Smithfield, You Make My Skin Crawl June 30, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

animalwritings / CC

The gestation crate has got to be one of the cruelest tools of the exploitation trade. It is a metal box used to warehouse mother pigs for almost their entire lives before being slaughtered and sold for profit. The crates are so small that mother pigs can never be with their babies, never lie down comfortably and can never even turn around.

At any given moment, more than one million mother pigs are confined to these crates.

The industry likes to tell consumers that these crates are to protect the baby piglets (before they have their testicles and teeth ripped out, their ears clipped and are slaughtered, of course), because their over-sized (aka drugged to the point of a profitable obesity) mothers might roll over and kill them. We all know the truth of the matter is that the factory farming industry doesn't care one bit about animals, only about making money off of their corpses.

In 2007, after over ten years of talks with PETA, Smithfield (yes, that Smithfield), agreed to phase out the crates, but just last week, Smithfield backed out of this agreement, citing financial woes and losses. We're hoping this basically means less people wanted to buy their vile product, but either way, Smithfield is still the the world's largest flesh producer, and we think they owe it to pigs not to treat them this way. Especially considering that just three years' compensation for the company's highly-paid directors would more than cover the cost of a complete crate phase-out over the next eight years.

All we're asking, again, is that this large company do the right thing for the animals they kill to profit from. For the millions of pigs that can't move this very second—please write to Smithfield now and urge them to keep their promise to phase out cruel gestation crates.

What Will You Be Grilling This 4th of July? June 30, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBack

I dream about BBQs. Seriously—there is absolutely no better way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends and family! From chilling out on my parents' deck back in Cali with teriyaki-marinated veggie skewers on the grill to lounging in my friends' backyard here in VA with the delicious scent of veggie dogs and faux chicken burgers wafting at me from the grill, life just doesn't get any better.

Of course, things can sometimes get a tad uncomfortable with people scarfing down animals left and right around you—which is why I'm bringing you peta2's tips for surviving (and loving) 4th of July:

• Be prepared. Don't just sit around complaining that there's not going to be anything you can eat at your family's BBQ. Get off your butt and go to the store to get all your fave fixins.
• Sharing is caring. People love vegan food—most people just don't know how much they love it yet, so be sure to make enough of your deliciousness for others to devour too.
• Don't bring your fightin' face to the party. You may feel defensive and people might try to give you a hard time, but you are so much stronger than that. Show them that just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean you're an angry person who is going to snap at any minute.
• Eat until your heart's content. If you've got more sway with the menu, the possibilities are endless: grilled potatoes, veggie dogs & burgers, potato salad, vegan coleslaw, baked beans, huge chunks of watermelon, lots of chips and dip, black bean and corn salad, grilled garlic bread, and one of my personal favorites: grilled corn on the cob.

Corn on the cob and veggie burgers!

And if you're in the mood for something new, here are a few tasty recipes to try out:

• BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches Topped With Multicolor Slaw
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks
• Grilled Asparagus

Now lately, I've been thinking more and more about the best topping for veggie burgers. Some faves of mine include sautéed spinach and onions or BBQ sauce with onion rings. What's your preference? Let me know, so I can try it out!

Rob Dyrdek Takes on Hollywood June 30, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

I started getting really into skateboarding when I was in 8th grade. I love everything that is part of that culture. Skateboarding to me is all about hanging with your friends, pushing yourself to succeed, and maybe getting into a little bit of trouble!

Rob Dyrdek for peta2

If there's one thing I hate, it's the way skaters are portrayed on T.V. and in movies. Hollywood classifies skaters one of two ways: the So-Cal stoner (a.k.a. Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High) or the punk rock hoodlum who's up to no good. This time around Rob Dyrdek set out to do it right! Dyrdek teamed up with fellow skaters Paul Rodriguez, Terry Kennedy, Ryan Sheckler, and others to make a movie for and about skaters. Dyrdek produced and co-wrote the movie, that features genuine street skating, and perhaps even a never-before-seen trick by P Rod himself!

Street Dreams is in select theaters now. Check the site for local listings, grab your board, your friends, and beat the heat indoors for an afternoon!

Are You a Heartbreaker? June 29, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

So you're not a heartbreaker, right? You check all of your products to make sure they're on our list or have our cruelty free bunny logo, and you've told everyone you know about our Animal Testing Breaks Hearts campaign—so what else can you do to help the hundreds of thousands of animals killed every year in useless product experiments?

The sad fact is, a lot of people have no idea that countless (literally—mice and rats, the most commonly used animals in product testing aren't even counted) animals are killed for deodorant, makeup, hairspray, lipstick and more, or that they have an easy alternative. Every time you open your purse or wallet at the counter, you make a choice to either support animal testing, or shop cruelty free. Your friends could be breaking hearts without even knowing it!



All the power to end these experiments is in your hands! Show the world that you have a heart for animals by posting your photos (see examples above, don't actually go breaking any hearts!) on our Facebook wall or by making it your default photo on MySpace! If you post a photo, e-mail us the link to earn 500 Street Team points.

Turkey Abusers Convicted: One Jailed! June 29, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 28 ) | TrackBack

We're starting this week off with another historic victory for animals! Check out this blog from PETA's Karin Bennet!

Late last year, some factory-farm employees were fired from Aviagen Turkeys, Inc. in response to PETA's undercover investigation, which documented that workers were breaking turkeys' necks, stomping on their heads, and shoving feces and feed into turkeys' mouths.

Then, in February, a grand jury handed down 19 indictments, including 11 felony charges, against three former Aviagen workers, marking the first time in U.S. history that factory-farm employees have faced felony cruelty-to-animals charges for abusing birds.

Fast forward: Two of the three ex-employees, Scott Alvin White and Edward Eric Gwinn, recently pleaded guilty to cruelty charges. On June 8, White was sentenced to serve one year in jail—the maximum period permitted by law! Today, Gwinn was sentenced to serve six months' home confinement—the maximum period permitted by law—on each count, concurrently, and is banned from living with, owning, and working with animals for five years. The case against the third ex-employee, Walter Lee Hambrick, is pending.

These historic victories by no means even the score for the turkeys who were punched and thrown or the many other birds who suffered when they were forced to watch as other turkeys were abused at Aviagen. After watching our undercover video, animal behavior expert Dr. Lesley J. Rogers stated, "It is now known that when social animals, like turkeys, see and hear other members of their species under stress or suffering physical injury, their levels of stress become elevated. Hence, the behavioural stress is widespread in the birds in the vicinity of those that have been injured and/or handled roughly."

Still, these convictions will remind workers on other factory farms that if they don't clean up their acts, PETA investigators (and the whistleblowers who tip us off) will have their eyes on them.

peta2 On Your Phone! June 26, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

Today is a big day for peta2. We've just launched our amazing summer campaign, Animal Testing Breaks Hearts, and we've taken over the homepage of Myxer. Myxer features the most ringtones, wallpapers, and videos for your phone, and we've teamed up to offer you great peta2 content for your cell!

Best part? It's all free! Click on the widget below or text "PETA2" to 69937 to peta2-ify your phone!

More from peta2 at Myxer

Comment below with what you download!

Free Stuff Friday: Dirty Shirty Tee! June 26, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 772 ) | TrackBack

We've just launched our Animal Testing Breaks Hearts campaign and what better way to kick it off than with an awesome giveaway! This week, you've got the chance to win this 'I Am Not a Test' tee from our friends at Dirty Shirty.

Over 200 animals are killed every minute in labs across the country. These animals die alone, after undergoing excruciating experiments. We all know testing on animals is bad science, but thousands of companies and universities continue to conduct animal experiments. You'll love rocking this tee because it lets everyone know that we should be loving animals, not testing on them.

For your chance to win the 'I Am Not a Test' tee from Dirty Shirty, comment below with a phrase or slogan you'd most like to see on a Dirty Shirty tee. Entries must be received by July 3rd. The three people with the most original comments will be chosen and notified by July 6th.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

GOOD LUCK!

What Breaks Your Heart? June 26, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

We all likely know at least one heartbreaker—someone who flashes a smile that makes you melt and then is on to the next victim in the blink of an eye. However, many people don't realize that they're breaking hearts left and right on a daily basis. How's that? I have two words for you: Animal testing.

Animal testing breaks hearts, plain and simple, so we decided to launch a campaign with the same name! This summer, we want every single one of you to make sure that everyone in your life (and everyone you happen to meet!) knows that animal testing breaks hearts. Did you know that countless mice, rats, rabbits, and other animals suffer and die in cruel and pointless product-testing experiments every year?

It's so ridiculously easy to buy cruelty-free shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and makeup these days that I honestly believe that the only reason people still buy products that are tested on animals is because they just don't realize that animals had chemicals rubbed into their eyes and skin just so someone could look a little more attractive. And if you can look just as attractive (and smell just as good!) without the cruelty, then why wouldn't you make the kinder choice?

Say it with me: Animal Testing Breaks Hearts! We have a brand-new video, a "Be Nice to Bunnies" iPhone app, banners, and of course lots of other things to keep you busy. Be sure to show your support for animals by adding a heart to our pledge!

So, tell me—will you be breaking animals' hearts this summer? I'm pretty sure that animals hope you won't be ...



P.S. Not sure if your fave products are cruelty-free or not? Add the "Be Nice to Bunnies" iPhone app or check out our database here.

Lettuce Ladies Tour the Fattest Cities in U.S. June 25, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

You may have heard that Men's Fitness magazine released their annual list of the fattest cities in America, and sadly for me, my hometown of San Jose, CA, made the list. Totes inappropes!

Luckily, PETA's own lettuce ladies are traveling around the fattest cities to help people lose some weight! Check out some photos from the veggie dog giveaway in San Jose yesterday:

Why are they giving away veggie dogs in the fattest cities? Meat consumption has been directly linked to obesity, but vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters. And veggie dogs are seriously so much tastier than hot dogs, if people in San Jose are any indication. They devoured more than 400 veggie dogs!

Would you like the lettuce ladies to stop by your city?

Victory! Sprint Agrees Not to Use Great Apes in Ads June 25, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

webecoist / CC

I've been holding off on buying a new Blackberry (to replace my tired and true Sidekick) for a couple of reasons. First of all, I have a whole lot of other things (vegan cupcakes, tempeh BLTs, chickette sandwiches ... ) to buy with hundreds of dollars, and secondly—up until today, Sprint was all about using live animals in their ads. If there's one thing I'm not all about, it's giving money to companies who support cruelty to animals.

Whether or not you see it, animals used in show business suffer immensely. Chimpanzees and other great apes who are forced into the entertainment industry are ripped away from their mothers when they are only days old, are trained by being beaten, kicked, and punched, and are then discarded at filthy roadside zoos when they're no longer useful in show business. Simple fact? Animals don't belong in show business, and if they could speak, who for a second doubts that they wouldn't choose freedom over slavery?

Today, Sprint, thanks to everyone who wrote to them asking them to trash their animal ads, has agreed to stop circulating the ad featuring a chimpanzee that you may have seen recently in your own local theater, and never use another great ape in upcoming ads or commercials. You can read Sprint's full statement here.

Other companies like SEGA, Honda, PUMA, Yahoo! and Levi Strauss & Co., have all agreed to make the same step towards ending cruelty to animals on the silver screen—and while some others may still be intent on hurting animals, we're sure they'll eventually come around—thanks to you!

Now, about giving up those cupcakes ...

Naked in Times Square June 25, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

I'm often asked what the craziest thing I've ever done with PETA or peta2 is. For me, that has to be when I participated in the world-renowned "Running of the Nudes" protest against bullfighting in Pamplona, Spain, a few years back. 600 naked people running through cobblestone streets, showing that it's possible to have a great time without torturing animals? Amazing.

Most people are horrified to learn that more than 40,000 bulls are killed each year in this cruel Spanish blood sport. Even the name itself is misleading; since when is it a fair "fight" when a man with a sword tries to kill a drugged and confused animal? They might as well just call it "bullstabbing".

That's why I'm so excited that PETA and its affiliates are holding protests all around the world, drawing attention to this "tradition" of death. Yesterday, more than 35 brave protesters took to the busy sidewalks of New York's Times Square, sporting just their underwear, with banderillas (decorated barbs or flags used by bullfighters to stab bulls) sticking out of their backs.

Picture time!

Pretty sweet, right?

So what do you think? Would you go naked for a protest, to speak out against cruelty?*



* Assuming you're over 18, of course.

Four More Former Iowa Pig Farm Workers Admit Guilt! June 24, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

indymedia / CC

Shawn Matthew Lyons was the first individual ever convicted of abusing or neglecting factory-farmed pigs in Iowa, but he's no longer alone. Four other workers who were employed at the farm—a Hormel supplier at which our undercover investigation produced video footage documenting that workers beat pigs with metal rods and sexually abused them with canes—have now admitted to abusing pigs.

Of the defendants—Richard Michael Ralston, Alan Bruce Rettig, Greg William Hackler, and Jordan Michael Anderson—Ralston, Rettig, and Hackler have pleaded guilty, been convicted, and sentenced to two years in prison, which has been suspended. Anderson accepted a deferred entry of judgment allowing him to have the charges dismissed if he completes a period of good behavior. All four have all been ordered to pay fines and other fees, and they have been placed on probation for periods ranging from one to two years.

Most importantly, three of the men have been barred from working with animals for the duration of their probation. Only Anderson will be allowed to do so. Despite an assurance in October from Audubon-Manning Veterinary Clinic President Daryl Olsen, D.V.M., that Anderson "has been suspended from working with livestock pending the outcome of the charges," a whistleblower told us that Anderson is currently employed at a hog-confinement facility that Dr. Olsen reportedly owns. Dr. Olsen has not answered our inquiry regarding Mr. Anderson. Please ask him to confirm that his company does not pay admitted animal abusers like Anderson to work with live animals.

Pork magazine called our investigation footage a "wake-up call" for the pork industry. We hope that these convictions serve not only as another wake-up call but also as a lesson to anyone working in this innately cruel industry: Neither the courts nor the public have a stomach for such malicious cruelty to farmed animals.

Thank you for making history and speaking up for these pigs—and remember that preventing this suffering starts on your plate. Go vegetarian.

Giant Bunny and Chicken Hit the Streets June 24, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

Hello readers!

The peta2 Road Crew loves mixing work and fun, and sometimes it just makes sense to bring out a special helper.

Sure the bunny is extremely adorable and lovable, but we were also out and about in the malls of San Francisco bringing attention to the horrifying conditions chickens suffer through at the farms that supply McDonald's with its animals. The chickens at these farms are dropped into scalding hot water and their throats are slit all while they're still conscious. Everyone wanted to sign our petition against these cruelties!






Our time spent at the malls in San Fran was very successful and only made us more stoked for June 26 in Pomona, CA. What's going on that day? Warped Tour, buddies! That's right, the 15th annual Vans Warped Tour begins this Friday and we look forward to seeing all of you throughout the summer. I'm out for now, but I've got a friend that would like to get you up to date with how the Rise Against tour is going. Take it away, Heather ...

Thanks, Joey! So, Canada was rad, of course. We started our journey in Quebec, a French-speaking province. Our animal-loving friends in Quebec City did us a serious solid and helped us translate the message of the McCruelty campaign into French. Thank you—we love you. We made signs, got mad signatures in favor of McDonald's purchasing their chickens exclusively from slaughterhouses that use Controlled Atmosphere Killing, and totally learned how to save animals en Français.


A couple of days later we wrapped up our Canadian dates in Ottawa, Ontario. It was our first day without rain in a while, so we brought out our friend the chicken to meet some seriously punk rock kids.


Minneapolis, Winnipeg, and Seattle, you're up next! Can't wait to see you at the show!

With passion for action (and food!!),
Joey, Heather, and the rest of the Road Warriors

peta2's New Celeb Voicemails! June 24, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

glasgow / CC

I don't know about you guys, but I hate recording my voicemail. I can't even record a simple "I'm not here, leave a message" without somehow screwing it up. A few years ago I even tried recording one about the fur industry and urging people to call a legislator about steel leg hold traps—we all know how important that is obviously, but to others, it's a pretty big snore fest.

How can you help animals while screening your calls—without putting people to sleep? Easy. We've just added new celeb voicemails from members of Chiodos (that's them to the right!), Silverstein, Escape the Fate, and Shadows Fall—and we still have the classic peta2 voicemails from Pharrell Williams, Clipse, Matt Skiba, Incubus and others!

Street Teamers will get 1000 points for e-mailing us at StreetTeam@peta2.com and letting us know which voicemail they've downloaded!

What are you waiting for? Download one now!

More Than Meats the Eye June 23, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 20 ) | TrackBack

I'm pretty excited about the release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen tomorrow, since word on the street is that the movie has a positive animal rights message in it. There's even a scene set in a butcher shop where Megan Fox's and Shia Labeouf's characters learn that every animal you eat had a story. We hear them on that.

In honor of the release of the movie, we're transforming (hah!) the classic Transformers tagline into "More Than Meats the Eye," for the title of our top-five list that takes a closer look at the meat industry. Most people never take an up-close look at the food they're eating. I mean, seriously, who wants to think about their food actually looking like this (even though it does)?:

Click for larger image
Want seconds of this fatty blob of nastiness? *Shudder!* Anyway, here are the top five foods that I think are "More Than Meats the Eye":

1) Jell-O: How does Jell-O stay firm but wiggly? You can thank gelatin (aka the ground-up skin, intestines, and bones of animals) for that jiggle. Who doesn't like bones in their fruity snacks?

2) Hot Dogs: These are made from mechanically recovered meat, which Wikipedia describes as, "a paste-like meat product produced by forcing beef, pork, turkey or chicken bones, with attached edible meat, under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue." If you're in the mood for tails, bones, and anuses topped with relish at a ball game, steer clear of the veggie dogs, since they're mostly just made of plain ol' boring soy protein.

3) Milk: Pus doesn't exactly conjure up the most pleasant of images, but if the idea of a tall frosty glass of pus sounds good to you, by all means, feel free to down a glass of milk. That's right, milk can legally contain a somatic cell count (that's pus, people) of up to 200 million per liter.

4) Twinkies: Where does that fatty flavor come from? Beef fat, of course! Sponge cake + creamy filling + cow fat = the classic truck-stop snack. Yum.

5) Cheese: Rennet, found in many cheeses, comes from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves. I personally try to avoid baby cow stomach on my nachos, but maybe that's just me.

Do some of these sound a bit ... unappetizing? Try vegan versions! Grab soy milk the next time you hit up the grocery store or give a homemade snack cake a whirl. You can still enjoy all the flavors you love while cutting out the cruelty and crap!

Which foods do you think are "More Than Meats the Eye"?

With the First Pick in the Draft, the L.A. Clippers Select ... A Vegetarian! June 23, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

nydailynews / CC

Hoop-heads like myself are very well aware that the NBA draft is coming up on Thursday, and it is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent memory. One thing that seems pretty certain, though, is that the Los Angeles Clippers will take Blake Griffin as their number one pick. But here's a pre-draft revelation about the Oklahoma big man that not many people were expecting—dude's a vegetarian!

Over the course of two years in college ball, Griffin showed tenacity around the hoop and a willingness to bang down low—he even got himself a concussion to show for it. He simply dominated in the tournament this year, dropping 33 points and 17 rebounds on Michigan in the second round. He's energetic, a ferocious rebounder, and has unleashed some straight-up highlight-reel dunks that'll get you humming the SportsCenter theme song while you watch him on YouTube.

And all that? Powered by tofu, of course.

According to yesterday's SportsCenter, the Clips are as impressed with Griffin as everyone else is. In an attempt to make the Oklahoma boy feel "at home" during a pre-draft meeting with team brass, they took him out to a steakhouse in New York City. Looks like they should have done a bit more homework—they have vegetarians in Oklahoma too, y'all!

No word on what Blake ordered from the steakhouse menu, but as SportsCenter pointed out, he'll have no lack of great vegetarian restaurants to choose from in the city of angels as he attempts to become the latest savior of the NBA's most troubled franchise. Best of luck, Blake. You're gonna need it.


P.S. If his career pans out, Prince Fielder might have some competition for the best vegetarian pro athlete!

Study: More Vegetarian Lunches in Schools Than Ever! June 23, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

Say goodbye to mystery meat.

An exciting new report from the School Nutrition Association has concluded that "almost two thirds of school nutrition programs now offer a vegetarian school lunch on a consistent basis, up from 22% in 2003." That's a 41% increase!

Want to know what I think the best part of the report is though? According to the news coverage, "the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service received over 10,000 comments on the need for increased availability of vegetarian meals in schools." [Emphasis mine]

They hear you! All of those comment cards you're filling out and petition signatures you're gathering are making a difference, in a big way. Keep it up!

Summer Fashion Must-Haves June 22, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack

I'm sure most of you have already started getting your closets ready for summer. We're super lucky, this year, because there's a ton of different trends to play with; from florals to studs, to neon and denim. Since there's so much to choose from, I've put together a list of MY top five cruelty-free must-haves for summer. Get ready 'cause you just might have to make some more room in your closet.

For the Ladies:

The Long Dress

This super-cute purple jersey maxi dress from Old Navy features a deep v-neck and empire waist. The best part about this dress is its versatility. Not only is it perfect for shopping trips to the mall, it also works great for a first date.




























The High-Waisted Skirt

Yes, 80s fashion will be continuing on this summer. The high-waisted skirt is yet another throwback from the days of Whitney Houston and Cyndi Lauper. This is great news for us ladies since the skirt works well with pretty much any body type. The floral print cotton skirt pictured above can be found at UrbanOutfitters.com.






















The Platform Sandal

These brown faux leather platform sandals, available at Target, are accented by metallic studs — another hot trend this summer. These shoes go great with dresses or jeans so you're sure to get a lot of wear out of them.















For the Guys:

Deep V-Neck Tee

The Deep V is no stranger to ladies fashion but, this year, the style has worked its way into mens fashion. You can find the Kelly Green Deep V, pictured here, at American Apparel's online store. Props to all you fellas man enough to rock this tee. Just do us ladies a favor and shave your chest!













Wayfarers

First made famous by legendary rock and roll singer Buddy Holly, wayfarers are THE hottest accessory this summer. Check out these retro two-toned frames from Urban Outfitters. Not only are they supa dupa fly, but they come with 100% UV protection.

















Happy shopping!

Is Anthony Kiedis Anti-McDonald's? We Are! June 22, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

With our McCruelty campaign underway, we've been encouraging compassionate people everywhere to take a stand against McDonald's by boycotting the chain until they agree to phase in the most humane method of slaughter, Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK). After our KFC victory in Canada (more about that here), I have become more optimistic that people everywhere will be willing to take a stand against McDonald's.

With this in mind, you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this photo of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' front man, Anthony Kiedis, showing what appears to be his own distaste for the fast food chain ...

vegetarianstar / CC

Could that photo be any better? I think not. After all, Anthony won PETA's "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" contest last year, and photos like the one above may have influenced your decision! Just sayin'.

Haven't signed our McCruelty petition yet? Help stop McDonald's cruelty now by clicking here.

Vegans Win Weightlifting Competition, Smash Stereotypes June 22, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 17 ) | TrackBack

Many years back, I tried to make some side income by posting a homemade "Vegan Power!" t-shirt design on CafePress (still available here). I thought it was a fun way to show veggie pride and solidarity—but this story really brings "vegan power" to the next level ...

You see, a new animal rights organization in Australia called UPROAR (United Protection and Rescue Organisation for Animal Rights) is striving to show people that not only are vegans compassionate and sexy, but they can also kick some serious ass when they want to.

Four members of the group recently participated in the International Powerlifting Federation competition. In their words "It was a successful day where ignorant opinions about veganism such as 'you can't be strong without eating meat and other animal products' were put to shame."

Between the four of them, they won three 1st place spots, and one 2nd, in their respective weight categories. A member named Noah also took home the "best lifter" trophy, squatting 200 kilograms (440 pounds), bench pressing 170 kg (374 lbs.), and deadlifting 230 kg (506 lbs.)!

Check out some pictures of the veggie beefcakes in action below, compliments of VeganStrength.org!

Andy Dick Shocks McCruelty Customers in Chicago! (Video) June 19, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 13 ) | TrackBack

There are some days that I simply cannot express how sweet my job is. Yesterday was one of those days.

You see, I had the unique honor of helping to organize a protest outside of a McDonald's location in downtown Chicago—alongside shock comedian Andy Dick!

Dressed as an evil "Ronald McDonald", Andy reminded potential customers and passersby that chickens killed for McDonald's have their throats slit while fully conscious, and many are even scalded alive in defeathering tanks. Of course, you already knew that. :)

Here are some pictures and a raw video from the event for your viewing pleasure!

You Won't Catch MURS at McDonald's! June 19, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

Think you'll see rapper MURS in your local McDonald's? Think again!

This longtime vegetarian emcee always does his part to speak up for those who are struggling—including animals. Angry about the abuse of chickens by slaughterhouses that supply McDonald's, MURS has joined the peta2 boycott of the fast-food giant. MURS is also encouraging his fans to stay away from McDonald's until the company agrees to require its suppliers to adopt an improved slaughter method called controlled atmosphere killing (CAK), which eliminates some of the worst abuses that birds suffer. "Just have a common respect for life and a common respect for yourself," MURS says. "If you really loved yourself, you wouldn't put junk into yourself."

MURS is helping out peta2 (and chickens everywhere!) by appearing on anti-McDonald's postcards that will be handed out during the best tour in the hip-hop circuit—Rock the Bells, which he's hosting. You can come get yours at our very own peta2 booth which will be set up at every Rock the Bells tour stop in the U.S.


Here's more of MURS in his own words ...

If everyone speaks up for chickens like MURS has, I'm confident that we can see a better world for chickens in the future. Take action against McDonald's by signing our pledge here.

I'm hatin' it,

Free Stuff Friday: Vegan Soccer Ball From Fair Trade Sports! June 19, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 177 ) | TrackBack

This one's for all you soccer fans out there ... I'm sure you've been glued to your sets watching the Confederations Cup, this past week, hoping your favorite team makes it to the finals.

In honor of the 8th annual Confederations Cup, we wanted to do a little somethin' special for you. This week, we're giving you the chance to win a vegan soccer ball from Fair Trade Sports. No animals were skinned in the making of this baby; and you can't miss the word "Respect" branded on front. To me, it's a reminder that people should be respecting the lives of animals.

For your chance to win this vegan soccer ball from Fair Trade Sports, comment below with which team (Brazil, Spain, Italy, South Africa, Egypt, Iraq, New Zealand, USA) you want to win this year's Confederations Cup and why. Entries must be received by June 26th. The person with the most original comment will be chosen as our winner and notified by June 29th.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

GOOD LUCK!

P.S. Go Italia!

Obama, A Fly, And Compassionate Living June 18, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 14 ) | TrackBack

One of the hottest news stories today has been about PETA's statement on President Obama killing a fly during a recent interview.

There's a bit of a misunderstanding on what's been going on with this (we don't have a campaign against him for swatting a fly or anything like that), so here's what we have to say ...

Certainly, President Obama has been helpful in his opposition to factory farming, which involves the mutilation and slaughter while fully conscious of 10 billion chickens and other farmed animals every year and is something America can be ashamed of. He condemned the Canadian seal slaughter, which is the largest massacre of marine mammals in the world. His wife won't wear fur, which means she doesn't support having animals die slowly in traps and an abysmal life and death on fur factory farms just for a coat. His administration is supporting openness regarding how government money is spent, so that's going to save millions of animals from painful experiments every year. And he had a perfect voting record on behalf of animals while he was in the Senate and spoke out publically in support of animal protection on multiple occasions during his campaign for President. Swatting a fly on TV indicates that he's not the Buddha, that's all.

As an organization, we support compassion even for the most curious, smallest, and least sympathetic animals, much as Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Albert Schweitzer, who included insects in his realm of compassion, but human beings often don't think before they act and so people swat flies and far worse.

PETA's mission statement is that other animals are not ours to eat, to wear, to experiment on, or to use for human amusement. Basically, do the least harmful, hurtful thing you can, be aware.

We hope that anyone reading this will take steps to reduce suffering through simple, kind choices in our daily lives such as choosing vegetarian meals, cruelty-free cosmetics, and clothing made without animals. Visit peta2.com/TakeCharge if you need some motivation and tips on making it happen.

Rise Against/Rancid Fans Want McDonald's to Get 'Ready To Fall'! June 18, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBack

Amazing, perfect, and 'love at first sight' are just a few of the terms that come to mind as we come to the end of our first week of shows on this summer's Rise Against/Rancid Tour. It's like peta2's McCruelty campaign found its soul mate in this amazing punk-minded and Mohawk-sporting crowd. We started off outside of Denver, CO, at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Set inside of a mountain, it literally requires peoples to take a hike in order to see the show (and us). We were halfway up the slope and gave the concert goers a chance to cool their heels while they signed a petition to end the abuse to chickens that goes on in the slaughterhouses that supply to McDonald's restaurants. With delicious vegetarian restaurants available these days, what need do Denver residents have for cruelly produced McNasty, UnHappy Meals?

Next we visited Kansas City, MO. We love you Kansas City. You were so stoked on us, how could we not be stoked on you? We tested out our new signage and you came running to help end the cruel slaughter technique of slitting open a fully conscious bird's throat. Then onto Cleveland, OH, at the Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre, which has a gorgeous view of this down-for-animals city.


This week hasn't been all fun and games though—on the way to East St Louis, IL (I know, I had never heard of it either), we got a massive flat and were holed up at a rest stop for 5 1/2 hours waiting for assistance.


So, what do the road warriors do when life gives us lemons? We turn them into blueberries, stick them up our noses, and practice our talking points on Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK), the less cruel method of slaughter that uses an inert gas to render chickens unconscious before even leaving their crates in the slaughterhouses.


Well, we're off to Canada now to spread the word about the abusive slaughterhouses that McDonald's still buys from. Hopefully, our Canadian peta2 supporters can win another one for the chickens and convince McDonald's to follow the lead of KFCs in Canada!

With passion for action,
Heather and the rest of the infamous Road Warriors

Vote for Your Favorite Dumb Comment! June 18, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 105 ) | TrackBack

I sometimes wonder if people actually believe their comments regarding animal rights make sense or if they realize how ridiculous they sound and just don't know when to stop. I think it's gotta be a little bit of both ...

As always: Names removed to protect the idiotic parties, and I've thrown some asterisks in the expletives. Enjoy!

1) you guys are so stupid animals arent as important as people wouldnt you rather have them drop coke into and animals eye istead of it coming onto the shelves someone getting it into their eye and it burns their eye out HUMANS ARE MORE IMPORTANT

2) psh, they are birds. There will always be more. We need to eat!

3) If animals are our friends, why do some animals eat people?:) Hmm. I'm sticking with natural free nange bison. The natives ate animals and they were more one with nature than the thousands of bleeding heart youngons out there trying to change the world by preserving farm animals as pets. Remember there is plenty room for all God's creatures, right next to the mashed potatos.

4) u suck sloughter houses need to stay up u people are f**k stupid for doing what u do if u don't f**king like anyother person move countrys to india

5) wow mcdonalds realy has to tell me how they make there baby chicken nuggets so good an tasty mmmmmm makes me wanna go deep fry a chick right now =p Bite me vegans

Let me know your favorite by commenting below!

P.S. As always, you can check out past installments of dumb comments here.

DC is peta2 Country June 17, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

As you fortunate folks in our nation's capital may have heard, there's a new force in town. That's right—peta2 now has an activist coordinator in Washington DC!

Her name is Regina. You may remember her as the former Florida Gulf Coast University student who worked with her animal rights group to keep KFC off of their campus. Well, after years of shaking things up down south, she's joined the peta2 team in DC to help turn the town upside down!

To celebrate, we organized a "peta2 Cook-Off Kick-Off" with local activists and supporters at our new DC office. The main highlight of the event was when Regina demonstrated how fun and easy it is to cook delicious dishes from PETA's Vegan College Cookbook!

Everybody dined on tasty Mexi-Cram Dip, Silence of the Lambs Shepherd's Pie, and No-Bake Chocolate Cake. Chocolate cake from the microwave?! Whaaaaat? Check out the pictures from the event below!

Use Your Camera to Help Elephants! June 17, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 0 ) | TrackBack

What's cuter than elephants who aren't in chains, living out miserable lives for Ringling Bros. or other circuses? People speaking out against circuses, of course!

If you're wondering why peta2 and animal lovers everywhere hate circuses so much, see for yourself by watching one of PETA's many undercover investigations into Ringling Bros. and other circuses here.

Tell Ringling Bros. and others that you will boycott the circus until they stop abusing animals. Print a sign below, snap a pic, and send it in to us at StreetTeam@peta2.com—you know the deal.

or

We'll put the pic up on our Flickr and possibly use it in the blog or on our MySpace or Facebook page! Make sure to upload it to your pages too to help spread the word!

Street Teamers will get 500 points for sending their pics in, so get to it!

The 2009 Seal Slaughter is Over. What Now? June 17, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 11 ) | TrackBack

This year's seal massacre is finally over, but peta2's campaign to end it once and for all has only just begun.

It's clear that the Canadian seal slaughter is quickly losing favor and support: This year, about three-fourths of the seals who were expected to be bludgeoned or shot to death were spared. But we still need your help to make sure that Canada doesn't think the protests will end just because the killing has slowed.

Canadian officials may turn a blind eye to seals' immense suffering—but the outcry against the seal slaughter echoes around the globe. The European Union and the U.S. have banned seal products, and world leaders have spoken out against the massacre. Demonstrations from London to Hamburg and Los Angeles to Toronto have made the headlines, and kind people like you all over the world have sent a strong, united message that the seal bloodbath must end.

So how can you help stop this mass slaughter from ever happening again?

• If you haven't already, urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee to use their clout to help stop the slaughter, since all eyes are on Canada as it prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• Check out our amazing new spoof Web site: OlympicShame2010.com! It even features "evil" versions of the real Vancouver Olympic mascots!

So keep fighting with us, and mark my words, we WILL win!

Make Something for Your Dad This Father's Day! June 16, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

Since so many of you loved making a cake for your mom this past Mother's Day, we wanted to make sure that your dad got in on the good eats too. And we couldn't think of a better way for you to show how much you appreciate him on Father's Day than by dishing him up a big, homemade, delicious breakfast! Here's a recipe for you to impress your meat-loving dad with, straight out of PETA's Vegan College Cookbook. This recipe is ridiculously easy and I could eat vats of it because I love it. Yummmm.

Toasty Sausage Surprise

The surprise? Your omni friends will never know this isn't real sausage.

1 (14-ounce) tube veggie sausage, crumbled
2 cups soy milk
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup flour
6 slices of bread, toasted

Mix together the sausage, soy milk, margarine, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat for 3 minutes, then add a dash of flour while stirring. Heat for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat this flour-adding process until the mixture is thick. Place toast on plates and top with the sausage mixture.

Makes 3 servings.

Serve this up with some of your fave breakfast foods (I personally like hashed browns, fresh fruit, OJ, and tofu scramble), and your dad will totally give your cell back to you after you sent way too many texts last month. Well, maybe not, but it doesn't hurt to try, right?

E-mail StreetTeam@peta2.com a picture of your Toasty Sausage Surprise and let us know what your dad thought of it and we'll give you 1,000 Street Team points.

Happy eating!



P.S. Have you gotten a copy of PETA's Vegan College Cookbook yet? What are you waiting for?! It'll make your life easier and more delicious. Seriously.

peta2 Hits Chicago—Rain or Shine June 16, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBack

There are so many things to love about Chicago! Three of the biggest ones? It's home to Temptation Soy Ice Cream and Chicago Soy Dairy, Chicago Diner, and to two of the best peta2 Street Teamers to ever exist, Jason Levy and Nicole Hughes.

This weekend I traveled with another staffer Caleb, former Star Street Teamer Nikki, and two peta2 interns, Arizona and Kirby, to table at Chicago's B96 Summer Bash to stick up for the countless chickens killed for McDonald's (which is based in Chicago). At the beginning of the day, it seemed like the windy city had it in for peta2—our tent was flooded from rain, there was no sunshine in sight, and forecast called for thunderstorms all afternoon. Luckily for animals, peta2 outreach is rain or shine.

Over a thousand people took action against McDonald's this weekend (did you know that 1 out of every 4 people who sign our petitions at concerts like this or Warped Tour eventually goes vegetarian?) and people pretty much loved us, but who doesn't!?

It turned out to be one of the most positive peta2 outreach events to date—here's what Kirby and Arizona had to say:

"Tabling in Chicago with peta2 was amazing! Nearly everyone in the crowd had a McCruelty sticker on and a ton of people were holding leaflets. The crowd was extremely responsive and people were shocked to find out the horrible things done to chickens at slaughterhouses" - Kirby



"It was the most fun I have ever had, especially fighting for animals! At the Summer Bash in Chicago where we tabled, people were fairly receptive to the information I was presenting to them and so it really wasn't so difficult to put on a smile. Time passed, I forgot I was standing on my feet for 5 hours even. I loved my first experience with tabling and I cannot wait to do it again! I learned so much and have much more confidence in presenting the cause. I was and am so happy to ask, "Have you signed our petition today?" for any animal." - Arizona

peta2 outreach is literally changing the world for animals—what's your best experience you've had while tabling? Leave a comment below!

Arrest Made In Cat Killing Case June 16, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Is the dissection industry to blame?

A lot of people have been talking about the horrifying mutilation and slaughter of cats in the Miami, Florida, area. It's been all over the news for several weeks, and now there seems to be a major break in the case. Watch PETA President Ingrid Newkirk speak about the case on CNN.

Police arrested teenager Tyler Weinman in connection with the case and are charging him with nineteen counts of felony animal cruelty. The judge in the case has also ordered a psychiatric evaluation because if the accusations of dismembering animals and killing them prove true, this guy is less than normal by any stretch of the imagination.

So what does all this have to do with dissection? Well, according to a report from The Miami Herald, Tyler Weinman dissected animals (including a cat!) at Palmetto High School last year!

Why the school chose to fund the sick and cruel dissection of animals rather than more cost-effective, humane alternatives is beyond me! Looks like Tyler Weinman needs to visit CutOutDissection.com if you know what I mean. I'm thinking Tyler's anatomy teacher and self-proclaimed animal-lover, Lynn Evans, must not have seen the video below. Really, how could anyone claim to love animals while encouraging students to cut up their dead bodies?

There is a strong link between cruelty to animals and abuse of human beings. I hope individuals and educators will realize this and cut out dissection once and for all. It doesn't matter whether a cat is someone's companion at home or an individual who was pumped full of chemicals at a dissection industry packing plant. The fact is this is cruelty to animals!

Please take our pledge to help animals and never dissect!



P.S. Even when there isn't a crazed cat killer on the loose, it's always a good idea to keep your cat indoors! Find out why.

Help Animals and Get a Plush Nugget! June 15, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBack

Ladies and Gents, drum roll please ...

I am super excited to tell you all about our brand-new peta2 donor program! You can now become a card-carrying peta2 donor—complete with an official peta2 donor card, a 10 percent discount on PETA Catalog items, stickers, and our ridiculously cute limited-edition peta2 plush "I Am Not a Nugget" chick! For $16 you'll get everything mentioned above, and your money will go to work helping animals. Nothing could be better, right?

Check out two of our awesome interns, Arizona and Kirby, hangin' with their new buddies:

Just think, by becoming a peta2 donor, not only will you be able to make all your friends jealous of your new plush, you'll be helping us to do even more to help animals. Everything from tabling at Warped Tour to creating new leaflets and stickers for you guys to hand out to people to stepping up the pressure on companies to ensure victories for animals. Win, win.

Get all the details and become a donor here.

On a scale of one to excited, how stoked are you about the plush "I Am Not a Nugget" chick?! I want to cuddle up to one ... just sayin'.

The Rev. Al Sharpton June 15, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

There's nothing like an outspoken, daring spokesperson to reach people with a positive message. The Rev. Al Sharpton is well-known for his dedication to supporting communites from being exploited by those in positions of power, and I was just thinking about how much I appreciate his approach to social justice.

The thing is, The Rev. Al Sharpton doesn't stop at helping people, he's dedicated to helping animals, too! Take a look at this video he did for PETA a few years ago.

What do you think of the video? Had you seen it already?

Keep the pressure up on KFC and McDonald's!

Tila Tequila Says "Hot Girls Fake It" June 12, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBack

If you've been to Global Grind today you've seen that Tila Tequila's recent blog made the front page of the site as the Editor's Pick. The MTV reality star, internet celebrity, and all-around awesome chick, is never one to hold her tongue, and this time she's sounding off about the harsh reality of the fur industry. In her blog (which garnered over 900 comments!) Tila informed fans of her love for animals and urged them "to make conscious, compassionate choices" when shopping. She even posted the PETA investigation video of a Chinese fur farm and a link to our Fur-Free Pledge.

sarahinvegas/CC


I give major props to Tila for speaking out about what's important to her and using her influence as a celebrity to help spread a positive and crucially important message. If you haven't seen the video yet, I strongly recommend you watch it and share it with anyone who will listen.

And if you haven't been checking out Global Grind, be sure to bookmark it to read blogs from Rev Run, Russell Simmons, Pras and pretty much every other name in hip hop.

Combichrist VIP Tour Opportunity! June 12, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

Industrial music may be seen as dark, harsh, and cold to some—but one thing I've always noticed is that the industrial community has always seemed particularly sympathetic to animal rights issues. Skinny Puppy sang about animal testing in the song "Testure", Bryan of Velvet Acid Christ is a vegan animal rights activist, Trent Reznor has narrated an anti-fur video, and as you may have seen in our recent feature, Combichrist's Andy LaPlegua is an avid defender of animals—speaking out against product testing on animals and dogfighting.

Staying true to their love for animals and their fans, Combichrist is offering their fans a chance to hang out with the band—VIP style—and give back to animals at the same time. In fact, 25% of the sale of these special VIP packages will be donated to PETA!

If you'd like to secure one of these VIP packages (and why wouldn't you?), send an email to combichristvip@hotmail.com and be sure to mention the date and the city of the show you'd like to attend in the subject of the e-mail. Packages are $100, with 5 VIP packages available for each show. Each VIP package is good for two people—so bring a friend! Once you receive a response and follow the payment instructions, your spot will be secured. Check out Combichrist's MySpace blog for more details about this unique opportunity.

Tour Dates
Jun 12 2009 5:30P The Hangar (New Orleans, LA) New Orleans, Louisiana
Jun 13 2009 8:00P White Rabbit (San Antonio, TX) San Antonio, Texas
Jun 14 2009 7:00P Stafford Main Street (Bryan, TX) Bryan, Texas
Jun 16 2009 7:00P The Glasshouse (Pomona, CA) Pomona, California
Jun 17 2009 6:00P The Rock (Tucson, AZ) Tucson, Arizona
Jun 18 2009 7:00P Sunshine Theater (Albuquerque, NM) Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jun 19 2009 7:00P The Marquee (Tulsa, OK) Tulsa, Oklahoma
Jun 20 2009 7:30P Pop's (St. Louis, MO) Sauget
Jun 21 2009 7:00P Miramar Theater (Milwaukee, WI) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jun 22 2009 7:00P Skully's (Columbus, OH) Columbus, Ohio
Jun 24 2009 7:00P Uncle Pleasants (Louisville, KY) Louisville, Kentucky
Jun 25 2009 7:00P Headliners (Toledo, OH) Toldeo, Ohio
Jun 26 2009 7:00P Mr Smalls Theater (Pittsburgh, PA) Millvale (Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania
Jun 27 2009 7:00P The Town Ballroom (Buffalo, NY) Buffalo, New York
Jun 28 2009 7:00P Toads Place (New Haven, CT) New Haven, Connecticut
Jun 29 2009 6:30P Crazy Donkey (Long Island, NY) Farmingdale (Long Island), New York
Jun 30 2009 8:00P Jaxx (W. Springfield, VA) West Springfield, Virginia
Jul 2 2009 7:00P Ground Zero (Spartanburg, SC) Spartanburg, South Carolina
Jul 3 2009 6:30P The Club @ Firestone (Orlando, FL) Orlando, Florida

Hang out with an awesome band and help animals at the same time? Sign me up!

Free Stuff Friday: Queen Bee Bag! June 12, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 421 ) | TrackBack

This week we're giving you the chance to win a vegan bag from Queen Bee Creations! The lucky winner gets their choice of one of these printed Queen Bee bags:

All of the bags have a fully lined interior with water-resistant nylon to protect all your goodies and feature a faux leather removable strap. You can also adjust the strap to create a smaller bag, allowing the top to flop over — and what girl doesn't like to switch it up every now and then?

For your chance to win, just comment below with what kind of pattern you'd use if you had a chance to design a Queen Bee bag. Entries must be received by June 19th. The person with the most creative comment will be chosen as our winner and will be notified by June 22nd.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

GOOD LUCK!

Matt Skiba Isn't the Only One Who Loves Vegan Treats June 11, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Fact—I love treats. Cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, doughnuts—all kinds of delicious baked goods really. So you can imagine my excitement when I find out about yummy vegan bakeries! In my opinion, the only thing better than cupcakes, is vegan cupcakes.

One such bakery, Vegan Treats, in Bethlehem, PA, was recently spotlighted by Alternative Press magazine. As you can see from the picture below, not only is Vegan Treats home to such mouth-watering delights as Peanut Butter Cup Brownies, Cake Batter softserve, Triple Berry Cheesecake, and a plethora of other vegan goodies, it's also a favorite stop of legendary bands like Alkaline Trio and AFI.

Danielle Konya, the owner of Vegan Treats, told AP that she decided she "could never eat meat again" after seeing a lobster "scratching to get out of the pot" in a restaurant, and she's proud that her bakery is "changing people's minds" about eating animals. With her version of vegan candy bars she's already won over Conor Oberst, Matt Skiba, and Davey Havok among others! I don't know about you, but I think a road trip to PA is in order!

You can read the full interview here. I'm not gonna lie, I'm slightly jealous of Bethlehem! Does your town have a sweet vegan bakery or restaurant with great desserts?

Michelle Obama is Fur-Free! June 11, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

As you may have heard, France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, recently wrote to PETA Senior Vice President Dan Mathews, stating that although she wore fur back in her modeling days, she now refuses to wear even the smallest bits of it.

This was great news! Having a public figure—especially one known for her keen fashion sense—announce that she's fur-free is always a wonderful thing. We were pretty sure life couldn't get any better.

That is, until we ready today's Washington Times, which confirmed that Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy is not alone. In fact, America's own first lady, Michelle Obama, is also fur-free!

thecaucus.blogs.nytimes / CC

The statement—direct from Mrs. Obama's press secretary—said simply, "Mrs. Obama does not wear fur." Considering that these two women are both leading fashion icons, this could very well signal the beginning of the end for the fur trade. Tough luck, Canada.

Ingrid's Birthday Giveaway! June 11, 2009

Posted by Ashleigh | Permalink | Comments ( 39 ) | TrackBack

Today is PETA President Ingrid Newkirk's birthday! In order to celebrate, we're giving away a copy of her new book The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights.

This book will show you how to connect with others who respect animals, give you all the information you need to combat cruelty in your daily life and beyond, and give you a peek into Ingrid's life and experience.

To win, comment below with what present you would like to give Ingrid for her birthday—the most creative answer will win!

This contest ends June 25, 2009 and the winner will be chosen and notified by July 2, 2009.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Good luck and Happy Birthday Ingrid!

Summer Reading June 10, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 52 ) | TrackBack

Summer reading was always (OK, well, sometimes) a fun experience for me while in school. I didn't like feeling forced to read specific books, but I did enjoy getting some choice on the matter.

So now that the summer is here, we want to suggest some of our favorite animal rights books. Check it out!

Anyone who emails StreetTeam@peta2.com with a quick (at least 200 words, though) "book report" letting us know which book(s) you read and some details on what you learned and/or found particularly interesting about each will get 1,000 Street Team points!

Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir by Dan Mathews
Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy by Matthew Scully
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
Free The Animals by Ingrid Newkirk
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (Rise Against fans, can you find the Appeal to Reason reference?!)
One Can Make A Difference by Ingrid Newkirk
The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights by Ingrid Newkirk
Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz
Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Why are there only nine suggestions instead of an even ten? Because we want you to comment with any other books you recommend to people! So comment below with whether or not you've already read any of these books and what your favorites are in addition to this list!


P.S. My non-animal rights recommendations are anything by John Steinbeck, Jhumpa Lahiri, or Khaled Hosseini.

P.P.S. Don't forget our new cookbook!

Why Are You Glad You Don't Eat Animals? June 10, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 24 ) | TrackBack

I don't know about you all, but from time to time, something happens that reminds me why I'm so very glad that I'm vegan. Sometimes it's something as simple as seeing blood in a package of meat in the grocery store (Can't believe blood could ever be appetizing to some people ... ) and other times, it's something like seeing dead chickens on the side of the road that have fallen off of transport trucks en route to the slaughterhouse (since some animals are dead upon arrival).

It's always nice to get a reminder of why it's so important not to support such a heartless industry—especially when such extremely delicious alternatives are available. Faux chicken sandwich? Heck yeah! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are delicious reminders every single day of why I'm so happy to be vegan.

And what about Ryan and Cody? What reminds them that they're glad to be vegan? Vegan doughnuts, of course (amongst other things!). Check out the excitement on their faces:

Recently on MySpace, Aaron C. wrote to tell us a story of why he's glad he's vegan, and I wanted to share it with you all.

"As part of my church, the LDS Church, it is expected that we take a morning Church education class before school. Since school is winding down and it was our last day the class decided to have a breakfast as always. As a three year vegan, I brought orange juice and fresh fruit for them. The others were having French toast and scrambled eggs, but in the middle of all this, I got a very good reminder of one of the reasons why I'm vegan.

The teacher was using his own eggs from home raised chickens, which I guess is slightly better since he doesn't drug them or force them into extra laying cycles like on factory farms. He was cracking the eggs into a separate bowl before the skillet to ensure they hadn't gone bad. As he did so, he looked at several and said, "Oops can't use that one." A girl asked why and he tried to look at her calmly and just say, "Well, those ones had chicks growing in them." Several were disgusted at the fact, and ended up not having any of the eggs. I try not to be preachy that early in the morning (5 AM), but we did end up on animal rights discussion not by my bidding. I simply told them that I was vegan not only because its healthier for me and the planet, but also that those chicks would not have to die. It was very nice to actually see what I know applied in real life."

I hear that. What about you guys? Do you get reminders of why you're glad to be vegan? Let me know below!

Would T.I. Rather Go Naked? June 9, 2009

Posted by Patricia | Permalink | Comments ( 8 ) | TrackBack

dailyblabber.ivillage / CC

Many of you probably already know that T.I. began serving his sentence for federal weapons charges last week. But what you may not know is that before reporting to prison he consulted our good friend Martha Stewart about how to pass the time in the big house.

It just so happens that shortly after Martha was released from jail, she narrated a PSA about the horrors of the fur industry, so we thought since T.I. sought advice from Martha maybe he'd want to follow in her footsteps and speak out against fur too by posing for our iconic "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. Who wouldn't want to see that?!

So we wrote the rapper and let him know we understand he'll soon know what life is like "for the millions of minks, rabbits, and other animals who are confined to filthy sheds on fur farms. But unlike inmates who are freed when they finish their sentences, these animals are beaten, have their necks broken, are electrocuted, and are often skinned alive for their fur."

Hopefully T.I. will consider our offer, I mean how can he not after finding out how terribly animals suffer for fashion?! Now we just have to sit back and wait for his response ... with fingers crossed.

What do you think? Do you want T.I. to do a "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad for us?

Anti-Flag's "Meat's Not Green" Ad and Contest! June 9, 2009

Posted by Shannon Phillips | Permalink | Comments ( 195 ) | TrackBack

"You've gotta die, gotta die, gotta die for your government?" These words came blaring out of my friend's speakers like nothing I had ever heard before. It was loud, it was punk, it was in your face, and I really liked it. Over a decade later, and Anti-Flag is still at it—churning out political punk rock with new twists, album after album.

Not only has Anti-Flag stayed true to their punk sound over the years, but they've also been active in speaking up for animals since the beginning. After multiple interviews with peta2, allowing us to go on tour with them, and posing in a pro-vegetarian ad, the band is back in a new ad with the tagline "Meat Destroys The Environment" to assist with our ongoing Meat's Not Green campaign. Check it out below ...

Click image to enlarge.

Today is a great day. Not only did I get to show you our new Anti-Flag ad, but I get to tell you that the band's new album, The People or the Gun hits stores today, and trust me when I tell you that it's no less than awesome!

Itching to get your hands on a copy of The People or the Gun? Just leave us a comment! Really, it's just that easy. Just comment and let us know your favorite Anti-Flag show memory, your favorite song, what you're looking forward to most on Warped Tour—anything! Five winners will be chosen at random to receive a CD. Entries must be received by June 23 and winners will be notified by July 1.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

Good luck!

Are You Ready for Flag Day? June 8, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBack

Many of you have received emails or MySpace messages from Liz, an awesome Assistant Street Team Coordinator here at peta2. With Flag Day coming up here in the US, she wanted to share this guest blog with you!
-Pulin

I hope you're prepared for a peta2-style Flag Day on June 14th! Not only will it be lots of fun, but you can earn 1,000 Street Team points while you're at it!

First, print out the adorable flags here.
Next, grab some pencils, chopsticks, or get creative with whatever you have lying around. Attach and ... voila! You now have some flags of your very own.
Don't forget to take pictures of your wonderful selves and email them to us at StreetTeam@peta2.com!

If you need some ideas, check out some pictures of two of our lovely interns, Ellarie and Nikki (please note Nikki's creative use of her shoe):

For the animals,
Liz

peta2 Star Street Teamer: Heather Murphy of Lorain, Ohio! June 8, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack
Some people are just fearless. When it comes to speaking up for animals, Heather Murphy definitely fits the bill. Whether it's calling up David Novak to give him a piece of her mind, relentlessly standing outside of her local KFC for hours handing out leaflets and informing people about KFC's bottom of the bucket animal welfare standards, or writing to the Trollsen twins about how disgusting fur is, Heather takes every opportunity to be a voice for animals. For all of those reasons and more, Heather is peta2 Star Street Teamer for the month of June! Check out the interview I did with her this past week!

I think the first time I ever corresponded with you was when you sent in a video of yourself calling David Novak. You've done so many protests, peta2 missions, and handed out so many leaflets—what is some advice you have for Street Teamers who may be nervous talking about the issues with strangers?
I say practice! Practice what you are going to say and maybe even write it down before calling a company. With handing out flyers, just be sure to know what you're talking about and try keeping on the topic as much as possible. People try very hard to knock you off track and will try to make you look like a "stupid" vegetarian PETA member who knows nothing. Don't let this get you down! Stay really calm, be yourself and be as polite as possible. If someone says they don't want a flyer, don't take it personally. It has happened to me many of times—just go on to the next person.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced as a peta2 Street Teamer, and how did you overcome it?
I think the biggest challenge was probably protesting for the first time and trying not to feel stupid in front of everyone. I overcame this by just going out there and not caring about anything but getting the word out about animal rights. Animal rights are more important than worrying about what someone thinks. Holding up a sign, handing out a flyer, calling a company or even starting a petition gets a lot done. It helps get the word out about things that need to be changed.

It seems like you're a force to be reckoned with in your community—have you been surprised by how many of your fellow students have reacted to the information you've given them?
Many people have been very shocked and I'm very surprised on how many people actually listened to what I had to say about animal rights. In my sophomore year of high school, I was talking during my biology class about animal testing and I handed a flyer to a person behind me. My teacher overheard me talking and was surprised about the truth of dissection and even let me show Testing ... One, Two, Three!

What's your favorite vegan food?
I have to definitely say regular Boca burgers. I never get sick of them!

You rescued your dog—can you tell us a little about that and about her?
I recently found a dog who was walking alone in busy streets in the next town over. I kept her over night, gave her food and water then ending up finding a rescue shelter an hour away. I took her there the next day. I called in three days later to see how things were and she already had a great home! I have three rescued animals living with me now—all yorkies :).

What animal abuser are you going after next?
I think I'm going to focus a lot more on the circus. I usually always focus on everything else and haven't emailed or wrote letters as much about the circus as I have other animal right issues. I think it's because the circus doesn't come around as often either. Elephants are also my favorite animal, so I'd love to focus more on that issue.

No doubt Heather will do amazing work for elephants in the future! If you're as inspired as we are, check out the peta2 Street Team and get active!

Protesting McCruelty In Hollywood June 8, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack

How was your weekend? One of our campaigners, Amanda, coordinated an exciting protest against McCruelty in Los Angeles over the weekend.

Dozens of people attended and they reached thousands of people with their leaflets and signs.

If you're interested in speaking out for animal rights, join the Street Team to get all the updates on how to help in your area! Keep sending those pictures in holding your ''i'm hatin' it!' signs!

Slaughterhouses: Where Racehorses Go to Retire? June 5, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 9 ) | TrackBack

Horse-racing is a dirty industry. Horses are routinely beaten, drugged and sometimes even euthanized right on the track after crippling and deadly injuries—what makes it worse is that so many so called horse lovers continue to pay for this industry to continue.

Each year in Japan, more than 20,000 horses, including many horses once used for racing, are slaughtered for dog and human food. Our footage taken inside a Japanese slaughterhouse shows exactly what happens to these sensitive animals as they are prepared for slaughter. As stated in the New York Times, "The video is disturbing. It shows in graphic terms what happens to the unfortunate thoroughbreds who become spare parts in a contracting industry."

Inside Japan's largest horse slaughterhouse
Other Viewing Options
You can blame the U.S. horse-racing industry for the carnage. It routinely breeds tens of thousands of "surplus" thoroughbreds every year, then sells thousands of them to breeding facilities in Japan. More than 2,000 U.S. thoroughbred horses and breeding mares have been shipped to Japan since 2002.

Right now, Two more horses, Charismatic and War Emblem—Kentucky Derby champs from 1999 and 2002 respectively—may also face slaughter as their usefulness to breeders comes to an end. Both of them are currently in Japan at breeding farms—and War Emblem, who was sold for $17 million dollars and shipped off to Japan, has refused to breed with most mares, despite the use of hormones and steroids.

Just a few years ago, horse-racing fans cheered as Charismatic and War Emblem ran away with top prizes at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Now, PETA's most recent undercover investigation shows what could be in store for these once-celebrated stallions and thousands of other horses sold into the Japanese thoroughbred industry.

Last year, Americans watched in horror as racing filly Eight Belles suffered fractures to both her front ankles and was euthanized just moments after running the Kentucky Derby. How can anyone not be disgusted by the shuffling of thousands of horses off to Japan and into slaughterhouses?

Join us in defending former Derby and Preakness champs Charismatic and War Emblem—and thousands of other thoroughbreds. Demand limits on breeding and a ban on the export of horses to Japan.

To Animals, It's Not Entertainment June 5, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBack

Every time we post a blog encouraging you to write to companies who continue to exploit animals in their advertisements, TV shows or movies, we receive hundreds of e-mails and messages from people who either agree or completely don't get it. Animals "love to act", they say, or "love their trainers" or "you can't prove that all animals are abused". What do we have to say? Well, you're missing the point.

You can say without a doubt that slavery was wrong—even without proving that every single slave was beaten. Maybe some slaves knew nothing but slavery for their entire lives—but that never made it right. Animals forced into industries that trap them, chain them and enslave them are unwilling victims in this trade that makes money by hoping that you won't make the connection.

For the animals who are chained in trucks or trains, forced to perform in circuses or under spotlights in Hollywood studios—it's not entertainment. No animal chooses to live in captivity, ride a tricycle or perform on a TV show. No elephant in a circus chooses to give up freedom to be chained in a boxcar for most of his day and to be beaten with a bullhook. No great ape chooses to be taken out of the rain forest, away from his family, and forced to drive a car in a commercial.

What can you do? Don't support companies that exploit animals, don't go to the circus, and use this link to share peta2's new video to everyone you know. Post it on your Facebook, MySpace and Twitter!



P.S. Your support works! Just this week Arnold Woldwide has joined the list of companies including Gap Inc., SEGA, Puma, Yahoo!, and others in signing PETA's pledge to never use great apes in advertisements.

Free Stuff Friday: PETA's Vegan College Cookbook June 5, 2009

Posted by Tiffany Wright | Permalink | Comments ( 200 ) | TrackBack

When you head off to college this year, you'll have a lot on your plate. Between classes, homework, study sessions, and frat parties, the last thing you need to worry about is food. That's why we're giving you the chance to win PETA's Vegan College Cookbook. This cookbook provides you with 275 vegan recipes you can make in the comfort of your own dorm room. PETA's Vegan College Cookbook includes simple (and delicious) recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, drinks, and much more! Better yet, the only appliance you'll need to make all this scrumptiousness is a microwave.

And, by the way, this book isn't just for college students. It's for anyone who wants cooking to be quick, delicious, and cruelty-free. If that sounds like you, or anyone you know, then you'll want to enter to win one of five cookbooks we're giving away this week (see below!).

Wanna know more about the cookbook? Check out what the book's co-authors (and peta2 staffers), Marta Holmberg and Starza Kolman, had to say:

Tiffany: What made you guys decide to put together this cookbook?
Marta: College students write in all the time looking for vegan recipes that are easy and delicious, so we wanted to give them something they would really benefit from and love.

Tiffany: What was your favorite thing to eat in college?
Marta: I tend to go through certain periods where I only eat one type of food. Sometimes, it's stir fry, sometimes it's pancakes ... you never know.
Starza: Ramen with all kinds of different stuff like vegetables, nutritional yeast, and spices. In college, I always took weird dishes and morphed them into something delicious.

Tiffany: What's your favorite recipe from the book?
Marta and Starza: "I'm, Like, So Easy!" Blueberry Pancakes.

Tiffany: What do you think people will love most about the book? ... Besides the food, of course.
Starza: This book makes cooking so easy. You can just roll out of bed and whip something up. This book makes cooking so convenient and fun that you'll actually want to cook.

Tiffany: What advice would you give students whose friends or family don't agree with them being vegan?
Starza: Make them some sample food to show them how good and nutritionally balanced vegan food can be.
Marta: Live by example—people will see how easy and delicious vegan food is if they see how happy you are being vegan.

Tiffany: What's the best thing about being vegan?
Marta: The food!
Starza: The fact that no animal had to suffer for the meals you prepare.
Marta: Oh yeah, that too! :o)

For your chance to win PETA's Vegan College Cookbook, comment below with what we should name our 276th recipe. Right now, the book's recipes include Butt Ugly Sticky Buns, Hangover Helper, WTF Wings, and Frozen Frat Balls. Entries must be received by June 12th. The five people with the most creative comments will be chosen as our winners and notified by June 15th.

Just so you know ... by commenting here, you're acknowledging that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.

GOOD LUCK!

Does McCruelty Specifically Target African-Americans? June 4, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack

African-American leaders and musicians have long played a major role in speaking out against cruelty to animals. Over the years, leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton, vegan hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, and even Wu-Tang Clan legend Masta Killa have all taken a strong stand against animal abuse.

One of the reasons many community leaders are so upset though, is that cruel companies like McDonald's and KFC frequently target the Black audience with intense marketing campaigns—particularly people in high school or college.

Well, African-American students are tired of being targeted. In fact, peta2 Outreach Coordinator Heather Norwood recently wrote an opinion piece on the topic, which has run in several student newspapers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Heather gathering petition signatures against McCruelty

Here's a sample of her recent piece, printed at Kentucky State University:

"Whether it is sponsoring a battle of the bands or a football halftime show, [McDonald's] uses its branding power to sell a product that it knows consumers would be hesitant to buy if they looked behind the scenes. As an African-American, it is frustrating for me to see our community exploited by a company that doesn't even have the decency to reduce the suffering of animals killed for its McNuggets.

...

McDonald's is a big company, but it relies heavily on the financial support of communities like ours. Let's send a strong message that unless McDonald's listens to animal protection organizations such as peta2 and makes some of the changes that are listed on McCruelty.com to reduce the suffering of the animals killed for its restaurants, we will take our money elsewhere."

Pretty great, eh?

What do you think? Does McDonald's target specific audiences more than others?

One Minute YouTube Mission! June 4, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 43 ) | TrackBack

Do you love watching YouTube videos? Are you a fairly busy person? Is helping animals your thing?

If you said yes to all three questions, then our one minute YouTube mission has your name written all over it, dude.

Here's all you gotta do:

• Sign into your YouTube account.
• Go to YouTube.com/peta2tv.
• Click on the "Subscribe" button near the top left side of the page.
• E-mail us at StreetTeam@peta2.com to let us know you did it!

It's that simple. Once we get the e-mail from you, we'll give you 500 Street Team points.

How exactly does this help animals? We update our YouTube with all of our latest videos, so once you subscribe, you'll be notified as soon as we add a new video—that means the latest band interviews, video compilations, undercover investigations, and random ridiculousness we come up with. You'll be in the know for all the latest we've got going on. Plus, the more popular we are with subscribers and rankings, the more people will see our videos and want to help animals.

So what are you waiting for? Since you're reading this blog right now, I know you've got one minute, so do it now!



P.S. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our one minute Facebook mission!

P.P.S. Want 1,000 bonus points? Upload a peta2 video to your account right now and include a link to it in your report for points.

Victory! American Eagle Trashes Glue Traps June 3, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 17 ) | TrackBack

As you may recall, we posted a blog two days ago, discussing how American Eagle Outfitters was using glue traps to kill mice in its stores.

Well, they must have heard you loud and clear, because after learning that animals caught in glue traps die a slow, agonizing death by starvation—often trying to gnaw off their own limbs in a vain attempt to free themselves—the ever-hip and animal-friendly clothing chain has joined other companies such as JP Morgan in swearing off of the cruel traps for good.

Make sure to leave a comment below to congratulate American Eagle on their compassionate decision!

Vote for Your Favorite Dumb Comment June 3, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 49 ) | TrackBack

Somehow, I never knew that eating a carrot is the equivalent of eating a cow's butt plug ... interesting.

Anyway, you know the drill: Names removed to protect the idiotic parties, and I've thrown some asterisks in the expletives. Enjoy!

1) you know...you vegans and vegetarians eat vegetable and stuff that grows out of the ground...a lot of those things are fertilized...and do you know what fertilizer is made from? cow s**t, horse s**t, any kind of animal s**t.
"I say this constantly. Eating an egg is the equivelant of eating a used tampon. GROSS."
yeah well you know what I say? Eating a carrot is the equivalent of eating a cow's buttplug.

2) If God didn't want us to eat animals he wouldn't have made them so mmm tasty!

3) personally I believe that PETA is wrongly accused of being a good organization. I really believe that u and all your supporters can lick my nut sack and burn in hell. F**k u all. animals were put on earth to eat! think about it if your ancestors didnt eat meat in the early life times u wouldnt be here a**hole. u guys are sick they way u say animals are humans too f**k u I'm a true hunter and i have many KILLS under my belt and I'm soooooooo proud of it because i hate u f**kers and it makes even sweeter. pLus i eat the meat it soooooooo healthy for u.i hope u know that u and your veggie f*g friends know that because i eat meat i actually am stronger smarter and healthier than u! If u have a nut sack b***h then write me back!

4) HAHAA! your a vegetarian mmm think about yummmy filet mignon steak mm all bloody and some chicken fajitas! i was like a vegetarian for like a month and I couldnt resisst. like animals are made here to eat. there delicious and like there already killed so not eating them isnt stopping the animals from dieing

5) Meat is good for you. what happens if ppl do go veggie and release all the animals, they will eat all the plants still and it still wont help at least we can control that and keep eating them!!!!
-Meat Lover

Have a favorite? Let me know below!

P.S. As always, you can check out past installments of dumb comments here.

Top 10 Veg-Friendly Ballparks June 2, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack

One of the true joys of summer, IMHO, is going down to the ballpark for a baseball game. Whether it's the Boston Red Sox or your local single-A team, there's nothing like the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, and the feeling of an ice cold beverage in one hand and a delicious hot dog in the other.

"Um, peta2? Hot dog?!? Helloooooooo ... "

You heard me. Now quit asking questions. Of course I'm referring to the delicious veggie dogs that more and more ballparks around the country are serving up these days. In fact, vegetarians and vegans have so much deliciousness to enjoy at the ballpark this year that, once again, we've put together our list of the Top 10 Most Veg-Friendly Ballparks this great land of ours has to offer.

Check out our list below, and if you're lucky enough to live near one of these great ballparks, make sure you hit up a game this summer so you can get your teeth into some of these fantastic vegetarian options!

1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies): The Phillies are the first-ever dynasty when it comes to delicious vegetarian fare. Now that they've added Southwestern black bean burgers and faux "crab cake" salads to an already stacked lineup that included veggie "steak" and veggie "chicken" sandwiches, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, and various salads, we've noticed a connection between CBP's vegetarian rankings and the team's on-field success that tells us the Phils may well be on their way to another World Series crown.

2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants): The only thing more solid at AT&T Park than the Giants pitching staff is the stadium's amazing array of meat-free fare, including veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, grilled corn on the cob, grilled vegetable sandwiches, vegetarian pot stickers, veggie sushi, edamame, and much more.

3. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies): Colorado fans drool over Coors Field's delicious meat-free options like fantasy team owners drool over Todd Helton on draft day. This year, Rockies fans can enjoy veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, veggie sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions, vegetable panini, roasted portobello sandwiches, and vegetarian burritos.

4. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves): You never know when freak health ailments will plague a player (just ask Brian McCann about his vision problems), but Braves fans can help to fend off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity by going vegetarian. Meat-free options at Turner Field include veggie burgers, vegetable sandwiches, vegetable wraps, vegetarian pasta, assorted salads, a farmer's market fruit and vegetable stand, and fresh fruit smoothies.

5. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros): With Men's Fitness magazine having ranked Houston one of the fattest cities in the U.S., it's a good thing that Minute Maid Park offers Astros fans so many delicious, healthy vegetarian options. (Vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are.) Astros fans can choose veggie dogs, vegetable hoagies, baked potatoes, fresh fruit smoothies, made-to-order salads, fresh fruit platters, black beans, pinto beans, an oven-roasted vegetable medley, and corn on the cob.

6. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres): Although the Padres' batting lineup is struggling, the team's lineup of yummy vegetarian options is stacked. The stadium offers veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetarian sushi rolls, fresh fruit salad, gourmet vegetable salads, roasted corn, and PB&J. Although PETA has serious issues with PETCO, PETA loves the Padres for providing healthy, humane fare to fans in "America's Finest City."

7. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers): While the great city of Detroit is struggling through some tough times, things are looking up for vegetarian and health-conscious Tigers fans, who can enjoy delicious veggie dogs, veggie burgers, vegetarian sushi, vegetable egg rolls, vegetable stir-fry, meatless taco salads, vegetable wraps, and fruit cups.

8. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox): The south side of Chicago is the place to be for animal-friendly baseball fans this summer. White Sox fans can enjoy veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, vegetarian taco salads, corn off the cob, fresh fruit cups, and PB&J.

9. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles): Birds fans would be disgusted to know that the meat industry drugs chickens and turkeys, making them grow so fat that their legs often become crippled under their own weight. Luckily, Orioles diehards can help prevent such cruelty by choosing mouthwatering vegetarian options such as veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, vegetable panini, various salads, made-to-order sandwiches, and fresh fruit cups as Camden Yards cracks PETA's list for the first time.

10. (tie) Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers): What better proof that an athlete can be kind to animals while still knocking the cover off the ball than Prince Fielder? Off to another solid season, Prince can enjoy delicious vegetarian options such as veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, fresh tossed salads, fresh fruit, made-to-order stir-fry, and baked potatoes at Miller Park concession stands.

10. (tie) Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs): After being plagued for years by an angry goat and a spurned black cat, the Cubs might finally get on the good side of the animal world with their first-ever appearance on PETA's Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks list. Vegetarian options at Wrigley field include Gardenburgers, black bean burgers, assorted salads, vegetable wraps, and a Healthy Kids meal (PB&J, juice box, and fruits and veggies).

Do you wish your local ballpark had veggie options? Stop wishing and start asking! Who knows, maybe your favorite team will end up on the list next year.

Health Tips from Method Man and Redman June 2, 2009

Posted by Megan Rondeau | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

zeuxis.pixelsurgery/CC


Method Man and Redman go together like peanut butter and jelly. And seeing as the two are vegetarians, they probably enjoy a good PB&J as much as I do! Ya heard, Method Man and Redman are proud to be meat-free!

In a recent interview featured on MTV's Buzzworthy Blog, the hip hop duo spoke up about staying in shape and offered tips for being vegetarian. Their tidbits of animal-friendly info included going green by eating yummy, eco-friendly foods like edamame; shopping at stores like Whole Foods for delicious on-the-go veggie meals; and of course steering clear of McCruelty ... err, I mean McDonald's. Staying far away from Ronald McDonald this summer is sure to keep you looking and feeling good for those pool parties!

You can check out the full article here. Apparently being in one of the most respected hip hop groups of all time and being veg go hand in hand! Method Man joins Wu-Tang members Masta Killa, RZA, and GZA in giving up the flesh.



P.S. Come out to Rock the Bells this summer to catch performances from RZA, GZA, and pretty much every other artist in hop hop. Of course it goes without saying that peta2 will be there! Duh!

What If You Were Treated Like a Chicken? June 2, 2009

Posted by Marta | Permalink | Comments ( 12 ) | TrackBack

It can be hard sometimes to put yourself in someone else's shoes, but what about putting yourself in a chicken's ... err ... feet?

Shane O'Loughlin, an 18-year-old high school student, helped to show people just that, by writing a story for his creative writing class about chickens. All of us here in peta2 were so impressed by his story that we just had to share it with you all.

Shane says: "I wrote a short story designed to compel readers to feel sympathy for the chickens who are brutally abused and then murdered without mercy. It's a bizarre future world where the roles are switched and Chickens put us in awful farm houses and pump us full of hormones and kill us if we're sick." Check out what Shane has to say below, then be sure to read his story, "Broilers."

What inspired you to write "Broilers" in the first place?

I've been writing for a long time, I used to write silly fiction stories as a little kid, and more recently I've been writing songs with my acoustic band, The Gay Street Alliance. This year, though, my senior year in high school, I took a creative writing class. The class was asked to write a short story, and I thought, "What could I write about that I'd actually care about?" Almost instantly animal rights came to mind. I've been a vegetarian for two years and I'm constantly frustrated by the ignorance people show towards the inhumane treatment of animals. I realized though, that if I wrote a story about a bunch of chickens being abused, people would just dismiss it as that crazy vegetarian kid ranting again. So I decided to write it about humans.

That was a great idea. What's your favorite vegetarian food?

Spanakopita is fabulous. Spinach as a vegetable is simply amazing. I'm also fond of couscous salad, and anything with artichokes.

Mmm. I love couscous! After you stop thinking about delish food, read Shane's story here.

What do you think of it?

P.S. It's always a great idea to incorporate animal rights into your school projects and papers. Check this out for more info!

Ask American Eagle To Make The Compassionate Choice To Toss Glue Traps! June 1, 2009

Posted by Pulin Modi | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBack

UPDATE: Check out this victory blog!

PETA has learned that American Eagle is using glue traps to kill mice in stores nationwide. This is downright surprising, given American Eagle's groundbreaking and compassionate pledge to help eliminate the cruel treatment of Australian sheep used for wool by boycotting Australian wool in its products.

Like sheep, rodents feel panic and pain, and glue traps cause immeasurable suffering! Ensnared animals, in their desperation to free themselves from the sticky glue, will struggle mightily, tearing their skin, breaking their bones, and getting even more ensnared in the process. Panicked animals lose control of their bodily functions, increasing the risk of disease transmission to humans who handle the traps. Death is slow in coming—it takes up to 24 hours for some animals! And lethal methods are also ineffective—something that most pest-control companies will never tell clients. More animals will simply move in to fill the niche created when others are killed or removed.

Please politely ask American Eagle executives to extend their compassion to even the smallest of creatures—the mice who suffer and die in glue traps—by removing all glue traps from their stores and facilities immediately. Please remind them that PETA stands ready to help them develop a humane, effective rodent-control program.
Please send polite comments to:

James V. O'Donnell
President, CEO, and Director
odonnell@ae.com

Joseph E. Kerin
Executive Vice President of Store Operations
kerin@ae.com

American Eagle Outfitters
77 Hot Metal St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
412-432-3300
412-432-3955 (fax)

Thanks, and those of you on the Street Team get the usual points for sending us a copy of the email!

The Most Terrifying Foods in the World June 1, 2009

Posted by Ryan | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBack

Spoiler: They're all animal products. Who da thunk it? :)

Being a bit of a world traveler, I've seen people eat some downright strange things (*cough* McNuggets *cough*).

As if ingesting chicken periods and pus-filled cow's milk weren't bad enough, now Cracked.com has gone and put together a list of six dishes that make eating periods seem almost normal.

6) Escamoles - Served primarily in Mexico, this dish consists of the eggs of the giant black Liometopum ant. Cracked.com reports that the eggs "have the consistency of cottage cheese".

5) Casu marzu - Hailing from Sardinia (Italy), this dish—which is actually illegal in the country—consists of sheep milk cheese that has been intentionally infested by "cheese flies". Are you ready for this though? According to Cracked, "Its translucent larvae are able to jump about 6 inches into the air, making this the only cheese that requires eye protection while eating."

4) Lutefisk - Imagine placing a cod fish into lye (you know, that powerful chemical that cleans drains, kills plants, and powers batteries), and letting it sit there for several days. If you were to place the chemicals used in this Norwegian dish in your eyes, it could cause blindness and permanent scarring. Gee, I wonder if it's healthy to eat?

3) Baby mice wine - I don't think this one needs much explanation. Korean rice wine, stuffed with baby mice, who according to Cracked "are left to ferment while their parents wring their tiny mouse paws in despair, tears drooping sadly from the tips of their whiskers."

2) Pacha - Regularly served in Iraq, this dish is nothing more than boiled sheep's head. 'Nuff said.

1) Balut - The king of all disgusting "foods", this Filipino street dish consists of "duck eggs that have been incubated until the fetus is all feathery and beaky, and then boiled alive. The bones give the eggs a uniquely crunchy texture."

I'm all about cultural sensitivity, but just as with slavery and child labor, culture doesn't excuse cruelty. Call me crazy, but I don't think the mother mouse watching her babies drowning in rice wine cares which country she's in. She's just wondering why on Earth someone would want to drink her children?



P.S. Sad that the good ol' U.S. of A. didn't make the list? Rest assured, the country that concocted the carcinogen-filled grilled chicken is surely running a strong 7th place.

You, a Camera, and Ronald McDonald? June 1, 2009

Posted by Rachel-O | Permalink | Comments ( 91 ) | TrackBack
So you don't eat McDonald's, you've already told everyone you know to boycott McCruelty, and you've signed our petition because of the way McDonald's suppliers break bird's legs and wings, sometimes scald chickens alive, and cut their throats while they're fully conscious and able to feel pain. What more can you do? Don't worry—we've got you covered!

We want the whole world to know just how horrible McDonald's is to animals, because McDonald's sure isn't going to tell anyone the truth about how unhappy their meals really are. We need your help to let the world know about McCruelty!

Since we know how much you love taking pictures and standing up for animals, this one will be easy!

Step 1: Print out our new "I'm Hatin' It" sign (or make your own if you can't find a printer!).

Step 2: Find your local McDonald's and take a picture of yourself in front of the store—holding the sign of course! (If you're unlucky enough to have one of those Ronald McDonald statues at the McDonald's near you, take the picture in front of it!)

Step 3: Upload your picture to your Facebook or MySpace (and tag your friends so that they can see it)! Make sure you also send it to StreetTeam@peta2.com so we can give you points and put it on our Flickr! You'll get 1,000 points for sending it in.

Want even more points? Set the picture as your default on your MySpace or Facebook and take a screenshot. Send it to StreetTeam@peta2.com and you'll get an extra 1,000 points!

If you're not sure what all of this "points" business is about, check out the peta2 Street Team!