As a kid growing up with parents who believed in adopting their animals, Morgan Spurlock vowed to buy a Rhodesian ridgeback when he got older. But the Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker’s experience of spending a week at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County in Reading, Pennsylvania, convinced him that there is never a good reason to buy an animal from a pet store or breeder.
Morgan spent a week working at an open-admission shelter, one that takes in every animal who comes through the doors, regardless of age, health, or temperament. He nursed a tiny kitten, who was not expected to live, back to health. He collected animals out of the “stray pens,” in which owners would simply dump their animals without even coming inside the shelter to speak to the staff. And he watched as the overflowing shelter had to euthanize animals to make room for more in the never-ending stream. Morgan came to realize that euthanasia is a direct result of people’s decision to buy animals instead of adopt them, not spaying and neutering, and treating animals as disposable objects. He devoted an hour-long episode of his CNN series Inside Man to that experience and urged everyone to do his or her part to help: “In the United States, not only do we spend more money on buying pets from pet stores but we also put to sleep more animals that we could be adopting at animal shelters. And so for me, over the course of this, what I realized is no one should be buying a pet from a pet store.”
In other celebrity news:
- Animal rights icon (and the namesake of PETA’s Los Angeles office) Bob Barker will be making a three-episode guest appearance on The Bold and the Beautiful to talk … animals, of course! In the first episode, Bob, playing himself, sits down for an interview with Liam Spencer, who thanks Bob for being “a great champion of animal rights for many years.”
- Everyone knows that Matthew McConaughey loves to surf. So what could make him paddle ashore, get off his board, and stay landlocked for nearly a half-hour? A baby seal. When Matthew saw a group of teenagers poking a baby seal on the beach with sticks, he promptly came to the seal’s rescue and lectured the kids for so long that they left without even asking for a picture.
- And as Canada’s annual seal massacre continues, Matthew isn’t the only one sticking up for seals:
https://twitter.com/RealTonyRocha/status/461743068774166528
#SaveTheSeals #FurFree @peta @officialpeta http://t.co/f5OU7eOEz9
— Victoria Summer (@VictoriaSummer) April 25, 2014
- When Brad Paisley sang, “You sure look good in my shirt,” we’re pretty sure he was talking about beautiful Krysten Ritter sporting one of her favorite PETA tees:
- And other celebs are making sure to keep the anti-SeaWorld momentum going strong:
Blackstone keep dumping your stock in @seaworld. They will be shut down at some point #Blackfish
— Shannen Doherty (@DohertyShannen) May 1, 2014
“@SeaWorld: Everything we do in the care of whales is centered on the mother-calf bond" OH I get it! You separate them because You care! LOL
— Oliver Trevena (@olivertrevena) April 30, 2014
Our new &dramatic campaign @peta in support of @blackfishmovie Thank u @ETCanada 4your support. Proud 2speak my mind. pic.twitter.com/hAY95cNnqi
— Laura Vandervoort (@Vandiekins22) April 29, 2014
@hulu Can you not play @SeaWorld commercials during my show? K? Thanks #WrongSideOfHistory #Fox #PicketFences #Blackfish #Hulu #seashepherd
— Holly Marie Combs (@H_Combs) April 23, 2014
- We loved watching this video by vegan bodybuilding powerhouse Frank Medrano go viral this month. His “superhuman” workout has to be seen to be believed―and it has likely convinced some of its more than 15 million viewers that plant-powered athletes are a force to be reckoned with.
- Russell Simmons got a pleasant surprise when he stopped by to visit T.I. and Tiny, stars of VH1’s T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle. When son Domani proudly told Russell that he is vegetarian, an elated Russell commended him for following his heart.
- Long-time vegetarian Christina Applegate is passing on her healthy, compassionate ideals. The cancer survivor told Entertainment Tonight that she is raising daughter Sadie on a “completely plant-based diet” because “I want her to have the best chance possible.”
- It looks like singer Dawn Richard, formerly of Danity Kane, is ready to hop on the healthy vegetarian bandwagon, and loads of other stars have been happily bragging about their animal-free dishes:
@peta Vegan. day 4 in full effect and I'm loving it.
— DAWN (@DawnRichard) April 28, 2014
Lunch in Hollywood #GraciasMadre great vegan Mexican in Melrose pic.twitter.com/TwhccyWHi6
— Raúl De Molina (@rauldemolina) April 28, 2014
Humbled to be one of the Finalists in @peta Sexiest Vegan 2014 list! A lot of sexy/compassionate ppl, check them out! http://t.co/tsMtNVprLm
— Jeb Brovsky (@JebBrovsky) April 25, 2014
Alil Vegan Mexican lunch today at Gracias Madre http://t.co/augcEZDMSB
— Jermaine Dupri (@jermainedupri) April 25, 2014
To keep up with what all your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.
