Written by Jeff Mackey
The dairy industry is blowing even more manure-scented hot air than usual, having declared June to be "National Dairy Month." Although the volume of its propaganda has changed, the content hasn't: The industry still won't tell you how dairy factory farms and their products wreck cows' lives, human health, and the environment.
So to set the record straight, we've put together a YouTube playlist of our top six videos about dairy products. Check it out:
You can help spread the word by sharing the playlist on Facebook and Twitter—and be sure to subscribe to PETA's YouTube channel so that you'll never miss our latest and greatest videos!
Another SeaWorld orca has died prematurely in captivity—this time, heartbreakingly, the deceased was a mere 10 months old. The infant, Vicky, died over the weekend at Loro Parque, an amusement park in Spain's Canary Islands. The cause of death is not yet known—there are reports that she had been behaving unusually in the preceding days.
Vicky was the offspring of Kohana and Keto, two SeaWorld orcas on display at Loro Parque. Senior SeaWorld employees oversaw orca training at Loro Parque when Keto killed trainer Alexis Martinez by ramming him and dragging him underwater. Kohana, who is Keto's niece—inbreeding is another sad outcome of captivity at SeaWorld—rejected Vicky, as she had previously done with her first calf, a male named Adan. It likely didn't help that Kohana had been taken away from her own mother after just 19 months—ocean-dwelling orcas carefully guard their calves, and young females help the mothers care for them.
What You Can Do
SeaWorld's reckless disregard hurts orcas and endangers those who come into contact with them. Please tell SeaWorld that you won't visit its parks so long as it imprisons marine animals, and spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, urging everyone to follow suit.
Written by Alisa Mullins
What did you have for lunch today? If it contained meat, not only did you support cruelty to animals, you also supported an unprecedented attack on First Amendment rights, according to an eye-opening July/August Mother Jones cover story on the history of "ag-gag" laws.
© Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals
The report starts at what you might call "ground zero" for advocates of "ag-gag" bills—PETA's 2008 investigation at a Hormel supplier in Iowa, in which workers were caught beating sows with metal gate rods and killing piglets by smashing their skulls against the floor, among other abuse.
This case and others like it have prompted a relentless industry backlash in the form of "ag-gag" bills in nearly two dozen states. The aim of such bills (eight have passed so far) is to outlaw undercover investigations at factory farms and slaughterhouses—a case of criminally blaming the messenger instead of the actual perpetrators of cruelty.
Amanda Hitt, director of the Government Accountability Project's Food Integrity Campaign, points out that "ag-gag" laws reach far beyond the factory barn doors. "You are also stopping environmental whistleblowing; you are also stopping workers' rights whistleblowing," she says. "[Y]ou have given power to the industry to completely self-regulate," which, she says, should "scare the pants off" consumers.
Read Mother Jones' complete article here.
Written by Michelle Kretzer
James Cameron is no stranger to award speeches. And the Oscar-winning director knows that when the world is watching, he has a great platform to make a difference. So when National Geographic bestowed its "Explorer of the Year" honor on Cameron for his solo dive to the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench, Cameron used his acceptance speech to tell the roomful of explorers and scientists about one of his favorite subjects: eating vegan.
© StarMaxInc.com
"I've had an epiphany recently," he said. "I want to challenge all of you as people of deep conscience, people who are environment stewards of the earth and oceans…By changing what you eat, you will change the entire contract between the human species and the natural world."
Cameron urged his audience to research the benefits of plant-based eating and try it for themselves. "I felt like I was waking up from a long sleepwalk. I believe we are all sleepwalking off a cliff if we don't do this."
More and more notable thinkers of our time are advocating meat- and dairy-free meals. Former President Bill Clinton made headlines when he famously traded his McDonald's habit for plants. Bill Gates is funding researchers at Beyond Meat and Beyond Eggs to create healthier, environmentally friendly plant-based versions of animal products. And Twitter cofounders Evan Williams and Biz Stone are investing in a meat-free future.
Are you ready to join Cameron in promoting the future of food? Share our meat-industry exposé "Glass Walls" on Twitter and Facebook.
Acclaimed photographer Jo-Anne McArthur has been documenting the plight of animals around the world for more than 10 years. Now a haunting new film by award-winning documentary filmmaker Liz Marshall, The Ghosts in Our Machine, chronicles a year in McArthur's life as she photographs animals on fur farms and factory farms and in laboratories, zoos, and aquariums. She also photographs "the ones who got away" relaxing in rolling pastures at sanctuaries in the U.S. and Canada.
"I feel like I'm a war photographer and I'm photographing history," McArthur says. "I'm trying to save the world."
Every month, The Ghosts in Our Machine names a special "animal ambassador," and this month's pick is PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk, who compares the movie to the groundbreaking anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin: "In much the way Harriet Beecher Stowe's book …did in its time, this film has the potential to broaden our view of those around us, to suggest their potential and their reality, cause us to pick apart our prejudices, and raise the potential for consideration, understanding and inclusion, to change a world view."
The Ghosts in Our Machine debuted in Toronto late last month and has already won several awards at film festivals. Look for it at a theater near you in the coming months.
In honor of "Adopt a Shelter Cat" Month, here are some of our favorite cute cats and cool kittens:
1.
Lil Bub knows that being the Web's favorite cat is serious business. She uses her platform to encourage people to spay and neuter, to say no to declawing, to adopt instead of buying, and to be all-around awesome animal guardians.
2.
Shadow literally walked right into Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba's life—through her front door as a stray. He quickly won her heart and then went after several hundred thousand more with his PETA ad.
3.
What do you think about a cat who's a Morrissey fan? Obviously, he has great taste in music, has a wry sense of humor, and is a big spay/neuter advocate!
4.
Mr. Nix lived up to his name when he helped his favorite human, Tricia Helfer, nix the problem of cats being neglected by their guardians. And clearly he did it with panache.
5.
Slick Willie won hearts and minds on Twitter when he and his guardian, Nyjer Morgan, starred in an ad for PETA. But before Slick Willie was famous, he was in an animal shelter looking for a home like millions of other cats. So he used his platform to encourage everyone always to adopt, never buy.
6.
The Situation is used to being surrounded by females, but even he realizes the importance of protection. These frisky felines help show everyone why it's crucial to spay and neuter.
7.
It was pretty clear what rescued cat Toni thought of her costar, Torrey DeVitto, during the shooting of her anti-dissection ad: "She's grrrrreat!" And Toni was great at showing kids that they have a choice not to dissect any animal.
If you are ready to share your home with a new cat, please take a cue from these famous felines and adopt one from your local animal shelter, spay or neuter him or her, and give your cat a lifetime of quality care and friendship.
PETA protested outside SeaWorld parks in San Antonio and San Diego today, just one week after the marine-animal prison chain was hit with a $38,500 repeat violation fine from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for allowing dangerous contact between employees and orcas in defiance of a federal court order—and basic decency.
This SeaWorld San Antonio employee was shocked to learn about the violations that led to the OSHA fine.
The fine resulted from a follow-up investigation and photos and footage on TV of trainers who hugged and kissed orcas without any protective barrier, as required by an earlier OSHA ruling. SeaWorld fought OSHA's decision with two unsuccessful appeals, but the ruling stands.
Aggression between orcas is nearly non-existent in nature, but the constant stress of living in forced social groupings inside tiny tanks at SeaWorld causes them to lash out, posing a danger to animals and employees alike. SeaWorld's own corporate incident logs contain reports of more than 100 incidents at its parks. Orcas have pulled trainers into the water, held them at the bottom of the pool, head-butted them, slammed into them, breached on top of them, and, of course, killed them—and those are just the episodes that have been reported.
Please tell everyone you know to leave all marine-animal parks and aquariums out of their family travel plans, and ask SeaWorld officials to release their animals to sanctuaries.
The rumor mill is buzzing with reports that Johnny Depp, who just celebrated his 50th birthday, has gone vegan. The famously private star hasn't confirmed or denied the news, but a source says that Johnny is "raving about losing his paunch."
And elsewhere on the Web, celebs were tweeting about animal rights:
To keep up with what all your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.
U.S. citizens are hardly alone in their frustration with government officials. In the town of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, two residents have proposed electing a cat to be mayor. This is no yarn: The designated candigato, Morris, has seen his popularity soar—at least on Facebook—so PETA has sent the cute contender a letter asking him to back a purrposal to require Xalapa's residents to spay and neuter their cats (and dogs) and to treat homeless animals kindly.
Giving Strays an Escape Claws
Although his campaign managers suggest that Morris will eliminate the "rats" from government, that hardly seems fair to actual rats, who are smart, clean, and friendly. Instead, PETA suggests that he should focus on the "fat cats." Well, really, they're not so much fat as they are pregnant, contributing to the overpopulation crisis that's relegating so many animals to hard lives on the street.
Every stray cat and every neglected dog came from an animal who wasn't spayed or neutered. By preventing animals from being born, sterilization also prevents them from being hit by cars, infected with miserable diseases, attacked by other animals or cruel people, used as bait by dogfighters, or simply left outside to die of starvation, exposure, or neglect.
With these things in mind, Morris must recognize that leaving his fellow felines to fend for themselves is about as desirable as a hairball. If he licks his opponents, let's just hope that absolute meower doesn't corrupt!
Good citizenship starts at home—please practice animal birth control by adopting animals from shelters or rescues and having your companion animals spayed or neutered.
Please note: PETA's backing of Morris for mayor is obviously intended as a humorous way to provide Xalapa residents with information about ways to address the homeless-animal crisis. PETA makes no comment on the suitability for office of any bipedal candidates. PETA promotes and educates the public on ways to help animals and does not directly or indirectly participate in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Voters should consider a range of issues important to them in deciding how to cast their vote on election day.
Philippine Airlines is one of only three major airlines that still ship primates to laboratories where they are tormented and killed in cruel experiments, but you wouldn't know it from talking to its representatives. Airline reps have recently been telling concerned PETA members who call their offices that they don't ship monkeys and have not done so for a long time—but that's a lie.
PETA has obtained documents that show that Philippine Airlines has shipped nearly 200 pig-tailed macaque monkeys from Indonesia to the University of Washington's Washington National Primate Research Center in Seattle within the past 12 months alone. The documentation is crystal clear, containing invoices, tracking numbers, flight numbers, and many other details. There may be other such shipments as well.
Because of the growing pressure from PETA and its supporters around the world, Philippine Airlines could no longer ignore the issue and released a statement on its website and Facebook page that read, "Philippine Airlines is not engaged in the transport of wild, endangered or threatened animals, regardless of their purpose." Yet the pig-tailed macaques it sent to the hellish laboratory mentioned above are widely considered a threatened species. When PETA and PETA Asia-Pacific e-mailed and called Philippine Airlines asking that the airline explain the discrepancy between the records and its new statement, it quietly removed the statement from its website and Facebook.
Clearly, Philippine Airlines is hearing our international protests loud and clear, and we need to keep it up to make sure that it gets out of the monkey business for good. Please call the ticket and cargo offices at the numbers below and politely tell the representative that you will not be giving any business to Philippine Airlines until it stops shipping monkeys to laboratories:
808-840-1100
310-646-1966
650-588-5020
415-217-3144
If you're told that the airline has already stopped, ask the representative to tell you and PETA in writing.
After hearing from PETA supporters and other concerned citizens, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced this week that it is proposing to close a loophole that, until now, has denied captive chimpanzees protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). If the proposed rule is adopted and properly enforced, as PETA has advocated, Hollywood will no longer be able to force baby chimpanzees—who are torn away from their mothers, caged, and "trained" through beatings—to perform in TV shows, ads, and movies. And laboratories will stop subjecting chimpanzees to invasive, painful, and lethal experiments—a recommendation that the National Institutes of Health has already made.
In announcing the proposed rule, the FWS concluded that "the Act does not allow for captive‐held animals to be assigned separate legal status from their wild counterparts on the basis of their captive state."
This should mean that the government now has no justification for denying PETA's petition to include Lolita—who is currently being held in solitary confinement in a cramped tank at the Miami Seaquarium—in the endangered listing of the Southern Resident orcas, the now-protected population that she was captured from more than 40 years ago.
Please submit comments to the FWS asking it to finalize its proposal to classify all chimpanzees, including captives, as endangered. Then take a moment to sign our petition urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to grant Lolita the same protection from harm afforded her family in the wild. And tell everyone you know not to patronize marine abusement parks!
PETA is all for reproductive responsibility, so after learning that a Nashville man was looking to get "fixed" after the 14 mothers of his 22 children took him to court over unpaid child support, the group is offering to pay for his vasectomy—if he'll help promote the equivalent procedure for dogs.
In return for covering Orlando Shaw's medical expenses, PETA is asking him to put a sign on his lawn reading, "Don't let your dog be a deadbeat dad. Get him neutered today."
© iStockphoto.com/niknikon
Animal birth control saves lives. Each year in the U.S., 6 to 8 million dogs and cats are dumped at shelters, and nearly half of them must be euthanized since there are simply too many animals and not enough good homes.
That's why spaying or neutering is such a crucial step. One pair of unaltered dogs and their offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in just six years—a birthrate that even Shaw couldn't approach!
Need another incentive? Spayed and neutered animals live longer, happier lives. Sterilization eliminates their risk of uterine and testicular cancer and reduces their odds for developing serious diseases, such as mammary and prostate cancer and feline AIDS and leukemia, and lessens undesirable behavior such as roaming and spraying.
Please pledge to end animal homelessness by sterilizing your own animal companions and working with lawmakers to enact mandatory spay/neuter legislation in your city, county, or state.
Mike Casey is having a tough time finding a place where he can continue to exploit chimpanzees. Last year, Clark County, Nevada, told him to hit the road after learning from local animal advocates and PETA that Casey was illegally holding chimpanzees and a capuchin monkey there when he wasn't renting them out for use in TV, films, ads, and events. And now, Nye County, Nevada, has told Casey that he isn't welcome there, either, after PETA and local supporters informed the Pahrump Regional Planning Commission about Casey's documented abusive actions, including:
Hannah, one of the chimpanzees imprisoned by Mike Casey.
Casey will now have to move his operation, and you can bet that PETA will be close behind.
This is the second victory for exotic animals in Nye County in as many months. Officials also recently yanked animal exhibitor Karl Mitchell's permit to keep exotic big cats after PETA and local supporters informed authorities that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had permanently barred Mitchell from exhibiting animals because of numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Let's keep the pressure on exotic-animal abusers. Please send a polite e-mail to the law firm The Ticket Clinic and ask it to pull its current ad, which features a chimpanzee.
Mitchel Kalmanson, who supplies tigers for the UniverSoul Circus, is in hot water with the law … again. The latest available U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection report details several serious violations, including cramming tigers into cages where they couldn't even stand upright and calling in a veterinarian with no experience with big cats whatsoever to assess a tiger who was limping. (Kalmanson called only after inspectors saw that the tiger was having difficulty, after having insisted that the cat was fine.) The vet did not even let the tiger out of the cage, much less diagnose or treat her condition. This same tiger was housed with a chain dangling from her neck, something that the inspector rightfully noted could "present a serious risk of … injury or strangulation."
Keep in mind that the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is so minimal that it only requires cages to be "large" enough for an animal to make "normal postural and social adjustments." Kalmanson's cages did not even rise to that pitiful level. The tigers, who are genetically adapted to roam over vast territories, climb trees, and leap, are getting no exercise at all.
Tip of the Iceberg
Kalmanson already paid a civil penalty of $6,000 in 2008 for two tiger escapes that took place while he was supplying the tiger act for UniverSoul, and in 2011, PETA filed a complaint and included video of a tiger Kalmanson was exhibiting with UniverSoul whose foot was trapped under a sliding cage door. That incident resulted in another two citations for AWA violations. Kalmanson has also been repeatedly cited for additional violations while with UniverSoul, including for failure to supply adequate veterinary care; failure to meet even minimum space requirements for tigers, lions, and chimpanzees (the chimpanzees' cages had barely half the floor space required); improper food storage; failure to have an exercise plan; inadequate veterinary care records … and the list goes on and on.
It's simple: Never buy a ticket to any circus that still exploits animals. Talk to family, friends, and coworkers, especially those with small children who may be inclined to attend. Explain to them that every ticket purchased is directly contributing to the animals' miserable lives.
"Take me out to the ballgame! Take me out with the crowd! Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks"—and some veggie burritos, faux chicken-steak, meat-free tacos, edamame, falafel, hummus, and eggplant panini. And that's just a sampling of the wide variety of delectable vegetarian fare available at the stadiums on PETA's 2013 list of the Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Major League Ballparks:
1. Philadelphia Phillies' Citizens Bank Park
While Phillies left-fielder Domonic Brown has been dominating pitchers at the plate, earning two consecutive National League Player of the Week honors, Citizens Bank Park continues to dominate PETA's Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Major League Ballpark rankings, taking the top spot for the second year in a row, thanks to its faux-chicken patty, faux chicken-steak, faux "pit beef" smothered in barbecue sauce, and other delicious vegetarian fare.
2. Detroit Tigers' Comerica Park
Miguel Cabrera may have won the Triple Crown for Detroit in 2012, but Comerica Park has its own Triple Crown contenders for 2013: an Italian mock sausage, a vegan Riblet sandwich, and a veggie dog. These options, along with the black-bean burger, vegetarian sushi, and other meat-free fan favorites, have helped the stadium take the number-two spot on PETA's scorecard this year.
3. Washington Nationals' Nationals Park
We're not sure what Jordan Zimmermann's secret is for keeping his ERA so low, but it's no secret that you can keep your weight and cholesterol level low by going vegetarian and enjoying tasty meatless meals, including Nationals Park's Sloppy Jane, veggie chili with faux ground beef, and falafel. The ballpark earned its highest ranking ever on our list. Much like Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, and the Nats' other young stars, its potential is limitless.
4. San Francisco Giants' AT&T Park
The reigning World Series champs offer a giant selection of cruelty-free cuisine, earning AT&T Park the number-four spot on PETA's list this year. The park got an honorable mention in 2012, but with a new Field Roast artisan vegetarian sausage, vegetarian rice bowls, and meat-free tacos, vegetarian meals are the Most Valuable Players in AT&T Park concession stands.
5. Los Angeles Angels' Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angels' fans love Mike Trout—and Angel Stadium's vegetarian sushi rolls. The Angel's star-studded lineup, which also includes black-bean burgers, veggie dogs, and veggie burritos, is winning rave reviews in Anaheim.
6. Seattle Mariners' Safeco Field
Much like King Felix, the vegetarian options at Safeco Field rule. Mariners fans can choose from vegan chili cheese dogs, vegan Bao-Choi Asian-style steamed buns (stuffed with veggies, spices, and vegan mayo), and vegan frankfurters. It doesn't matter where the fences are—animal-friendly fans can always score at the concessions stands.
7. New York Mets' Citi Field
What could possibly be more exciting for Mets fans than watching Matt Harvey dominate hitters? Sampling the meatless meals at Citi Field, which offers veggie dogs, vegetable sushi, vegetarian tacos, veggie burgers, freshly sliced mango dusted with chili powder, and more.
8. Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park
The Red Sox—and starting pitcher Clay Buchholz—appear to have turned a corner this year, and so has Fenway Park, earning its best-ever ranking on PETA's list. The vegetarian fare, which includes vegetable sushi, meat-free burritos, veggie burgers, veggie dogs, and hummus, among other things, really puts the green in the home of the Green Monster. Sox fans love the vegetarian meals as much as they love Big Papi.
9. San Diego Padres' PETCO Park
PETCO Park's tasty vegetarian options—including grilled tofu wraps, veggie burgers, hummus, vegetable sushi, and more—are flying out of the concession stands even faster than Everth Cabrera flies around the bases.
10. Chicago Cubs' Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field has a strong core of vegetarian options, including veggie dogs, Sloppy Janes, and fresh vegetable wraps, to go with the Cubs' strong core of young players, including Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, and Jeff Samardzija. As Wrigley Field returns to PETA's list of vegetarian-friendly ballparks, perhaps the Cubbies will soon be on the way up as well. Veggie-craving Chicago baseball fans have an embarrassment of riches since U.S. Cellular Field also earned an honorable mention on PETA's list.
If it seems like the vegetarian options are getting more plentiful at athletic arenas, it's not your imagination. James Nolan, senior vice president of the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium, which placed second on PETA's list of Vegetarian-Friendly NFL Stadiums last year, told The Boston Globe, "Our research suggested that our fans were seeking more vegetarian options. They have been some of our best sellers."
So keep heading out to the ballgame and snapping up those Cracker Jacks (and Sloppy Janes!), baseball fans!
Today is PETA President Ingrid Newkirk's birthday, and instead of a bottle of cruelty-free perfume or a new pair of vegan shoes, when we asked her what gift she would like, she said the same thing she said last year. She wanted people to donate to one of her favorite causes: Animal Rahat, whose vital work consists primarily of providing veterinary care, water, shade, rest, rehabilitation, and retirement to bullocks, donkeys, and other animals toiling as "beasts of burden" in India, which is where Ingrid spent much of her childhood.
However, last week Animal Rahat's multifaceted work included rescuing a dog who had tumbled down into an ancient, crumbling well and had been trapped about 80 feet down for four days. Villagers were dropping food down to the dog, who was miraculously uninjured, but because of the well's deteriorating condition, rescue seemed impossible. However, armed with a net and with the villagers' help, Animal Rahat's Mr. Gaikwad and a PETA India staffer repelled down to the ledge that the dog was stranded on, netted the frightened animal, and hoisted him to safety.
We set up a Causes page as well as a special page on our website where people can donate to Animal Rahat in Ingrid's honor, and boy, did you come through for our birthday girl. So far, we've raised $2,059 for Animal Rahat … and counting. Happy Birthday, Ingrid! And a big thank-you to you from this grateful little guy, and from many others, for caring and sharing!
Lights, camera, veggies! With the Style Network's Tia & Tamera camera crew capturing every minute, Tia Mowry unveiled her new PETA ad to an enthusiastic crowd of family, friends, and, of course, fellow vegans.
The plant-themed rooftop party at the Bob Barker Building, PETA's L.A. headquarters, was replete with fresh flowers and delicious wraps, sandwiches, and salads from L.A.'s Veggie Grill—not to mention the ad itself, in which Tia wears an apron made of Swiss chard, snow peas, and lettuce leaves.
Tia—a mother who went vegan in part to make sure that she's healthy for her young son—explained why she was so excited to represent PETA and advocate going vegan: "I wanted to become a voice for my community. … I wanted to educate my culture about the benefits of becoming vegan. … The more you learn about the benefits of being vegan, the more you become alive and the more you become aware of why it's a really great decision. Not only am I helping myself, I'm helping the animals out there, I'm helping the environment. Going vegan—I feel great."
Catch the fun behind-the-scenes video from Tia's photo shoot, and join her in pledging to go vegan here.
There's nothing small potatoes about the major vegetarian offerings at minor-league baseball stadiums around the country. Putting the "farm" in "farm team," small-town baseball stadiums are offering up garden-fresh delights such as black-bean burgers, fruit sorbets, and corn dogs made from hearty plant protein. PETA managed to narrow the list down to 10 "MVPs" (mouthwatering vegetarian plates) that hit home runs with fans seeking healthy, tasty in-between-innings fare:
1. Tulsa Drillers' ONEOK Field
Shooting up to number one from fifth place in last year's ranking, ONEOK Field has an extensive vegetarian menu that would make a restaurant envious. In addition to specialty veggie dogs on gourmet buns and homemade veggie burgers on pretzel buns, fans can enjoy a tofu noodle entrée, "meaty" portobello mushroom burgers, bean burritos, tofu burritos, and fresh-fruit cups.
2. Durham Bulls' Durham Bulls Athletic Park
Moving up a notch in the standings from last season to claim second place is the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, thanks to the mock-chicken nuggets, meat-free corn dogs, and hearty tofu burrito with black beans and pico de gallo.
3. Trenton Thunder's Arm & Hammer Park
Arm & Hammer Park is debuting on PETA's list this year, earning a spot in the top three with such crowd favorites as veggie dogs and burgers, hearty vegetarian chili, a portobello mushroom and grilled vegetable sandwich, and a fruit sorbet that can be jazzed up with mix-ins of strawberries, blueberries, mangos, and bananas.
4. Fort Wayne TinCaps' Parkview Field
Parkview Field has moved up two spots from last year, thanks to an extensive menu of delicious options, such as the black-bean burger, meat-free burrito, fresh vegetable wrap, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, hummus with vegetables, fresh fruit, beans, and grilled corn.
5. Lakewood BlueClaws' FirstEnergy Park
No one is singing the blues at FirstEnergy Park, where lovers of hearty vegetarian fare can fill up on veggie burgers and dogs, meat-free walking tacos, portobello mushroom sandwiches, and even Oreo cookies (yes, they're vegan!).
6. Albuquerque Isotopes' Isotopes Park
The Isotopes got their name from the long-running FOX series The Simpsons, and vegetarian Lisa Simpson would agree that the team has done meat-free fans proud. Albuquerqueans can munch on veggie dogs, bean burritos, Indian tacos (made with fry bread instead of corn shells), wok-fried noodles with veggies and teriyaki sauce, fresh salads, and fruit or vegetable trays.
7. Dayton Dragons' Fifth Third Field
As Chrissie Hynde once sang, "ay, oh, way to go, Ohio"! There's a lot for a vegetarian such as Chrissie to love at Fifth Third Field, including veggie dogs and burgers, black-bean burritos or burrito bowls, veggie wraps, salads, and fruit.
8. Eugene Emeralds' PK Park
The Eugene Emeralds lived up to their green name this year, giving fans yummy, eco-friendly vegetarian choices such as veggie hot dogs and burgers, meat-free burritos, beans and rice, grilled corn on the cob, and fruit salad.
9. Sacramento River Cats' Raley Field
There are 21—count 'em—different types of veggies in Raley Field's famous stir-fry, but if you're a River Cats fan in search of even more variety, try the vegetarian sausage with grilled onions and peppers, the chipotle black-bean burger, the baked potato, the vegetable sandwich, or a tostada salad with beans.
10. Memphis Redbirds' AutoZone Park
AutoZone Park is a hot zone for delicious vegetarian fare, such as veggie hot dogs, spicy black-bean burgers with house-made Memphis BBQ chips, baked potatoes, a fresh-fruit medley, and salad wraps.
Congrats as well to the Pawtucket Red Sox's McCoy Stadium, the Nashville Sounds' Herschel Greer Stadium, the Frederick Keys' Harry Grove Stadium, and the South Bend Silver Hawks' Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium for scoring honorable mentions. And a big shout-out to Veggie Happy for its efforts to get athletic stadiums to offer more vegetarian and vegan fare.
Everybody wants to eliminate the euthanasia of adoptable animals—certainly the shelter workers who face the Sisyphean task of finding good homes for the deluge of homeless animals that flows through their doors do. But a coalition of "no-kill" organizations is busy hoodwinking the public into thinking that the solution to this problem lies in simply "putting down the syringes" for "just one day" as part of a misleadingly named "no-kill" initiative. They're even soliciting donations on their Just One Day website—when, by all rights, the donations should be going to the shelters who shoulder the burden of housing, feeding, and caring for animals. Who is behind this initiative? It's time to ask that question. Is it breeders? People who receive money from breeders?
Do they "put down their syringes" if animals are sick, injured, elderly, aggressive, feral, or otherwise unsocialized? What happens to those animals? And what happens to animals who are not able to be taken in because there's no longer any room for them? Is it OK for them to be dumped along the highway? And is it OK to crowd dogs and cats together so that they all get sick from respiratory infections, parvovirus, and other communicable diseases? While pointing the finger at shelters that refuse to define themselves as "no-kill" until there are no more animals who need a painless exit from an uncaring world or until there are truly enough good homes for them to go to, Just One Day gives a free pass to those who created the overpopulation problem in the first place—the breeders, the pet shops, the people who buy animals instead of adopting them and who refuse to spay and neuter, and the people who abandon animals on country roads or in urban alleys. Wake up, supporters of such "initiatives"—you are being duped in a smoke-and-mirrors game. Turn against the breeders, and demonstrate outside the pet stores—stop them from producing and selling puppies and kittens, and leave the shelters alone!
Left out in the cold with no food, water, or shelter, Noel likely wouldn't have survived more than another two or three days. But thanks to PETA, the Virginia Beach SPCA, and a local judge, all her days now feel like Christmas.
A compassionate neighbor called us last December when she spotted bone-thin Noel, who had been left outside to suffer in the frigid winter weather. We raced to the residence and found the young dog under a thorn bush, tethered, tangled, and shivering violently. Not only had Noel's owner failed to take her inside or even provide her with a doghouse, it appeared that she had also been denying the dog food and water. The few pieces of stale kibble that had been tossed her way were scattered across the ground beyond her reach.
When a vet examined Noel, he confirmed that she had been starved and, at 25 pounds, was barely over half her healthy weight of 40 pounds. Our friends at the wonderful open-admission Virginia Beach SPCA found an experienced foster guardian who could nurse Noel back to health, and she thrived in her new home, quickly gaining 17 pounds and starting to trust people again. Shortly after Christmas, Noel's new adoptive guardians described her as the "sweetest, sloppiest kiss-giving, bedtime snuggler."
This week, a judge heard our case against Noel's former owner and sentenced the woman to 40 hours of community service and one year of supervised probation, but most importantly, she has been banned for life from ever owning animals again.
You don't have to have the magic of Santa Claus to help a chained dog. PETA offers a list of lifesaving actions that anyone can take.
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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