my personal fave—get your booty on the street and protest like these hipsters!

Just think—this could be you!

Standing up for animals is fulfilling, to say the least. Believe me. So get on out there, y'all!

Written by Missy Lane

You can't pick up a newspaper (or browse a news blog) anymore without seeing an article lamenting the state of the economy—especially when it comes to unemployment. The question on everyone's mind seems to be, "Are there any jobs available?" Sadly, the answer in the meager want ads seems to be a resounding "No."

But there's hope, people! One place, at least, is still hiring. Thanks to the exponentially increasing interest in animal rights (just look at the reactions to our new undercover investigation), PETA has been fortunate enough to be able to expand its workforce.

This video makes excellent points about PETA's mission, but I would like to add a few more reasons why working for PETA is the best job in the world*:

1. When somebody offers you a snack, there's no need to say, "Thanks, but is it vegan?" (It is!)
2. At PETA, every day is "Take Your Dog to Work Day." (If only Sir Dracula were up to making the trip to the office.)
3. When I tell people what I do for a living, they invariably ask me if I've ever gone naked for a protest. What a conversation-starter!
4. On a related note, two words: naked celebrities.
5. And, of course, there's the fact that you're helping to fight animal abuse around the world—and that's no small thing.

Convinced? I thought so. So head on over to check out our current job openings and give us a holler—we'd love to hear from you.

Written by Amanda Schinke

*According to a recent study, the worst job in the world is that of a lumberjack. PETA has no lumberjack positions. Coincidence? Or evidence of how awesome PETA is?

marketplace.publicradio / CC

A few days ago, I wrote about how animal testing in the U.K. is on the rise. It struck a chord with a lot of PETA Files readers, who were outraged that animals continue to be killed in cruel experiments, despite the availability of more effective, non-animal methods. The very first person to comment on the blog was Carla*, who said:

The rest of you echoed her response.

Because this is an issue that resonates with so many people, I thought you might enjoy reading this article in the U.K.'s Guardian, written by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Tatchell attacks the recent Home Office report head-on and calls on the U.K. government to work diligently to rid the nation of crude animal experiments. The entire article is available after the jump.

Written by Shawna Flavell

Stimpy was wasting away. Whether he had a medical condition or simply couldn't compete for food against the other, stronger dog on the property is not clear. But he was obviously suffering and slowly dying.

After weeks of watching Stimpy's condition deteriorate while waiting for local authorities to intervene, a concerned citizen called PETA and asked us to step in. Our cruelty caseworkers leaped into action and quickly convinced animal control officers to visit the property. Once the officers arrived, they acknowledged that Stimpy's situation was desperate and convinced Stimpy's guardian to surrender custody of him.

Stimpy is just one example of the countless "backyard dogs" suffering at the hands of neglectful guardians. While these people may not intentionally abuse animals, the end result is the same: misery, anguish, and often death.

Animals left outside are put at risk by a range of hazards—including parasites, diseases, and weather extremes as well as "bunchers" (people who steal animals and sell them to laboratories) and other cruel people.

Our cruelty caseworkers constantly receive calls about "backyard dogs" like Stimpy, and regardless of whether the call is from New York City or Small Town, Arkansas, the stories are almost always the same. We know that abuse and neglect can happen anywhere, at anytime, and dogs like Stimpy rely on people like you to be on the look out for their suffering. So regardless of whether you live in a metropolis or in the middle of a cornfield—please keep your eyes and ears peeled for mistreated animals and speak up whenever you suspect foul play.

Written by Jeff Mackey

Oof.

I imagine this is what a certain fur hag might look like on a "good" day.

PETA's "Grim Reapers" recently greeted tourists at a crowded tour-bus stop in Toronto to reveal frightening facts about Canada's shame: the cruel slaughter of baby seals for their fur. Their scary outfits didn't stop tourists from high-fiving them—and tour bus operators were eager to point out our demonstrators to their passengers.

I'm dying to know: Which fugly fur wearer does our "Grim Reaper" most remind you of?

Written by Karin Bennett

How appropriate is it that on the week that convicted dogfighter Michael Vick takes off his ankle bracelet and strolls out of his house a free man, we should roll out our new anti-dogfighting ad starring "Sugar" Shane Mosley?

Let's watch the World Boxing Association's reigning welterweight super champ in action, shall we?

"Sugar" Shane leads with an uppercut: "I'm a boxer. … My opponents and I know that when we step into the ring, we choose to be there and that if we don't come out on top, we can at least walk away."

Here comes a hook: "Dogfighting isn't like that. Dogs don't have the choice. Many of them get hurt badly or are cruelly killed."

The welterweight super champion finishes with a jab: "Dogfighting is dirty, it's cruel, and it's a loser's game …"

(The crowd of dog defenders stands and cheers the champ.)

Ooh, whatta knockout!

Follow the jump for some sweet, behind the scene footage of "Sugar" Shane.

Written by Karin Bennett

PETA's favorite fur-free fashion designer, Stella McCartney, has recruited Bambi (and Thumper, Flower, and Owl) to star in ads for her fabulous fall collection, set to appear in the September issue of British Vogue (which has a longstanding policy against running fur ads and is not to be confused with its evil sister, U.S. Vogue).

According to British Vogue's Web site, Stella was inspired to incorporate characters from Disney's seminal anti-hunting movie into her ads because they remind her of her beloved mum, Linda, who, as we all know, was a PETA angel for animals and who passed her compassion gene along to her kind kids. Awwww …

Written by Alisa Mullins

PETA Europe's "Sexiest Vegetarian," Leona Lewis, proved why she deserved her crown when she rescued a rabbit from a life on the streets—a life that was bound to end on someone's dinner plate.

fashionindie / CC

While out and about in L.A. this week, Leona noticed a homeless man with a tethered rabbit. When she asked the man what his plans for the rabbit were, he admitted that he might eat the bunny. Um … come again?! As a vegetarian and a diehard animal defender, Leona struck a deal with the man: She gave him $100 to buy proper food, and he gave up the rabbit.

Now, Melrose (the rabbit was named after the street he was found on) is living it up in the "Bleeding Love" superstar's posh L.A. pad. Jealous much?

A friend of Ms. Lewis said, "She didn't think life on a lead was any way for a rabbit to live—then when he said he was going to eat it she knew she had to save it." Swoon. If only all celebrities had that kind of "Spirit."

Written by Christine Doré

This guy wasn't monkeying around when he and 300 animal defenders recently descended upon Guayama, Puerto Rico (aka "Pueblo de los Brujos" or "city of witches"), to condemn the proposed construction of a Bioculture monkey-breeding facility within city limits.

This plan is driving everyone—from PETA to local citizens—bananas because Bioculture reportedly wants to use the facility to breed wild monkeys and sell their babies for use in painful and cruel experiments. Even Guayama's mayor, Glorimari Jaime, is opposed to the facility's construction. Halfway through the protest, she came out of her office, stood on a bench, and told the group that she was on their side—and that she would support and join in civil disobedience with them.

The protest was picked up by media across the city, so my guess is that Puerto Rican governor Luis G. Fortuño has already caught wind of the public's outrage. Yesterday, we sent him a letter calling on him to halt consideration of the Bioculture facility—hopefully it will be the final nudge he needs to prevent its construction.

Our hats are off to the hundreds of caring people who have voiced their opposition to Bioculture—please join them.

Written by Karin Bennett

Today we released a new investigation inside Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus that shows workers on video as they beat and whipped elephants dozens of times in venues across the country. It's an investigation that I helped work on.

Once investigators capture video from an investigation, my job is to review all the footage and meticulously record the abuses and other notable findings. From that, I prepare condensed versions of the video for the public to view and draft complaints to officials, which in the new investigation into Ringling amounted to nine complaints to a total of 20 federal and state offices.

At times, reviewing so much footage can be tedious and extremely upsetting, but it's nothing compared to the relentless suffering that the animals who are used by Ringling are subjected to.

Most of the investigations that I work on involve farmed animals, in which the longest life span is about two years (for a pig used for breeding purposes). Her two years going from gestation crate to farrowing crate and back, over and over, are miserable, but her suffering comes to an end. For the elephants used and abused by Ringling, the suffering can go on for decades, and there's no end in sight—unless PETA and the public can convince the USDA to seize these majestic, elderly psychologically damaged animals.

Many of these elephants have not known anything close to a "natural" life since they were caught in Asia decades before I was born, but now the USDA has the chance to make things right by moving these animals to a sanctuary where they will be able to roam around the vast area that they need in order to be healthy and happy. Our brave investigator has armed the USDA with the information that it needs in order to make this happen and finally end these animals' decades of suffering.

It is an honor to work on all our investigations, which are the heart and soul of PETA, but it has been the highest compliment ever to be able to work with our investigator to document the heartbreaking plight of the gentle giants who are abused by Ringling and give them a chance to escape from their long years of torment and beatings.

Now that we have given the feds more than sufficient evidence to seize these animals, I hope we will finally be able to make history for elephants.

Written by Dan Paden, Senior Research Associate