Wanna know what it's like to work with animals who were rescued from the meat and dairy industries? Here's my story!
After watching an episode of 30 Days about animal rights and veganism, I decided to intern at Farm Sanctuary's Animal Acres in California. I had recently transferred to a university in San Diego from the East Coast and wanted to get more involved with animal rights. This was one of the best decisions I've ever made!
I lived at the sanctuary for more than a month and was required to be vegan during my stay. I had a conversation with a friend during my first week about why I still ate seafood, and we talked about the environmental problems that overfishing causes and about how other sea creatures and life are destroyed because of commercial fishing. This was a no-brainer—I decided to go vegan for good!
My daily routine consisted of feeding the animals, playing, administering medicine, cleaning the barns, and playing, and on the weekends, I helped with tours and field trips. Did I mention, playtime with the animals?! Some of my favorite experiences were bottle-feeding a baby pig named Jumper and two beautiful calves named Sonny and Casanova, who would have otherwise been slaughtered for veal, a product of the dairy industry.
Interning at Animal Acres was such an awesome experience because many people never get to meet these animals when they are alive. They see them only on their plate. Getting to know these animals whoare unfairly destined for slaughter allows a connection to be made between the food we eat and the animals who ultimately end up on menus and in grocery stores around the world. These animals are intelligent—don't let others say differently. We shouldn't judge them based on our criteria for intellect. They love life and have families and friends, and those who were rescued can still find it in their hearts to forgive us when they're treated well.
If you ever have the chance, be sure to visit and intern at your local farmed animal sanctuary! You can get more info on Animals Acres here.
Felling sluggish, sad, blue? Need a pick-me-up? Well, first of all, remember that it's Friday—amen to that! Seriously, cartwheels are in order. Second, your eyeballs are about to be graced with some dormousey cuteness that's off the charts! Since seeing this video, I've been Googling images of dormice all day (do it, do it!), and it has put me in the bestestest mood! Enjoy and share! Dormouse ♥!
Vegan and proud? Hells, yeah! Flaunt yo' veggie-lovin' pride in style with our eye-catching "Vegan" necklace! It's a great conversation starter and a fashionable, unique way to show off your ♥ for animals!
For your chance to win this "Vegan" necklace, tell us below why you deserve to win this PETA bling (have fun and be creative). The winner will be chosen at random.* Good luck!
*The winner will be chosen at random from submitted animal-friendly comments in which the commenter tells us why he or she deserves to win this necklace. Entries must be received by February 3, 2012. The winner will be chosen at random and notified on February 6, 2012.Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
Let's be honest: The peta2 site is a bit outdated, don't ya think? We do! And we have some awesome news—peta2 and the Street Team will be entirely revamped by the end of next month! This means that the peta2 site as you know it (old, hard to navigate, and downright fugly at times) will be replaced with one that is easier to navigate and easier to look at. Let's give a collective WOOHOO!
So what does that mean to you? Check out the following important details:
In order to keep your Street Team account, you MUSTlog in to your account within the next few weeks. Otherwise, your info will NOT be transferred over to the new site (that means you will lose all your points, and your action history!).
Everyone who transfers over will receive a special badge for their profile and 1,000 points.
We will e-mail everyone again on the day the new site is launched. You'll need to sign in and update your new profile. (You'll actually be able to add a photo! Awesome, right?!)
We will remind you several times before your points and profile are deleted—but please log in to your accountNOW. Nobody likes a procrastinator.
Hope you're as excited we are! If you have questions, e-mail us at peta2@peta2.com.
Notorious animal abuser Doug Terranova may not work for peanuts, but the $25,000 fine that he was recently slapped with by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act has to have put a dent in his bank account.
PETA has been keeping tabs on Terranova—who rents animals to circuses, fairs, TV shows, and movies like Spy Kids 2 and Rushmore—for years and has filed multiple complaints about his careless handling of elephants and tigers.
In one incident, an elephant named Kamba, whom Terranova had rented to a circus in Oklahoma, escaped and ran onto the highway, where she was hit by a vehicle and sustained several injuries, including a fractured carpal bone, a broken tusk, and numerous abrasions. The USDA confiscated a tiger cub from Terranova after two other tiger cubs died in his care at the Iowa State Fair.
The USDA has stipulated that when Terranova's license comes up for renewal, it will be renewed only if he no longer owns, handles, or exhibits elephants. In the meantime, Terranova is still on the road and will be performing with the Shrine Circus.
How You Can Help Abused Animals
Boycott the Shrine Circus, and ask your local Shriners to stop sponsoring animal acts.
What's a hoagie? For those of us who aren't from Philadelphia, a hoagie is basically a sub. I like the word "hoagie" because it sounds cool and a lot fancier than it really is. I also like that it's cheap to whip up one of these sandwiches when I'm strapped for cash. We're all looking to save money, and that's why I'm happy to share this week's $5 Meal of the Week with you! Folks, I present the über-simple-to-make Tofu Hoagie.
Tofu Hoagies
1/2 loaf submarine bread (78¢ for 1 loaf, or39¢ for 1/2 loaf)
3/4 block pre-baked tofu ($2.49 for a 7-oz. block, or $1.87 for 3/4 block)
4 bell pepper slices ($2.45 for 1 organic bell pepper, or 70¢ for 4 slices)
3 tomato slices (70¢ for 1 organic tomato, or 42¢ for 3 slices)
1 handful spinach ($2 for 1 pkg. organic spinach, or 30¢ for 1 handful)
2 Tbsp. Annie's Naturals BBQ sauce ($3.69 for a 12-oz. bottle, or 74¢ for 2 Tbsp.)
Total Cost: Approximately $4.42
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Slice the submarine bread horizontally, about three-quarters of the way through, and place on a baking sheet with the tofu. Bake for about 10 minutes.
Wash and cut the spinach.
When the tofu is warm and the bread is toasted, open the bread and layer with the vegetables. Place the tofu on top of the veggies, and slather on the BBQ sauce.
Close the hoagie and enjoy!
Makes 1 serving
Simple, tasty, and easy to customize—that's how sandwiches should be. Get your hoagie on, folks!
Regardless of your animal rights background or whether you're vegan or not, one issue that everyone can get behind is the companion-animal overpopulation crisis. Every year, 6 to 8 million cats and dogs are turned over to animal shelters, andhalf of them are euthanized. Buying animals from pet stores or breeders directly contributes to the deaths of animals in shelters who are in need of homes and allows puppy mills to keep churning out new litters.
We recently caught up with Buddy Nielsen, the vocalist for scene veterans Senses Fail, to meet his (insanely cute) adopted dog, Leslie, and to learn why he chose to adopt, not buy.
If you're looking to bring a new animal companion into your family, be sure to stop by the local animal shelters in your area. You can catch Senses Fail on Warped Tour all summer, along with peta2, so come hang out! We'll talk about dogs.
Interested in nabbing some seriously cool fashions or kicking it up a notch and setting your own trend? Want to save some serious cash? Want to help animals and the environment? If you've answered "Yes" to any of these questions, it's time to embark on a thrift store exploration!
Find all the animal-free clothing you need in one place. I'm a regular at my local thrift stores, and most of what you'd find in my closet has come from them. I'm talking big-name designer labels as well as uncommon pieces that seemed as though they were waiting just for me to take them home. You can discover unique shirts, that perfect pair of pants, über-cute dresses and skirts (I just wore one to my sister's wedding), cozy winter knit scarves or sweet scarves that add that sophisticated professional touch, stylin' jackets, vegan belts and purses, fun jewelry and hats, and even household items. I recently stopped in a shop that had a gigantic wooden parrot hanging from the ceiling, so nothing is really off limits!
And I'm not alone in my adoration. The best compliments I receive are on my thrift store finds, and I've got all my friends hooked. The real bonus is that it's so easy to find cruelty-free fashion! Just be sure to check the labels.
So check out your local thrift stores, and start saving the planet and your wardrobe today!
I took an hour out of my day today to join other activists in Washington, D.C., to speak out against the Australian government, which refuses to end mulesing mutilations on lambs.
WTF is mulesing? In short, it's a gruesome and cruel procedure in which huge chunks of skin and flesh are cut from lambs' backsides in a crude attempt to prevent a maggot infestation known as "flystrike." Pretty barbaric, right? You can read more here.
Check us out:
You can help sheep too! Here are a few ways to do so:
We received some excellent news last week involving one of peta2's very best friends, the one and only John Feldmann. Although he's been busy behind the scenes of late producing albums for everyone from Panic! At The Disco to D.R.U.G.S., Feldmann hasn't forgotten his roots. I'm speaking, of course, about Goldfinger! Here's a little peta2Megan trivia for ya—the first concert I went to was a radio festival that Goldfinger played. It ruled.
Goldfinger has announced a show on January 31 at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California, with proceeds benefiting PETA. Tickets are on sale now, so if you live in the area, please come out and show your support for a great band and a great cause.
Some of my favorite experiences were bottle-feeding a baby pig named Jumper and two beautiful calves named Sonny and Casanova, who would have otherwise been slaughtered for veal, a product of the dairy industry.
Let's give a collective WOOHOO!
