One thing wasn’t up for debate last night—PETA’s “elephant” turned almost as many heads at the presidential debate as the motorcades did. President Barack Obama read the elephant’s sign and responded with a wave. Mitt Romney likely got the message, too, as he passed by twice. Fox News pundit Juan Williams took our circus leaflet … Read more »
PETA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after someone in the audience sent us this video showing a handler with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ Red Unit hooking and striking an elephant named Luna—who has a history of leg problems—with a bullhook (a weapon used by the circus that … Read more »
Tampa, Florida, is crowded with “elephants,” and Charlotte, North Carolina, will soon be filled with “donkeys“ as Republicans and Democrats gather for their respective national conventions. But which real animal would win in a showdown between an elephant and a donkey? PETA takes stock of the competition: © iStockphoto.com/Francois6 Physical prowess: Elephants are active for 18 hours a … Read more »
Collins dictionary defines “entrepreneurial” as “the spirit of using “risk and initiative” in business.” PETA defines it as “getting animal-friendly terms added to said dictionary.” Collins English Dictionary is accepting new words to be considered for inclusion, and PETA has submitted five terms that no lexicologist (or friend to animals) should be without: 1. Elefriend A person … Read more »
Groupon claims it’s all about deals, but it’s giving animals and consumers a raw one. The online discounter has been offering tickets to circus performances, claiming to promote only circuses with “clean [U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)] and public record inspection reports from at least the past 2 years.” But if Groupon were actually checking … Read more »
With support from PETA and local PETA members and hard work by local animal rights group Alliance for Animals, which initiated the proposal, the Dane County, Wisconsin, Board of Supervisors has enacted a ban on elephant performances at all county-owned facilities. James Preston|cc by 2.0 PETA members and members of local animal rights group Alliance … Read more »
Sharon Osbourne told Intermix to get fur out of the mix when she helped Fur Free Los Angeles with a demonstration outside the store. And the host of The Talk isn’t all talk—she donated her old furs to PETA several years ago and has been an anti-fur advocate ever since. Miranda Cosgrove might not be … Read more »
Update: The Atlanta City Council voted to prevent the use of bullhooks but only when it can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they were used in a specific instance to “discipline” an elephant and that the elephant’s skin was broken, scarred, or otherwise damaged as a result. This is a step backward from … Read more »
When he learned that Topsy, an elephant used by Piccadilly Circus, tested positive in two tuberculosis (TB) screening tests, Maine’s state veterinarian, Don Hoenig, barred the circus from taking her into the state. Since Piccadilly didn’t want its other elephant, Annette, to perform without Topsy, neither elephant will be forced to perform in Maine. Elephants … Read more »
The, um, cheeky comedy stylings of Doug Stanhope may cause the oh-so-proper “ladies who lunch” crowd to suffer a fit of the vapors. But for the irreverent folks out there, Doug’s point of view will be quite refreshing (check out his latest release on iTunes ’til you can catch him live), especially when it comes … Read more »
Whips, cuffs, collars, bondage, and beatings: E.L. James’ best-selling novel reads like a circus trainer’s handbook. But unlike the consenting couple in the book, elephants in circuses don’t have a choice when it comes to being dominated. And if beating elephants into submission and forcing them to perform painful acts isn’t 50 shades of wrong, … Read more »
PETA has joined Animal Defenders International in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for illegally issuing permits allowing the Ringling Bros. circus to export endangered tigers and elephants for use in its shows anywhere at any time for the next three years! How Do You Spell ‘Rubber Stamp’? F-W-S FWS … Read more »
Animal advocates’ voices are being heard loud and clear today, as PETA and eight other animal protection organizations have joined forces to keep Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from taking “The Cruelest Show on Earth” abroad—including to Mexico, where animal protection laws are virtually never enforced. Ringling’s Ridiculous Request Ringling applied to export … Read more »
“As a lifelong Democrat, I never thought I’d lead an effort to defend the symbol of the Republican Party,” writes Alec Baldwin in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Baldwin is sending Vilsack the video he hosted for PETA exposing Ringling Bros.’ abuse of animals and asking … Read more »
Yep, you read that right. We want to thank Kanye West for the shout-out to PETA in his new song, “Theraflu.” While the aptly named tune does make us want to reach for an over-the-counter remedy as Kanye opines about his inexplicable penchant for slinging tortured dead animals across his back, the song did make … Read more »
