Written by PETA
I love to play blackjack, but when it comes to poker, I can't remember if a flush beats a full house or vice versa, so I usually breeze right by those tables.
But you can bet I'll be watching to see how a high-stakes vegetarian prop wager made between poker pros Phil Ivey and Tom "durrrr" Dwan on High Stakes Poker plays out. Dwan challenged Ivey to go vegetarian for a year, and Ivey accepted the million-dollar bet, noting that he'd been thinking about going meatless anyway.
Considering all the health and environmental benefits that a vegetarian diet offers—plus the endless possibilities for mouthwatering animal-free cuisine—that million-dollar prize will be a cinch for Ivey to win.
Up for a little side bet of your own? Take our 30-day vegan challenge—I bet you'll feel healthier than ever before.
Written by Karin Bennett
PETA's longtime friend and supporter, Bob Barker, along with some "Barker PETA Beauties," joined our own Ingrid E. Newkirk today to cut the ribbon on the start of renovations to our new Los Angeles office, aptly named—what else?—the Bob Barker Building.
Bob Barker donated $2.5 million to help us open our new location, and time after time after time, he has shown his unwavering support for animal protection. For decades, he influenced millions of people every day by ending each taping of The Price Is Right with his message to spay or neuter companion animals—a message that his successor, Drew Carey, also uses for his sign-off.
We're grateful to have Barker's continued support—and we're delighted to name PETA's new Los Angeles office in his honor.
"It's the triumph of fake fur … because fake fur changed so much and became so great now that you can hardly see a difference."—Karl Lagerfeld on his show at Paris Fashion Week
In a recent interview with the Telegraph, notorious fur pimp Karl Lagerfeld, the head designer and creative director for Chanel, spills about the triumph of fake fur. Lagerfeld's remarks have us hoping that it's the beginning of a new era for his fashion line. My favorite sound bite? "You cannot fake chic, but you can be chic in fake fur."
Written by Logan Scherer
Yes, you've read that correctly, and no, the headline wasn't ripped from The Onion. In a joint press conference this morning, the Australian Meat Industry Employees Union and the World Society for the Protection of Animals agreed that the live export of sheep who were once abused for their wool is destroying the nation's economy.
Every year on the grueling journey from Australia to their slaughter in the Middle East, millions of sheep endure weeks, and sometimes months, on extremely crowded, disease-ridden ships with little access to food or water and through all weather extremes. Many sheep fall ill, become stuck in feces and are unable to move, or are trampled to death by other sheep. Those who survive are dragged from the ships, are thrown into the backs of trucks and cars, and eventually have their throats cut while they are still conscious.
Hopefully, this surprise support from Australia's meat industry will mean less suffering for sheep. And who knows, maybe the next shocking headline we'll see will read, "Australian Meat Workers Oppose Meat" (considering the energy, land, and resources wasted by the production of meat—a guy can dream, can't he?).
Less than a month after Tilly, an orca at SeaWorld in Orlando, attacked and killed his trainer, yet another story has emerged about captive animals who lash out against their imprisonment. In an upcoming episode of Fatal Attractions, a new Animal Planet miniseries about fatal attacks by exotic "pets," a woman named Julie Burros talks about how the black leopard she bought for $1,800 through a classified ad in a magazine nearly ripped her scalp off. While Burros escaped with her life, the leopard wasn't so lucky—he was shot and killed by police officers. Perhaps most shocking of all is that Burros says that she would "love to do it again" (by which we assume she means buying another leopard as opposed to nearly being decapitated).
Couple this with the story of the zoo patron who lost two fingers to a black bear, and this apparently needs to be repeated: There's a reason why they call wild animals "wild." That's where they belong, not locked up in a cage in a zoo, in a concrete swimming pool in a theme park, or in someone's backyard.
Written by Alisa Mullins
There's only one rule at Vosges Chocolate's Exotic Candy Bar Library: Once you've checked out your selection, it's totally yours to keep. And with fancy vegan chocolate flavors such as Creole and Black Pearl, we have a feeling that the shelves will be empty in no time.
Want a collection of your own? We're giving away one of these edible libraries to the reader who comes up with the best animal-friendly literary mash-up. (Seriously—if Jane Austen and zombies can successfully join forces, then so can animals and literary classics!) My compassionate mash-up? To Save a Mockingbird!
Start wiggling your inner bookworm, and then enter by posting your re-imagined title in the comments section. The contest ends on March 24, 2010, and we'll pick the winner on March 26, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
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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