Written by PETA
As the home of Western Europe's largest Muslim population, it's not surprising that France is experiencing a boom in halal food sales. But in their zeal to cater to the second-largest religious group in the world, food retailers are marketing so-called "halal" foie gras. Because Mohammed (PBUH) admonished his followers always to be kind to animals, good Muslims know that it is forbidden (haram) to deliberately harm an animal before taking that life. So how on Earth could it be remotely halal (approved) to produce foie gras, the "delicacy of despair," which requires ramming a metal pipe down birds' throats and pumping corn mush into their stomachs until their livers become diseased and enlarge to up to 10 times their normal size? I can't think of any way that force-feeding can be done so that it complies with Islamic law.
You can find out more about Islam and animals at IslamicConcern.com.
Written by Logan Scherer
During the first weeks of spring, wearing a T-shirt sans jacket is a feeling that can't be beat. Actually, I take that back—wearing a T-shirt with an animal-friendly message sans jacket is the only thing that can beat that, which is why for this week's "Win It" Wednesday, we're putting the tee in generosity by giving away these 100 percent organic cotton shirts from Italy-based Tippitappi:
How do you win? Tell us all about the places you'll go while sporting one of these tees with a message. The three readers whose must-see spring hot spots most make us want to get out of our seats and travel will each get to choose the shirt of his or her choice from the five shirts pictured above.
The contest ends on April 21, 2010, and we'll pick the winners on April 23, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
Oh, Lea, how "my life would suck without you." Luckily for me and the other self-declared Gleeks out there, Glee is returning to Fox on April 13, which means that Lea Michele and her co-stars are in demand everywhere—from Oprah to the Oval Office. Now the vegetarian singer, actor, and friend to animals has teamed up with PETA to speak out against fur. Check out our exclusive interview with the animal-saving star to see how Lea "C's" it. (Spoiler: Sorry, "Sue's Corner" fans, but this "C" stands for compassion.)
Got breast milk? In the wake of a recent report that says the nation could save billions on healthcare costs if more mothers breastfed their babies, we're running a billboard in Lexington, Kentucky, that encourages people to DLJD (Do Like Jesus Did):
Kentucky has one of the lowest percentages of women who breastfeed their babies, and according to this new report, the state's children have an increased risk of falling victim to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), necrotizing enterocolitis (the death of intestinal wall tissue), lower respiratory infections such as pneumonia, and other illnesses.
Our billboard aims to show Kentucky residents that by fortifying human babies and saving the lives of cows, breast milk is also the blessed milk. Seriously—if it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for any baby.
Compassion transcends age. Laura Moll—a 12-year-old vegetarian from New Delhi, India—is a role model to children and adults alike. The aspiring veterinarian volunteers at the Friendicoes Society for the Eradication of Cruelty to Animals, a local animal shelter, and records her efforts to help animals on her moving Web site.
Warning: The beautiful and poignant photographs of the many homeless animals who have touched Laura's heart—photographs that she hopes will encourage people to adopt these animals—just might move you to tears.
For her unwavering dedication to homeless animals, Laura has received PETA India's Hero to Animals Award and a card signed by PETA India staff members.
Whether you live in India or Kentucky—whether you are 9 years old or 86 years old—helping animals in your community is as easy as ABC.
What do breeders breed—besides dogs with crippling congenital defects?
Canine racism.
PETA U.K. recently unveiled its new "Boycott Breeders" ad just in time for the Crufts Dog Show—an event that, like the Westminster Dog Show in the U.S., encourages the false and dangerous belief that some races breeds of dogs are superior to others.
About one in four pedigree dogs is born with painful and life-threatening genetic defects—including hypothyroidism, demodectic mange, epilepsy, cataracts, allergies, chronic ear infections, and hip dysplasia—all of which have been handed down through generations of inbreeding and selective breeding. And pedigree dogs aren't the only animals who suffer because of the breeding industry. Every time a dog is purchased from a breeder, another who has been awaiting adoption in an animal shelter, longing for a home, dies. It's a fact: Breeding purebreds in a world in which millions of animals are homeless is pure heartlessness.
Twilight star Kellan Lutz may be totally convincing as an alpha vampire, but he's got a soft side that could eclipse Emmett Cullen's brute force any day. Lutz poses in PETA's newest "Adopt, Don't Buy" ad with his adorable rescued mutt Kola, spreading the message that every time someone purchases a dog or cat from a pet store or breeder, a door is shut in the face of an animal waiting in an animal shelter or roaming the streets. Check out our exclusive interview with Kellan, who gushes over meeting Kola (spoiler: It was love at first sight!) and has some special words for "Twilighters":
Kellan—who will star in the upcoming remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street—is so committed to ending the nightmare suffered by millions of homeless animals that since shooting our ad he has adopted another lucky dog! Want more compassionate Cullen goodness? Enter our contest to win a Twilight DVD signed by Kellan himself.
Last night's crowning of the Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show was bested by two protesters who informed the crowd that every time a dog is purchased from a breeder, another dog dies in an animal shelter:
The 15,000 audience members collectively gasped at the shock of the unexpected interruption, but the facts are much more startling: People who are deliberately breeding animals even when U.S. animal shelters must put 3 to 4 million dogs and cats to death every year are callous, profit-hungry, cruel shoo-ins for worst in show.
Dog and cats across West Hollywood have a little more pep in their step this week after hearing the news that WeHo's City Council voted unanimously to ban the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. This landmark law makes West Hollywood the first city in the country where it is illegal to sell dogs and cats bred at puppy and kitten mills. Way to go, WeHo!
This morning, hundreds of McDonald's owners and operators who flew to Tucson for a corporate seminar heard an unlikely speaker: PETA V.P. Dan Mathews. Our own "Rabble Rouser" took over the podium at the Westin La Paloma Resort during the opening presentation to urge franchisees to convince McDonald's to switch to more humane slaughter methods.
Dan's, uh, "keynote address" centered on a topic that the company would rather ignore. McDonald's suppliers use an outdated killing method that causes birds to have their throats cut while they are still conscious, many of them to suffer broken wings and legs, and many to be scalded to death in defeathering tanks. PETA—along with members of McDonald's own animal welfare advisory panel—has urged the company to upgrade its slaughter method to controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK), which would eliminate the worst forms of cruelty, but so far McDonald's refuses to listen.
If you could speak at a McDonald's convention, what would you say?
Written by Shawna Flavell
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.
Follow PETA on Twitter!