petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-23--Animals in Movies and on Television: Cruelty Behind the Scenes

We ’ ve seen it at circuses and marine parks , at roadside zoos and racetracks : When animals are used for entertainment , they suffer—and the film and TV industries are no exception .
Often torn away from their mothers as infants and subjected to lives of punishment and deprivation , animals used in movie and television productions have no control over their lives .
They ’ re treated like props , often forced to perform confusing tricks on cue until they ’ re considered too old , too sick , or simply no longer profitable .
At off-set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismal , and abusive training techniques , including food deprivation , are commonly used to ensure that animals will perform on set in the fewest takes possible .
Animals used in movies and on TV are trapped in the recurring role of “ victim.
” Wild Animals in Film and on TV Using wild animals such as bears , snakes , big cats , monkeys , wolves , and elephants for entertainment is inherently cruel , and there is never a situation in which it ’ s acceptable to use them in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No amount of training can ever completely override their natural instincts .
In nature , most animals do everything that they can to avoid humans , but those used by Hollywood trainers are forced into close proximity with their captors and are also deprived of their families , their freedom , and everything else that ’ s natural and important to them .
PETA ’ s undercover investigations and law-enforcement probes into animal suppliers for the film and TV industries have documented that animals are whipped and kept in deplorable conditions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly after birth , when they ’ re separated from their mothers and denied the maternal care that they need for normal development .
This can result in extreme physical and psychological distress .
As wild animals mature and become useless to trainers , many are discarded at seedy roadside zoos and other substandard facilities , where they may suffer for years without proper food or veterinary care .
While they may never get the life that they deserve in their natural habitat , wild animals used for movies and on TV shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reputable sanctuaries across the country can offer them expert veterinary care , room to explore , seclusion , and freedom from the stress of transport and the chaos of film and TV sets .
It ’ s the responsibility of Hollywood ’ s trainers to stop exploiting these animals and to relinquish them to reputable sanctuaries where they can have some semblance of a natural life .
Filmmakers , too , have the responsibility never to use wild animals in their productions .
What About Animals Such as Cats and Dogs in Movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cats , dogs , horses , chickens , and cows have needs that are different from those of wild animals but are no safer from the deprivation , cruelty , and dangers of the movie and TV industries .
Horses , for example , are historically among the animals most commonly injured and killed when used for movies and TV shows .
PETA ’ s investigation into one of Hollywood ’ s most prominent animal suppliers documented that pigs were suffering without adequate veterinary care , cats were virtually starved for days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concrete kennels without bedding , even though temperatures dropped into the low 40s at night .
PETA also released footage from a law-enforcement raid on another company that supplied animals for Netflix , Disney+ , AMC , and USA productions , showing more than a dozen dogs in kennels stacked on top of one another in a garage .
In the movie business , cash is king—and animals ’ well-being will always be compromised as long as profit margins and production deadlines rule the day .
The living conditions and preproduction training methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsupervised by the industry , which is why PETA urges filmmakers to use computer-generated imagery ( CGI ) or animatronics or , if the circumstances are right , cast their own companions , as Bradley Cooper did when he recruited his own dog for the new version of A Star Is Born .
Filmmakers should always avoid commercial animal suppliers .
The Future of Film and TV Fortunately , viewers are learning to see animals as individuals—not props—and filmmakers are taking note .
Movies such as The Lion King and The Jungle Book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Shere Khan to life without forcing a single animal to perform .
Shows like The Walking Dead and The Umbrella Academy have incorporated stunningly realistic CGI of wild-animal characters who were at the center of the story arcs .
CGI , animatronics , and other types of technology are paving the way for an enlightened approach to depicting animals in cinema—one in which nobody is whipped , caged , starved , or abandoned .
How You Can Help Animals in the Film and Television Industries While some filmmakers and TV producers understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse for entertainment , many still need to be persuaded—and that ’ s where viewers come in .
By avoiding shows and movies that use animals , the public can send a powerful message to Hollywood that profits won ’ t come without principles and that we expect them to keep animals out of their projects .
PETA encourages compassionate viewers to take the fight to the industry and post their disapproval about the use of animals in a production on the social media pages of the director , the network , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Animal Abuse in Film and on Television We also rely on casts and crews to help change the entertainment industry from the inside .
Anyone who sees animals being used on a film or TV set or at a training compound can report it here , contact our confidential whistleblower hotline at 323-210-2233 , or send an e-mail to [ email protected ] .
Your anonymity will be taken very seriously .
The efforts of PETA ’ s Animals in Film and Television division to protect animals used in the film and television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compassionate animal advocates .
If you see something on TV , in a movie , on a set , or at a training facility , please , report it to PETA right away—animals need your help .

We’ve seen it at circuses and marine parks, at roadside zoos and racetracks: When animals are used for entertainment, they suffer—and the film and TV industries are no exception.
Often torn away from their mothers as infants and subjected to lives of punishment and deprivation, animals used in movie and television productions have no control over their lives. They’re treated like props, often forced to perform confusing tricks on cue until they’re considered too old, too sick, or simply no longer profitable.
At off-set training compounds, living conditions are typically dismal, and abusive training techniques, including food deprivation, are commonly used to ensure that animals will perform on set in the fewest takes possible. Animals used in movies and on TV are trapped in the recurring role of “victim.”
Wild Animals in Film and on TV
Using wild animals such as bears, snakes, big cats, monkeys, wolves, and elephants for entertainment is inherently cruel, and there is never a situation in which it’s acceptable to use them in a movie or on a TV show. No amount of training can ever completely override their natural instincts. In nature, most animals do everything that they can to avoid humans, but those used by Hollywood trainers are forced into close proximity with their captors and are also deprived of their families, their freedom, and everything else that’s natural and important to them.
PETA’s undercover investigations and law-enforcement probes into animal suppliers for the film and TV industries have documented that animals are whipped and kept in deplorable conditions. The anguish for most of these animals begins shortly after birth, when they’re separated from their mothers and denied the maternal care that they need for normal development. This can result in extreme physical and psychological distress. As wild animals mature and become useless to trainers, many are discarded at seedy roadside zoos and other substandard facilities, where they may suffer for years without proper food or veterinary care.
While they may never get the life that they deserve in their natural habitat, wild animals used for movies and on TV shows can have the next best thing. Reputable sanctuaries across the country can offer them expert veterinary care, room to explore, seclusion, and freedom from the stress of transport and the chaos of film and TV sets. It’s the responsibility of Hollywood’s trainers to stop exploiting these animals and to relinquish them to reputable sanctuaries where they can have some semblance of a natural life. Filmmakers, too, have the responsibility never to use wild animals in their productions.
What About Animals Such as Cats and Dogs in Movies and Shows?
Domestic animals such as cats, dogs, horses, chickens, and cows have needs that are different from those of wild animals but are no safer from the deprivation, cruelty, and dangers of the movie and TV industries. Horses, for example, are historically among the animals most commonly injured and killed when used for movies and TV shows.
PETA’s investigation into one of Hollywood’s most prominent animal suppliers documented that pigs were suffering without adequate veterinary care, cats were virtually starved for days, and dogs were kept outdoors in barren concrete kennels without bedding, even though temperatures dropped into the low 40s at night. PETA also released footage from a law-enforcement raid on another company that supplied animals for Netflix, Disney+, AMC, and USA productions, showing more than a dozen dogs in kennels stacked on top of one another in a garage.
In the movie business, cash is king—and animals’ well-being will always be compromised as long as profit margins and production deadlines rule the day. The living conditions and preproduction training methods that animals endure are often unregulated and unsupervised by the industry, which is why PETA urges filmmakers to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) or animatronics or, if the circumstances are right, cast their own companions, as Bradley Cooper did when he recruited his own dog for the new version of A Star Is Born. Filmmakers should always avoid commercial animal suppliers.
The Future of Film and TV
Fortunately, viewers are learning to see animals as individuals—not props—and filmmakers are taking note. Movies such as The Lion King and The Jungle Book brought Simba, Rafiki, Baloo, and Shere Khan to life without forcing a single animal to perform. Shows like The Walking Dead and The Umbrella Academy have incorporated stunningly realistic CGI of wild-animal characters who were at the center of the story arcs. CGI, animatronics, and other types of technology are paving the way for an enlightened approach to depicting animals in cinema—one in which nobody is whipped, caged, starved, or abandoned.
How You Can Help Animals in the Film and Television Industries
While some filmmakers and TV producers understand that animals aren’t ours to abuse for entertainment, many still need to be persuaded—and that’s where viewers come in. By avoiding shows and movies that use animals, the public can send a powerful message to Hollywood that profits won’t come without principles and that we expect them to keep animals out of their projects. PETA encourages compassionate viewers to take the fight to the industry and post their disapproval about the use of animals in a production on the social media pages of the director, the network, and the production company.
How to Report Animal Abuse in Film and on Television
We also rely on casts and crews to help change the entertainment industry from the inside. Anyone who sees animals being used on a film or TV set or at a training compound can report it here, contact our confidential whistleblower hotline at 323-210-2233, or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Your anonymity will be taken very seriously.
The efforts of PETA’s Animals in Film and Television division to protect animals used in the film and television industry would not succeed without help from compassionate animal advocates. If you see something on TV, in a movie, on a set, or at a training facility, please, report it to PETA right away—animals need your help.
Report Animal Abuse in Film and Television


Tofu Wrestling Demo

“ Almost all of us grew up eating meat , wearing leather , and going to circuses and zoos .
@ @ @ @ @ of these actions on the animals involved .
For whatever reason , you are now @ @ @ @ @ should animals have rights ?
” READ MORE

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE
— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-23--See Which Eateries Made PETA’s List for the Best Vegan Soul Food

Group Celebrates the Restaurants Dishing Up the Best Jerk Jackfruit , Vegan Sandwiches , Fried Chik ' n , and More Norfolk , Va. – As restaurants welcome diners back after COVID-19 shutdowns , PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country .
The honorees include Souley Vegan in Oakland , California , where the specialties include The Southern Staples Bowl—a generous serving of grits , crispy tofu , and house-made okra gumbo .
Drop Squad Kitchen in Wilmington , Delaware , is known for its sandwiches—like the Olmec , which is filled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Tunut , which comes with a pumpkin seed pâté .
In Boise , Idaho , Vegan Soul dishes up hits like its Southern vegan fried chicken dinner , which is served with yams , mac and “ cheese , ” and collards .
The rotating menu at Veltree in Charlotte , North Carolina , might include the popular “ It ’ s Not Popeyes ” Chik ’ n , and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis offers a Soul Food Platter with a choice of mac and “ cheese , ” collard greens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
“ Whether you ’ re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or craving an old favorite like chicken and waffles , BBQ ribs , or sweet potato pie , these eateries have a vegan dish for you , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ All the restaurants on PETA ’ s list are satisfying diners ’ hunger for soul food that ’ s as delicious as it is kind to animals.
” PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social justice issue .
Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts , which contribute to higher rates of strokes , heart disease , and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism , the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it ’ s acceptable to exploit them .
Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint and a lower risk of developing heart disease , diabetes , cancer , and strokes than meat-eaters do .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ click here .

Group Celebrates the Restaurants Dishing Up the Best Jerk Jackfruit, Vegan Sandwiches, Fried Chik'n, and More
For Immediate Release:
June 23, 2020
Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382
Norfolk, Va. – As restaurants welcome diners back after COVID-19 shutdowns, PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country.
The honorees include Souley Vegan in Oakland, California, where the specialties include The Southern Staples Bowl—a generous serving of grits, crispy tofu, and house-made okra gumbo. Drop Squad Kitchen in Wilmington, Delaware, is known for its sandwiches—like the Olmec, which is filled with BBQ jerk “chicken,” and the Tunut, which comes with a pumpkin seed pâté. In Boise, Idaho, Vegan Soul dishes up hits like its Southern vegan fried chicken dinner, which is served with yams, mac and “cheese,” and collards. The rotating menu at Veltree in Charlotte, North Carolina, might include the popular “It’s Not Popeyes” Chik’n, and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis offers a Soul Food Platter with a choice of mac and “cheese,” collard greens, cornbread, BBQ jackfruit ribs, and more.
“Whether you’re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or craving an old favorite like chicken and waffles, BBQ ribs, or sweet potato pie, these eateries have a vegan dish for you,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “All the restaurants on PETA’s list are satisfying diners’ hunger for soul food that’s as delicious as it is kind to animals.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—notes that going vegan is a social justice issue. Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts, which contribute to higher rates of strokes, heart disease, and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism, the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it’s acceptable to exploit them. Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint and a lower risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and strokes than meat-eaters do.
For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-23--PETA Calls Out Terror Experiments That Make Monkeys Lose Their Hair

Elisabeth Murray , an animal experimenter with the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , claims that her bizarre experiments shed light on human neuropsychiatric disorders , but judging from the lack of helpful discoveries or treatments resulting from her work , they don ’ t .
They just make her victims shed hair , as her cruelty triggers alopecia in monkeys .
Alopecia is characterized by hair falling out in small patches and can result in total hair loss .
Coat damage has been reported frequently in captive rhesus macaques , the animals Murray uses in her sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health problem , because the coat functions as a barrier that helps protect monkeys from the environment .
In humans , alopecia is an autoimmune condition , meaning that it develops when the immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign ones .
Researchers don ’ t know the exact cause of this condition , but it most often occurs in people who have a family history of other autoimmune conditions and may result from genetic factors .
However , when it comes to nonhuman primates , it ’ s a bit different , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to affect the ones forced to live in captivity .
There are natural contributors to hair loss , such as aging ; nutritional imbalances , disorders , and diseases ; infections ; and parasites—but hair loss can also be caused by stress .
One of the ways in which the emotional trauma endured by these monkeys manifests is hair loss .
Why Are These Monkeys So Stressed ?
Inside her laboratory , Murray cuts into monkeys ’ heads , saws off a portion of their skull , and injects toxins into their brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all before locking them into a small metal cage and deliberately scaring them out of their wits with rubber snakes and spiders .
It ’ s not just the monkeys exploited by Murray who are so stressed that their hair falls out—it also happens to others confined to laboratories all over the world .
In a study at the German Primate Center in Göttingen , 126 out of 156 rhesus macaques kept in various conditions had alopecia .
Parasitic , bacterial , and fungal causes of the condition were ruled out—instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and behavior may lead to hair loss in captive rhesus macaques .
Whatever the cause of the hair loss , alopecia is often considered to be a sign of poor welfare in animals .
In one study , hair loss affected an average of nearly half the rhesus macaque population imprisoned in four federally funded primate centers in the U.S. Increasing evidence suggests that stress could be a primary factor in triggering hair loss .
Up to 33 % of rhesus monkeys housed in individual cages developed this pathology .
All this study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have been confined to a laboratory in the first place .
Another study of 198 rhesus macaques from three federally funded primate centers in the U.S. found that extensive alopecia is associated with increased chronic cortisol ( or stress hormone ) concentrations .
In nature , adult rhesus males have a magnificent coat of golden and reddish hair—but in a laboratory , these animals are reduced to shadows of their non-captive counterparts .
This Is What Speciesism Looks Like Murray is a flagrant speciesist who mutilates , maims , confines , traumatizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so for decades .
These social animals are kept caged in isolation and become stressed to the point that their hair falls out .
These experiments—which are blatantly cruel and a huge waste of taxpayer dollars—do nothing to help humans , but even if they did , that wouldn ’ t make it right to torture sentient beings .
It ’ s time to pull the plug on Murray ’ s murderous and useless experiments .

Elisabeth Murray, an animal experimenter with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), claims that her bizarre experiments shed light on human neuropsychiatric disorders, but judging from the lack of helpful discoveries or treatments resulting from her work, they don’t. They just make her victims pull out their own hair.
What Is Alopecia?
Coat damage has been reported frequently in captive rhesus macaques, the animals Murray uses in her sick experiments. It’s a serious health problem, because the coat functions as a barrier that helps protect monkeys from the environment.
In humans, alopecia is an autoimmune condition that causes hair to fall out in small patches, meaning that it develops when the immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign ones. Researchers don’t know the exact cause of this condition, but it most often occurs in people who have a family history of other autoimmune conditions and may result from genetic factors.
However, when it comes to nonhuman primates, it’s a bit different, and the vast majority of cases seem to affect the ones forced to live in captivity. There are natural contributors to hair loss, such as aging; nutritional imbalances, disorders, and diseases; infections; and parasites—but hair loss can also be caused by stress and frustration. One of the ways in which the emotional trauma endured by these monkeys manifests is hair loss.
Why Are These Monkeys So Stressed?
Inside her laboratory, Murray cuts into monkeys’ heads, saws off a portion of their skull, and injects toxins into their brain or suctions out a part of it, all before locking them into a small metal cage and deliberately scaring them out of their wits with rubber snakes and spiders.
Is Extreme Hair Loss in Monkeys a Common Occurrence?
It’s not just the monkeys exploited by Murray who are so stressed that they pull their hair out—it also happens to others confined to laboratories all over the world. In a study at the German Primate Center in Göttingen, 126 out of 156 rhesus macaques kept in various conditions had significant hair loss. Parasitic, bacterial, and fungal causes of the condition were ruled out—instead, it was found that disturbances in environment and behavior may lead to hair loss in captive rhesus macaques. Whatever the cause, hair loss is often considered to be a sign of poor welfare in animals.
In one study, hair loss affected an average of nearly half the rhesus macaque population imprisoned in four federally funded primate centers in the U.S. Increasing evidence suggests that stress could be a primary factor in triggering hair loss. Up to 33% of rhesus monkeys housed in individual cages developed this pathology. All this study confirmed is that the monkeys shouldn’t have been confined to a laboratory in the first place.
Another study of 198 rhesus macaques from three federally funded primate centers in the U.S. found that extensive hair loss is associated with increased chronic cortisol (or stress hormone) concentrations. In nature, adult rhesus males have a magnificent coat of golden and reddish hair—but in a laboratory, these animals are reduced to shadows of their non-captive counterparts.
Many monkeys in laboratories who suffer from hair loss have actually pulled out their own hair. It’s horrifying, but monkeys do it to themselves—because plucking out their own hair is one of the only things that they can control.
Find out what life was like for one of Elisabeth Murray’s victims, named Murphy:
This Is What Speciesism Looks Like
Murray is a flagrant speciesist who mutilates, maims, confines, traumatizes, and kills monkeys and has done so for decades. These social animals are kept caged in isolation and become stressed to the point that their hair falls out. These experiments—which are blatantly cruel and a huge waste of taxpayer dollars—do nothing to help humans, but even if they did, that wouldn’t make it right to torture sentient beings. It’s time to pull the plug on Murray’s murderous and useless experiments.
Help Shut Down Elisabeth Murray’s Lab


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Victory for Dogs: Unattended Tethering Now Illegal in Newport News

Newport News , Va. – Following several years of discussions with PETA and the presentation of evidence of extreme suffering caused when dogs are left chained or tied up and unattended , the Newport News City Council voted on Tuesday night to ban the practice , effective immediately .
A dog is considered attended only if the guardian is outdoors and within sight of the animal .
The new animal welfare ordinance strengthens the city ’ s previous law passed in 2014 that allowed up to one hour of tethering—a time limit that animal services found extremely difficult to enforce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dogs unaddressed .
“ Thanks to the city council , dogs in Newport News will have legal protection from being left outdoors and at risk from heat prostration as temperatures soar this summer and storms come our way , ” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch .
“ PETA believes this new law will encourage residents to allow their dogs to live indoors and supervise them when they ’ re outdoors , just like any other vulnerable member of the family.
” Dogs chained outdoors can become tangled in their chains and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their food , water , or shelter .
Those left outdoors around the clock spend their entire lives in the same few square feet of space , forced to eat and sleep near or even in their own waste , and are deprived of the social interaction that they crave as pack animals .
Dogs left outside can suffer from heatstroke in the summer and from frostbite and exposure in the winter .
PETA fieldworkers , who work year-round to help neglected “ backyard dogs , ” regularly find chained dogs with collars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone who sees a dog left outside unattended in the city to call Newport News Animal Services at 757-595-PETS ( 7387 ) or PETA at 757-622-PETA ( 7382 ) .
Newport News joins Hampton , Norfolk , Portsmouth , and Suffolk in banning unattended tethering 24/7 .
Across Virginia as of July 1 , it will be illegal to leave dogs tethered outside when temperatures dip below 32 degrees or soar above 85 degrees and during winter storms , tornadoes , severe thunderstorms , hurricanes , and tropical storms .
PETA—whose motto reads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not ours to abuse in any way ” —opposes speciesism , a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

PETA, Other Animal Advocates Cheer City Council's Vote to Spare Dogs Backyard Abuse
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Nicole Meyer 202-483-7382
Newport News, Va. – Following several years of discussions with PETA and the presentation of evidence of extreme suffering caused when dogs are left chained or tied up and unattended, the Newport News City Council voted on Tuesday night to ban the practice, effective immediately. A dog is considered attended only if the guardian is outdoors and within sight of the animal.
The new animal welfare ordinance strengthens the city’s previous law passed in 2014 that allowed up to one hour of tethering—a time limit that animal services found extremely difficult to enforce, leaving residents’ concerns about chained dogs unaddressed.
“Thanks to the city council, dogs in Newport News will have legal protection from being left outdoors and at risk from heat prostration as temperatures soar this summer and storms come our way,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA believes this new law will encourage residents to allow their dogs to live indoors and supervise them when they’re outdoors, just like any other vulnerable member of the family.”
Dogs chained outdoors can become tangled in their chains and die when they can’t reach their food, water, or shelter. Those left outdoors around the clock spend their entire lives in the same few square feet of space, forced to eat and sleep near or even in their own waste, and are deprived of the social interaction that they crave as pack animals. Dogs left outside can suffer from heatstroke in the summer and from frostbite and exposure in the winter. PETA fieldworkers, who work year-round to help neglected “backyard dogs,” regularly find chained dogs with collars embedded in their necks.
PETA urges anyone who sees a dog left outside unattended in the city to call Newport News Animal Services at 757-595-PETS (7387) or PETA at 757-622-PETA (7382).
Newport News joins Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk in banning unattended tethering 24/7. Across Virginia as of July 1, it will be illegal to leave dogs tethered outside when temperatures dip below 32 degrees or soar above 85 degrees and during winter storms, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tropical storms.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Get a Free Zoom Background for Your Church Livestream From PETA LAMBS

In the age of social distancing , many religious leaders are choosing to help keep their congregations spiritually and physically healthy by livestreaming their weekly messages .
And for those who know that Christ ’ s compassion was meant for all of creation , PETA ’ s Christian outreach division , LAMBS , is offering a kind and colorful Zoom background for free : The backdrop is also a great option for regular livestream services for those who are unable to attend as well as for worship leaders , church musicians , Sunday school teachers , and anyone else joining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith , being vegan is essential .
It ’ s the best and easiest way we can prevent billions of animals a year from suffering and dying in the meat , egg , and dairy industries ; reverse the devastating effects of climate change ; and end the obesity , diabetes , cancer , and heart disease epidemics plaguing our country .
Many theologians maintain that the Garden of Eden—God ’ s perfect creation—was vegan .
Genesis 1:29–30 says the following : Then God said , “ I give you every seed-bearing plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and every tree that has fruit with seed in it .
They will be yours for food .
And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.
” And it was so .
Later in Genesis , we learn that God created humans in His image and according to His likeness , and He told us to steward the Earth and all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God ’ s likeness ?
Again and again throughout the Bible , God shows us mercy that we do not deserve , grace that we have not earned , and love that we can not fathom .
We are made in that likeness and are charged with reflecting those qualities to the rest of creation .
Being made in the image of God is a call to practice caretaking , compassion , and mercy .
In the middle of a pandemic caused by humans ’ exploitation of animals for food , there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and extend our circle of compassion .
Download PETA ’ s Zoom background for free here .
And if you need a little help from God to make the switch to vegan living , check out Pastor Rick Warren ’ s The Daniel Plan : 40 Days to a Healthier Life .
To save and use the background : • Save the image to your desktop • Open Zoom in a web browser and sign in • Click “ Settings ” on the left-hand side of the screen • On the “ Stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ^ ” arrow • Click the “ + ” button to upload an image

In the age of social distancing, many religious leaders are choosing to help keep their congregations spiritually and physically healthy by livestreaming their weekly messages. And for those who know that Christ’s compassion was meant for all of creation, PETA’s Christian outreach division, LAMBS, is offering a kind and colorful Zoom background for free:
The backdrop is also a great option for regular livestream services for those who are unable to attend as well as for worship leaders, church musicians, Sunday school teachers, and anyone else joining Zoom meetings.
© iStock.com/Enjoylife2
Advocate for Animals on Easter Sunday
If you’re attending a Zoom church service on Easter Sunday, encourage empathy for animals by downloading PETA’s Easter-themed Zoom backgrounds that feature the anti-speciesist messages below.
To save and use the background:
Right-click on the image
Save the image to your desktop
Open Zoom in a web browser and sign in
Click “Settings” on the left-hand side of the screen
In Settings, click on “In Meeting Advanced”
Click on “Enable Virtual Backgrounds”
Open a new Zoom meeting
On the “Stop Video” icon, click the “^” arrow
Click the “Choose Virtual Background” option
Click the “+” button to upload an image
Select the LAMBS background image and click “Open”
Love All Your Neighbors: Go Vegan
Just like practicing our faith, being vegan is essential. It’s the best and easiest way we can prevent billions of animals a year from suffering and dying in the meat, egg, and dairy industries; reverse the devastating effects of climate change; and end the obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease epidemics plaguing our country.
Many theologians maintain that the Garden of Eden—God’s perfect creation—was vegan. Genesis 1:29–30 says the following:
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Later in Genesis, we learn that God created humans in His image and according to His likeness, and He told us to steward the Earth and all of the animals on it. And what is God’s likeness? Again and again throughout the Bible, God shows us mercy that we do not deserve, grace that we have not earned, and love that we cannot fathom. We are made in that likeness and are charged with reflecting those qualities to the rest of creation. Being made in the image of God is a call to practice caretaking, compassion, and mercy.
In the middle of a pandemic caused by humans’ exploitation of animals for food, there is no better time to answer that call and extend our circle of compassion. Download PETA’s Zoom background for free here. And if you need a little help from God to make the switch to vegan living, check out Pastor Rick Warren’s The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--PETA Lawsuit Nets Video Footage Primate Experimenter Fought to Hide

The Secret 's Out on Tape : Taxpayer-Funded Self-Mutilation Studies on Monkeys at Four National Labs , Including SNPRC San Antonio – Today , after a two-year open records fight followed by a lawsuit , PETA has released obtained from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst ( UMass ) showing monkeys filmed by experimenters at four national primate research centers , including the Southwest National Primate Research Center ( SNPRC ) at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute .
The 40 hours of footage that UMass released in a legal settlement show deeply distressed monkeys housed in small metal cages , pacing endlessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even poking their thumbs into their own eye sockets .
In 2017 , PETA filed a Freedom of Information records request to obtain videos related to a study overseen by UMass experimenter Melinda Novak as part of a project titled “ Self-Injurious Behavior and Primate Well-Being , ” for which she received more than $ 2.1 million in taxpayer funds .
The public university denied the request and fought to keep the tapes from seeing the light of day , so PETA filed a lawsuit .
Two years later , during the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s records and tried to set a date to depose her under oath , UMass agreed to settle the case and hand over copies of all the videos , with images of the experimenters redacted .
Novak ’ s earlier work , which was carried out under now-notorious monkey experimenter Harry Harlow , included maternal deprivation experiments on monkeys in which infants were taken from their mothers and raised in isolation or given inanimate “ surrogate mothers , ” often made of metal .
In the late 1980s , she shifted her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ macaques , looking at hair-pulling and self-biting , hair loss ( alopecia ) , and stereotypic movements , such as pacing and rocking , all symptoms of extreme psychological distress .
Starting in 1990 , she received more than $ 10 million in taxpayer funds to study how and why monkeys mutilate themselves in laboratories .
Following more than 30 years of conducting these hideous experiments , she suddenly retired after PETA ’ s lawsuit was filed .
Although the purported point of the studies was to show how monkeys suffer simply by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye to preventing this trauma—and even though Novak published dozens of journal articles on her research—not one improvement to help monkeys used for experimentation has been required since the 1985 amendments to the federal Animal Welfare Act , which were the result of PETA video exposés of the suffering of monkeys in laboratories .
“ Three decades of studying the psychological , emotional , and physical trauma of monkeys caged for experiments—yet not one thing has been done to help these animals , ” says PETA Vice President Dr. Alka Chandna .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centers must stop creating trauma simply to study it , and the use of monkeys must end now.
” The 40 hours of footage now in PETA ’ s possession were filmed by experimenters at UMass and at four other national primate research centers—the SNPRC , the Oregon National Primate Research Center , the Washington National Primate Research Center , and the now-shuttered New England National Primate Research Center—and sent to Novak for analysis .
Texas Biomed ’ s long history of negligence , mistreatment , and incompetence has resulted in numerous citations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act .
According to federal inspection reports posted earlier this year , a female baboon was strangled when a cable on the door to her cage became loose , the arm of a juvenile baboon was fractured after it became stuck in a fence , a female macaque ’ s finger had to be amputated after it became caught in a cage mechanism , and a marmoset escaped from a cage and entered another , fatally injuring another marmoset .
Earlier reports document that there were bloodied , injured , burned , emaciated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility was even issued a fine in 2011 .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to experiment on ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org or click .

The Secret's Out on Tape: Taxpayer-Funded Self-Mutilation Studies on Monkeys at Four National Labs, Including SNPRC
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
San Antonio – Today, after a two-year open records fight followed by a lawsuit, PETA has released video footage obtained from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst (UMass) showing monkeys filmed by experimenters at four national primate research centers, including the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute. The 40 hours of footage that UMass released in a legal settlement show deeply distressed monkeys housed in small metal cages, pacing endlessly, tearing out their hair, and even poking their thumbs into their own eye sockets.
In 2017, PETA filed a Freedom of Information records request to obtain videos related to a study overseen by UMass experimenter Melinda Novak as part of a project titled “Self-Injurious Behavior and Primate Well-Being,” for which she received more than $2.1 million in taxpayer funds. The public university denied the request and fought to keep the tapes from seeing the light of day, so PETA filed a lawsuit. Two years later, during the course of litigation and after PETA subpoenaed Novak’s records and tried to set a date to depose her under oath, UMass agreed to settle the case and hand over copies of all the videos, with images of the experimenters redacted.
Novak’s earlier work, which was carried out under now-notorious monkey experimenter Harry Harlow, included maternal deprivation experiments on monkeys in which infants were taken from their mothers and raised in isolation or given inanimate “surrogate mothers,” often made of metal. In the late 1980s, she shifted her focus to studying self-injurious behavior in laboratory-confined macaques, looking at hair-pulling and self-biting, hair loss (alopecia), and stereotypic movements, such as pacing and rocking, all symptoms of extreme psychological distress. Starting in 1990, she received more than $10 million in taxpayer funds to study how and why monkeys mutilate themselves in laboratories. Following more than 30 years of conducting these hideous experiments, she suddenly retired after PETA’s lawsuit was filed.
Although the purported point of the studies was to show how monkeys suffer simply by being caged in laboratories, with an eye to preventing this trauma—and even though Novak published dozens of journal articles on her research—not one improvement to help monkeys used for experimentation has been required since the 1985 amendments to the federal Animal Welfare Act, which were the result of PETA video exposés of the suffering of monkeys in laboratories.
“Three decades of studying the psychological, emotional, and physical trauma of monkeys caged for experiments—yet not one thing has been done to help these animals,” says PETA Vice President Dr. Alka Chandna. “Experimenters at federally funded national primate research centers must stop creating trauma simply to study it, and the use of monkeys must end now.”
The 40 hours of footage now in PETA’s possession were filmed by experimenters at UMass and at four other national primate research centers—the SNPRC, the Oregon National Primate Research Center, the Washington National Primate Research Center, and the now-shuttered New England National Primate Research Center—and sent to Novak for analysis.
Texas Biomed’s long history of negligence, mistreatment, and incompetence has resulted in numerous citations for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. According to federal inspection reports posted earlier this year, a female baboon was strangled when a cable on the door to her cage became loose, the arm of a juvenile baboon was fractured after it became stuck in a fence, a female macaque’s finger had to be amputated after it became caught in a cage mechanism, and a marmoset escaped from a cage and entered another, fatally injuring another marmoset. Earlier reports document that there were bloodied, injured, burned, emaciated, hypothermic, and asphyxiated monkeys—and the facility was even issued a fine in 2011.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Drop Squad Kitchen Nabs Spot on PETA’s List of Top Vegan Soul Food Joints

Group Celebrates the Restaurant for Dishing Up the Best Black-Eyed Pea Tacos and Krab Soup in the Whole Country Wilmington , Del .
– As restaurants welcome diners back after COVID-19 isolation , PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country—and Drop Squad Kitchen has secured a spot on the list .
Owned and operated by Abundance Child and her family , it offers a varied menu of soups , salads , one-of-a-kind black-eyed pea tacos , vegan hotdogs , and more .
Favorites include the Maryland Krab Soup—tomato broth with hearts of palm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olmec ( BBQ jerk “ chicken , ” avocado , kale , and tomato with a “ cheesy ” garlic sauce ) and the Tunut ( pumpkin seed pâté , mayo , pickles , tomatoes , and lettuce ) .
“ If you ’ re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or just fancy an old favorite like a chili cheese dog , Drop Squad Kitchen has a vegan version for you , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ All the restaurants on PETA ’ s list are satisfying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s as delicious as it is kind to animals.
” PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” —notes that going vegan is a move for social justice .
Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts , which contribute to higher rates of strokes , heart disease , and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism , the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint than meat-eaters do .
The other honorees are Souley Vegan in Oakland , California ; Oh Vegan Soul in Boise , Idaho ; Veltree in Charlotte , North Carolina ; and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis .
For more information , please visit PETA.org or .

Group Celebrates the Restaurant for Dishing Up the Best Black-Eyed Pea Tacos and Krab Soup in the Whole Country
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382
Wilmington, Del. – As restaurants welcome diners back after COVID-19 isolation, PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country—and Drop Squad Kitchen has secured a spot on the list.
Owned and operated by Abundance Child and her family, it offers a varied menu of soups, salads, one-of-a-kind black-eyed pea tacos, vegan hotdogs, and more. Favorites include the Maryland Krab Soup—tomato broth with hearts of palm “crabmeat”—and sandwiches like the Olmec (BBQ jerk “chicken,” avocado, kale, and tomato with a “cheesy” garlic sauce) and the Tunut (pumpkin seed pâté, mayo, pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce).
“If you’re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or just fancy an old favorite like a chili cheese dog, Drop Squad Kitchen has a vegan version for you,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “All the restaurants on PETA’s list are satisfying diners’ hunger for soul food that’s as delicious as it is kind to animals.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—notes that going vegan is a move for social justice. Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts, which contribute to higher rates of strokes, heart disease, and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism, the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it’s acceptable to exploit them. Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint than meat-eaters do.
The other honorees are Souley Vegan in Oakland, California; Oh Vegan Soul in Boise, Idaho; Veltree in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Oh Vegan Soul Nabs Spot on PETA’s List of Top Vegan Soul Food Joints

Group Celebrates the Restaurant for Dishing Up the Best Mac and 'Cheese ' Platter in the Whole Country Boise , Idaho – As restaurants welcome diners back after coronavirus shutdowns , PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country—and Oh Vegan Soul has secured a spot on the list .
Owned and operated by Mae Gaines , the award-winning pop-up vendor dishes up delicious vegan twists on classic home-cooked meals like Southern fried chicken and Caribbean jerk jackfruit—plus sides , desserts , and more .
Favorites include the Macaroni Platter—a heaping plate of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and BBQ mac alongside BBQ vegan meatballs—and its signature Soul Rice , complete with green onions and meat-free sausage .
“ Whether you ’ re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or craving an old favorite like fried chicken and greens , Oh Vegan Soul has a vegan dish for you , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ All the restaurants on PETA ’ s list are satisfying diners ’ hunger for soul food that ’ s as delicious as it is kind to animals.
” PETA—whose motto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals are not ours to eat ” —notes that going vegan is a social justice issue .
Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts , which contribute to higher rates of strokes , heart disease , and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism , the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it ’ s acceptable to exploit them .
Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint and a lower risk of developing heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strokes than meat-eaters do .
The other honorees are Souley Vegan in Oakland , California ; Drop Squad Kitchen in Wilmington , Delaware ; Veltree in Charlotte , North Carolina ; and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis .
For more information , please visit or click here .

Group Celebrates the Restaurant for Dishing Up the Best Mac and 'Cheese' Platter in the Whole Country
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382
Boise, Idaho – As restaurants welcome diners back after coronavirus shutdowns, PETA is highlighting some of the Top Vegan Soul Food Restaurants across the country—and Oh Vegan Soul has secured a spot on the list.
Owned and operated by Mae Gaines, the award-winning pop-up vendor dishes up delicious vegan twists on classic home-cooked meals like Southern fried chicken and Caribbean jerk jackfruit—plus sides, desserts, and more. Favorites include the Macaroni Platter—a heaping plate of “beefy” mac, Southern baked mac, and BBQ mac alongside BBQ vegan meatballs—and its signature Soul Rice, complete with green onions and meat-free sausage.
“Whether you’re in the mood for unique and super-tasty items or craving an old favorite like fried chicken and greens, Oh Vegan Soul has a vegan dish for you,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “All the restaurants on PETA’s list are satisfying diners’ hunger for soul food that’s as delicious as it is kind to animals.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—notes that going vegan is a social justice issue. Vegan restaurants help keep some communities from being stranded in food deserts, which contribute to higher rates of strokes, heart disease, and diabetes—all conditions that going vegan can help prevent—and each person who goes vegan combats speciesism, the archaic belief that other animals are inherently inferior to humans and that it’s acceptable to exploit them. Vegans also have a smaller carbon footprint and a lower risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and strokes than meat-eaters do.
The other honorees are Souley Vegan in Oakland, California; Drop Squad Kitchen in Wilmington, Delaware; Veltree in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Trio Plant-Based in Minneapolis.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Angry Protesters to Say, ‘Stop JBS COVID Crisis’

PETA , UARC Will Turn Out in Honor of Advocate Killed by Animal-Transport Truck and in Support of Cows , and Workers Logan , Utah – Armed with signs proclaiming , “ Meat Is Murder for Animals AND Workers , ” members of PETA and the Utah Animal Rights Coalition ( UARC ) will gather outside the JBS slaughterhouse in Hyrum , which remains open even though nearly 300 of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19 , to call for its closure .
The protesters will also honor the memory of Regan Russell , a PETA member who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she stood outside a pig slaughterhouse in Canada , peacefully protesting the needless killing of animals for food .
“ We are calling for this disease-riddled slaughterhouse to shut down and stay closed until it switches to producing only plant-based meat , ” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman .
“ JBS has to stop abusing and killing sensitive animals , jeopardizing public health , and treating vulnerable human beings as cheap , disposable labor.
” Recently , PETA sent JBS a letter offering to help with the cost of retraining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , noting that the novel coronavirus originated in a Chinese “ wet market , ” where live and dead animals are sold for human consumption ; swine flu began on a U.S. factory farm ; and other influenza viruses have been traced to chickens .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that approximately 75 % of recently emerged infectious diseases affecting humans originated in other animals .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit PETA.org .

PETA, UARC Will Turn Out in Honor of Advocate Killed by Animal-Transport Truck and in Support of Cows, and Workers
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Logan, Utah – Armed with signs proclaiming, “Meat Is Murder for Animals AND Workers,” members of PETA and the Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) will gather outside the JBS slaughterhouse in Hyrum, which remains open even though nearly 300 of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, to call for its closure. The protesters will also honor the memory of Regan Russell, a PETA member who was killed by a pig-transport truck last week as she stood outside a pig slaughterhouse in Canada, peacefully protesting the needless killing of animals for food.
When: Thursday, June 25, 2 p.m.
Where: 4698 S. 1200 W. (near W. 400 N.), Hyrum (Cache County)
“We are calling for this disease-riddled slaughterhouse to shut down and stay closed until it switches to producing only plant-based meat,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “JBS has to stop abusing and killing sensitive animals, jeopardizing public health, and treating vulnerable human beings as cheap, disposable labor.”
Recently, PETA sent JBS a letter offering to help with the cost of retraining its employees to produce exclusively vegan meat, noting that the novel coronavirus originated in a Chinese “wet market,” where live and dead animals are sold for human consumption; swine flu began on a U.S. factory farm; and other influenza viruses have been traced to chickens. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that approximately 75% of recently emerged infectious diseases affecting humans originated in other animals.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Urgent From PETA: Tips for Keeping Dogs Safe During Hot Weather

Norfolk , Va. – With high temperatures forecast for the Norfolk area , animals—who can quickly succumb to heatstroke if left outdoors or in a parked car——are at risk .
As of July 1 , it is illegal to keep a dog tethered outside in Virginia if the temperature reaches 84 degrees or higher .
Four dogs have already died from heat-related causes before the start of summer—and since social distancing because of COVID-19 extends store wait times and prolongs errands , PETA is concerned that this summer could see an unprecedented number of hot weather–related animal deaths .
Anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suffer in severe weather may be prosecuted for cruelty .
The following tips will help keep animal companions safe in hot weather : • Keep animals indoors .
Unlike humans , dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting , so even brief sun exposure can have life-threatening consequences .
A new Virginia law prohibits leaving dogs tethered outside during storms and if the temperature is over 84 degrees .
Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside a hot vehicle .
Temperatures can quickly soar in parked cars , and a dog trapped inside can die from heatstroke within minutes—even if the car is in the shade with the windows slightly open , which has little to no effect on lowering the temperature inside the car .
PETA offers an emergency window-breaking hammer for help with intervening in life-or-death situations .
• Avoid hot pavement .
When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s , asphalt temperatures can climb to 140 degrees , causing pain , burns , and permanent damage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few minutes of contact .
Walk dogs on grass whenever possible , and avoid walking in the middle of the day .
Never run with dogs in hot weather—they ’ ll collapse before giving up , at which point , it may be too late to save them .
PETA has released a warm-weather public service announcement featuring Mckenna Grace .
For more information , visit PETA.org .

For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Norfolk, Va. – With high temperatures forecast for the Norfolk area, animals—who can quickly succumb to heatstroke if left outdoors or in a parked car——are at risk. As of July 1, it is illegal to keep a dog tethered outside in Virginia if the temperature reaches 84 degrees or higher. Four dogs have already died from heat-related causes before the start of summer—and since social distancing because of COVID-19 extends store wait times and prolongs errands, PETA is concerned that this summer could see an unprecedented number of hot weather–related animal deaths.
Anyone who leaves animals outside or in vehicles to suffer in severe weather may be prosecuted for cruelty.
The following tips will help keep animal companions safe in hot weather:
Keep animals indoors. Unlike humans, dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, so even brief sun exposure can have life-threatening consequences. A new Virginia law prohibits leaving dogs tethered outside during storms and if the temperature is over 84 degrees. Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities immediately.
Unlike humans, dogs can sweat only through their footpads and cool themselves by panting, so even brief sun exposure can have life-threatening consequences. A new Virginia law prohibits leaving dogs tethered outside during storms and if the temperature is over 84 degrees. Anyone who sees animals in distress and is unable to help should note their locations and alert authorities immediately. Never leave an animal inside a hot vehicle. Temperatures can quickly soar in parked cars, and a dog trapped inside can die from heatstroke within minutes—even if the car is in the shade with the windows slightly open, which has little to no effect on lowering the temperature inside the car. PETA offers an emergency window-breaking hammer for help with intervening in life-or-death situations.
Temperatures can quickly soar in parked cars, and a dog trapped inside can die from heatstroke within minutes—even if the car is in the shade with the windows slightly open, which has little to no effect on lowering the temperature inside the car. for help with intervening in life-or-death situations. Avoid hot pavement. When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can climb to 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, and permanent damage to dogs’ paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk dogs on grass whenever possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day. Never run with dogs in hot weather—they’ll collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.
PETA has released a warm-weather public service announcement featuring Mckenna Grace. For more information, visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Enter PETA Kids’ 2020 Cutest Vegan Kid Contest Before July 8th

The nominating round ends at 5 p.m .
ET on July 8 .
Public voting to help PETA Kids determine @ @ @ @ @ 9 and ends at 12 noon ET on July 20 .
The finalists will be @ @ @ @ @ PETA Kids website by 12 noon ET on July 22 , which is when public @ @ @ @ @ Kids determine the winner and runner–up .
Voting to help determine the winner and runner–up @ @ @ @ @ on July 31 , and the kids will be notified and featured on the PETA @ @ @ @ @ ET on August 4 .
PETA Kids will consider these factors in choosing the finalists @ @ @ @ @ : the number of votes received and the entrants ‘ enthusiasm for animal rights .
@ @ @ @ @ more information .
No purchase necessary .
Void where prohibited by law .
One winner @ @ @ @ @ featured on PETAKids.com , and the winner will receive a variety of goodies that are @ @ @ @ @ animals as well as a Cutest Vegan Kid trophy .

Leilani and Daylan have been vegan their whole lives. They both feel passionate about remaining vegan because they would never want to hurt animals. Leilani, who is 10 years old, says she chooses to stay vegan because in her heart she feels like a good person when she advocates for animals. Both kids are driven to advocate for those used for food—such as pigs, chickens, cows, and bees. Daylan, who is 7 years old, also thinks it’s really important to speak up for animals used for used for entertainment.
You can often find Leilani and Daylan at marches and protests with their parents. The two siblings like to lead marches and chant about going vegan. Leilani has also worked with her mom to create an animal rights group for kids in her area, called the Kids Animal Club. She thinks it’s important to let her peers know about ways they can be kind to animals. So far, the club has spoken about watching out for animals crossing the road, like ducks or turtles, and picked up trash in their local park, which helps keep animals’ natural habitat clean. In addition, these two are the only vegan kids in their school, and they think it’s really important to show others just how easy it is to be vegan.
When Leilani and Daylan aren’t out being loud for animals, they like to spend time at home with the rest of their family. Both kids rave about their mom’s home-cooked meals, saying that she makes the best vegan lasagna and mac ’n’ cheese. Although the siblings care about all animals, Leilani feels especially drawn to dogs and pigs while Daylan loves elephants for their large size and gentle demeanor.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Local Restaurant Wins Award for Revolutionizing Its Menu

Shoals Sound & Service Recognized for Responding to COVID-19 by Switching From Meat , Eggs , and Dairy to All Vegan Foods Dallas – An Essential Business Award is on its way from PETA to local bar and restaurant Shoals Sound & Service for unveiling a new eco- and animal-friendly all-vegan menu amid COVID-19 , which originated in a meat market .
“ It seemed at this point , after the coronavirus hit , we needed to make a big change as a whole in the restaurant industry , and moving to a plant-based menu seemed like the best way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar YeeFoon .
The new menu features Latin American–inspired offerings , including the Smoked Barbecue Torta ( with jackfruit , black beans , and other toppings on a baguette ) , the Beyond Arepa Burger ( with savory tomato jam on a corn patty ) ; and Shitake Ceviche ( served with plantain chips ) .
“ In the face of a deadly pandemic that is linked to confining and killing animals for food , Shoals Sound & Service decided to kick meat to the curb , ” says PETA Executive Vice President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this beloved business and its delicious cuisine for showing that the future of dining is vegan.
” The novel coronavirus originated in a “ wet market ” —one where live and dead animals are sold for human consumption .
Health authorities confirm that influenza viruses and coronaviruses are zoonotic ( transmissible from other animals to humans ) —and filthy farms and markets crammed full of stressed animals are breeding grounds for such deadly maladies .
Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals each year ; reduces their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer , strokes , and numerous other health conditions ; and significantly reduces their carbon footprint , as the meat and dairy industries are leading producers of the greenhouse gases driving the worst effects of the climate crisis .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” —opposes speciesism , a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

Shoals Sound & Service Recognized for Responding to COVID-19 by Switching From Meat, Eggs, and Dairy to All Vegan Foods
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Nicole Meyer 202-483-7382
Dallas – An Essential Business Award is on its way from PETA to local bar and restaurant Shoals Sound & Service for unveiling a new eco- and animal-friendly all-vegan menu amid COVID-19, which originated in a meat market.
“It seemed at this point, after the coronavirus hit, we needed to make a big change as a whole in the restaurant industry, and moving to a plant-based menu seemed like the best way to do so,” says owner Omar YeeFoon. The new menu features Latin American–inspired offerings, including the Smoked Barbecue Torta (with jackfruit, black beans, and other toppings on a baguette), the Beyond Arepa Burger (with savory tomato jam on a corn patty); and Shitake Ceviche (served with plantain chips).
“In the face of a deadly pandemic that is linked to confining and killing animals for food, Shoals Sound & Service decided to kick meat to the curb,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is recognizing this beloved business and its delicious cuisine for showing that the future of dining is vegan.”
The novel coronavirus originated in a “wet market”—one where live and dead animals are sold for human consumption. Health authorities confirm that influenza viruses and coronaviruses are zoonotic (transmissible from other animals to humans)—and filthy farms and markets crammed full of stressed animals are breeding grounds for such deadly maladies.
Every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals each year; reduces their own risk of suffering from heart disease, cancer, strokes, and numerous other health conditions; and significantly reduces their carbon footprint, as the meat and dairy industries are leading producers of the greenhouse gases driving the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Shoals Sound & Service will receive a framed certificate.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Johns Hopkins’ Owl Experimenter Will Face Home Protest

PETA to Demand That Shreesh Mysore End Cruel , Deadly Brain Tests on Barn Owls Baltimore – The signs will read , “ Shreesh Mysore Scrambles Owls ’ Brains , ” as PETA protesters gather outside the home of Mysore—the much-criticized Johns Hopkins University ( JHU ) experimenter—on Thursday to hold a socially distanced protest over the gruesome , wasteful , and deadly brain experiments he conducts on barn owls .
In his experiments , Mysore cuts into owls ’ skulls , inserts electrodes into their brains , and holds the birds fast in an “ experimental rig ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even one wing .
He records their brain activity while forcing them to watch dots on a TV monitor or exposing them to bursts of noise through earphones .
Funded by JHU and taxpayers to the tune of more than $ 2.5 million , Mysore will use 50 to 60 barn owls in the current set of painful experiments—including six birds used simply for surgical practice for his staff .
All the owls will be killed at the end of the tests .
“ Mysore can go home at the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caged in a barren , fluorescent-lit cinderblock laboratory , their brains cut open and damaged , ” says PETA neuroscientist Dr. Katherine Roe .
“ PETA wants Johns Hopkins University to end these indefensible experiments and release the surviving owls to sanctuaries now.
” PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to experiment on ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

PETA to Demand That Shreesh Mysore End Cruel, Deadly Brain Tests on Barn Owls
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Baltimore – The signs will read, “Shreesh Mysore Scrambles Owls’ Brains,” as PETA protesters gather outside the home of Mysore—the much-criticized Johns Hopkins University (JHU) experimenter—on Thursday to hold a socially distanced protest over the gruesome, wasteful, and deadly brain experiments he conducts on barn owls.
When: Thursday, June 25, 12 noon
Where: Outside Mysore’s home, Towson
In his experiments, Mysore cuts into owls’ skulls, inserts electrodes into their brains, and holds the birds fast in an “experimental rig” in which they’re unable to move even one wing. He records their brain activity while forcing them to watch dots on a TV monitor or exposing them to bursts of noise through earphones. Funded by JHU and taxpayers to the tune of more than $2.5 million, Mysore will use 50 to 60 barn owls in the current set of painful experiments—including six birds used simply for surgical practice for his staff. All the owls will be killed at the end of the tests.
“Mysore can go home at the end of the day, while the tormented owls stay caged in a barren, fluorescent-lit cinderblock laboratory, their brains cut open and damaged,” says PETA neuroscientist Dr. Katherine Roe. “PETA wants Johns Hopkins University to end these indefensible experiments and release the surviving owls to sanctuaries now.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--PETA Lawsuit Reveals Horrendous Video Footage Shot Inside UW Primate Center

The Secret 's Out on Tape : Taxpayer-Funded Self-Mutilation Studies on Monkeys at Four National Laboratories , Including WaNPRC Seattle – Today , after a two-year open records fight followed by a lawsuit , PETA has released obtained from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst ( UMass ) showing monkeys filmed by experimenters at four national primate research centers , including the Washington National Primate Research Center ( WaNPRC ) at the University of Washington ( UW ) .
The 40 hours of footage that UMass released in a legal settlement show deeply distressed monkeys housed in small metal cages , pacing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even poking their thumbs into their own eye sockets .
In 2017 , PETA filed a Freedom of Information records request to obtain videos related to a study overseen by UMass experimenter Melinda Novak as part of a project titled “ Self-Injurious Behavior and Primate Well-Being , ” for which she received more than $ 2.1 million in taxpayer funds .
The public university denied the request and fought to keep the tapes from seeing the light of day , so PETA filed a lawsuit .
Two years later , during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Novak ’ s records and tried to set a date to depose her under oath , UMass agreed to settle the case and hand over copies of all the videos , with images of the experimenters redacted .
Novak ’ s earlier work , which was carried out under now-notorious monkey experimenter Harry Harlow , included maternal deprivation experiments on monkeys in which infants were taken from their mothers and raised in isolation or given inanimate “ surrogate mothers , ” often made of metal .
In the late 1980s , she shifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laboratory-confined macaques , looking at hair-pulling and self-biting , hair loss ( alopecia ) , and stereotypic movements , such as pacing and rocking , all symptoms of extreme psychological distress .
Starting in 1990 , she received more than $ 10 million in taxpayer funds to study how and why monkeys mutilate themselves in laboratories .
Following more than 30 years of conducting these hideous experiments , she suddenly retired after PETA ’ s lawsuit was filed .
Although the purported point of the studies was to show how monkeys suffer simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eye to preventing this trauma—and even though Novak published dozens of journal articles on her research—not one improvement to help monkeys used for experimentation has been required since the 1985 amendments to the federal Animal Welfare Act , which were the result of PETA video exposés of the suffering of monkeys in laboratories .
“ Three decades of studying the psychological , emotional , and physical trauma of monkeys caged for experiments—yet not one thing has been done to help these animals , ” says PETA Vice President Dr. Alka Chandna .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ research centers must stop creating trauma simply to study it , and the use of monkeys must end now.
” The 40 hours of footage now in PETA ’ s possession were filmed by experimenters at UMass and at four other national primate research centers—the WaNPRC , the Oregon National Primate Research Center , the Southwest National Primate Research Center , and the now-shuttered New England National Primate Research Center—and sent to Novak for analysis .
UW ’ s long history of negligence , mistreatment , and sheer incompetence has resulted in numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act .
Federal inspection reports document that monkeys have suffocated and died of dehydration .
In multiple incidents , baby monkeys died from physical trauma after they were placed in new groups and not properly monitored .
Experimenters have deviated from protocols , exacerbating the pain and suffering of vulnerable animals .
Last year , experimenters failed to fast a monkey before using him in an experimental surgery .
The monkey went into respiratory arrest , vomited while being given CPR and as a tube was thrust down his throat , went into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In another incident , a monkey who was used in a painful procedure was given an opioid analgesic that had been diluted , likely resulting in inadequate pain relief .
A drug cabinet had been left unlocked , and it appears that someone at the primate center had been diverting the opioid .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to experiment on ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org or click .

The Secret's Out on Tape: Taxpayer-Funded Self-Mutilation Studies on Monkeys at Four National Laboratories, Including WaNPRC
For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
Seattle – Today, after a two-year open records fight followed by a lawsuit, PETA has released video footage obtained from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst (UMass) showing monkeys filmed by experimenters at four national primate research centers, including the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) at the University of Washington (UW). The 40 hours of footage that UMass released in a legal settlement show deeply distressed monkeys housed in small metal cages, pacing endlessly, tearing out their hair, and even poking their thumbs into their own eye sockets.
In 2017, PETA filed a Freedom of Information records request to obtain videos related to a study overseen by UMass experimenter Melinda Novak as part of a project titled “Self-Injurious Behavior and Primate Well-Being,” for which she received more than $2.1 million in taxpayer funds. The public university denied the request and fought to keep the tapes from seeing the light of day, so PETA filed a lawsuit. Two years later, during the course of litigation and after PETA subpoenaed Novak’s records and tried to set a date to depose her under oath, UMass agreed to settle the case and hand over copies of all the videos, with images of the experimenters redacted.
Novak’s earlier work, which was carried out under now-notorious monkey experimenter Harry Harlow, included maternal deprivation experiments on monkeys in which infants were taken from their mothers and raised in isolation or given inanimate “surrogate mothers,” often made of metal. In the late 1980s, she shifted her focus to studying self-injurious behavior in laboratory-confined macaques, looking at hair-pulling and self-biting, hair loss (alopecia), and stereotypic movements, such as pacing and rocking, all symptoms of extreme psychological distress. Starting in 1990, she received more than $10 million in taxpayer funds to study how and why monkeys mutilate themselves in laboratories. Following more than 30 years of conducting these hideous experiments, she suddenly retired after PETA’s lawsuit was filed.
Although the purported point of the studies was to show how monkeys suffer simply by being caged in laboratories, with an eye to preventing this trauma—and even though Novak published dozens of journal articles on her research—not one improvement to help monkeys used for experimentation has been required since the 1985 amendments to the federal Animal Welfare Act, which were the result of PETA video exposés of the suffering of monkeys in laboratories.
“Three decades of studying the psychological, emotional, and physical trauma of monkeys caged for experiments—yet not one thing has been done to help these animals,” says PETA Vice President Dr. Alka Chandna. “Experimenters at federally funded national primate research centers must stop creating trauma simply to study it, and the use of monkeys must end now.”
The 40 hours of footage now in PETA’s possession were filmed by experimenters at UMass and at four other national primate research centers—the WaNPRC, the Oregon National Primate Research Center, the Southwest National Primate Research Center, and the now-shuttered New England National Primate Research Center—and sent to Novak for analysis.
UW’s long history of negligence, mistreatment, and sheer incompetence has resulted in numerous citations for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Federal inspection reports document that monkeys have suffocated and died of dehydration. In multiple incidents, baby monkeys died from physical trauma after they were placed in new groups and not properly monitored. Experimenters have deviated from protocols, exacerbating the pain and suffering of vulnerable animals. Last year, experimenters failed to fast a monkey before using him in an experimental surgery. The monkey went into respiratory arrest, vomited while being given CPR and as a tube was thrust down his throat, went into respiratory arrest again, and died. In another incident, a monkey who was used in a painful procedure was given an opioid analgesic that had been diluted, likely resulting in inadequate pain relief. A drug cabinet had been left unlocked, and it appears that someone at the primate center had been diverting the opioid.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Don’t Miss PETA President’s Virtual 71st Birthday Event!

Please join PETA members , celebrities , and staff for a not-to-be-missed virtual celebration of Ingrid ’ s 71st birthday !
We ’ ll be livestreaming the event on Thursday , June 25 , at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT .
There will be a video collage of fun and inspiring vignettes of Ingrid in action , personal anecdotes from those who ’ ve known her over the years , inspiring commentary from celebrities—including James Cromwell , Edie Falco , and Alec Baldwin—and actor Alan Cumming serenading Ingrid with his unique rendition of “ Happy Birthday.
” We request a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this event .
Click here to donate .
You ’ ll then receive a confirmation e-mail with the event details .
Thanks to the generosity of two anonymous donors , all donations will be matched , up to $ 410,000 , which means that yours will be doubled !
You ’ ll also be eligible to win fabulous door prizes , including admittance into a culinary education program , home-delivered vegan meal kits , and a gift set from an award-winning California winery , plus three additional prizes , including a luxury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vegan coffee beverages , and a chic vegan lunchbox !
We ’ ll also send you a terrific virtual gift bag with valuable online coupons for edible goodies and other must-have items , thanks to PETA Business Friends .
Funds raised from this event will benefit PETA ’ s essential , effective , and bold work for animals , which is more important now than ever before .
We need your support , so please attend !
If you have questions or prefer to donate by check or phone , please contact Melanie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
Thank you so much for your support and for caring about animals !
If you can ’ t join the event but would still like to support our successful , lifesaving programs , please click here .
Additional gifts are always needed and greatly appreciated .

Please join PETA members, celebrities, and staff for a not-to-be-missed virtual celebration of Ingrid’s 71st birthday! We’ll be livestreaming the event on Thursday, June 25, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
There will be a video collage of fun and inspiring vignettes of Ingrid in action, personal anecdotes from those who’ve known her over the years, inspiring commentary from celebrities—including James Cromwell, Edie Falco, and Alec Baldwin—and actor Alan Cumming serenading Ingrid with his unique rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
We request a minimum donation of $100 to register for this event. Click here to donate. You’ll then receive a confirmation e-mail with the event details. Thanks to the generosity of two anonymous donors, all donations will be matched, up to $410,000, which means that yours will be doubled!
You’ll also be eligible to win fabulous door prizes, including admittance into a culinary education program, home-delivered vegan meal kits, and a gift set from an award-winning California winery, plus three additional prizes, including a luxury men’s grooming set, delicious vegan coffee beverages, and a chic vegan lunchbox! We’ll also send you a terrific virtual gift bag with valuable online coupons for edible goodies and other must-have items, thanks to PETA Business Friends.
Funds raised from this event will benefit PETA’s essential, effective, and bold work for animals, which is more important now than ever before. We need your support, so please attend!
If you have questions or prefer to donate by check or phone, please contact Melanie Veach at 323-210-2245 or [email protected].
Thank you so much for your support and for caring about animals!
If you can’t join the event but would still like to support our successful, lifesaving programs, please click here. Additional gifts are always needed and greatly appreciated.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--Animals in Live Nativity Scenes

Animals in Live Nativity Scenes

At Christmastime , many people find themselves invited to a live Nativity scene , in which costumed actors bring the biblical story to life .
These human actors are willing participants , but animals used in the scenes are not .
Donkeys , camels , sheep , and even goats and cows are often tethered and made to stand on pavement for hours beside noisy streets or in shopping center parking lots .
Ignoring the fact that animals were unlikely to have been present at the Nativity anyway , including them in these displays causes them immense suffering .
Animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently rented from exhibitors .
Their handlers commonly use whips , electric prods , and other abusive tools to make them obey commands out of fear of physical punishment .
At a live-animal Nativity display in Kentucky , a handler reportedly identified as Joseph P. Price was caught on video punching a camel in the face .
Tiffany Sparks , who uploaded the video and witnessed the alleged cruelty firsthand , said , “ Those poor camels have been smacked , kicked , choked by being pulled to the ground every time they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I are absolutely heartbroken seeing them treat the camels this way.
” Other camel exhibitors have been caught using electric prods as well as whipping , beating , punching , and kicking the animals .
According to a whistleblower , one Florida-based exhibitor denied medical care to a sheep who had been suffering from a broken leg for two weeks .
And a camel named LulaBell fell into the crowd at a manger scene in Florida after stumbling when her handler attempted to force her to lie down .
The Scene Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even when animals used in Nativity scenes aren ’ t sourced from exhibitors , they ’ re still made to endure frightening traffic and freezing temperatures , often forced to stand or sit on hard pavement for hours , and at risk of being grabbed or worse by crowds of strangers .
Many terrified animals have tried to flee , including a camel named Ernie who escaped from a Nativity display in Maryland and was struck by a car and killed .
A sheep being used in a manger scene in West Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the animals ’ pen after hours .
And in Virginia , three animals died after they were attacked by dogs while being used in a church display .
No animal deserves to be treated like this .
Camels aren ’ t even fully mature until 7 years of age , but many are forced into performances well before that .
In nature , these gentle , social animals , who softly blow in one another ’ s faces to say hello , would be traveling with their family herds .
Donkeys are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong sense of self-preservation and a reluctance to do something that may harm them .
Unfortunately , this often leads humans to label them “ stubborn ” and treat them harshly .
Sheep are very sensitive and experience complex emotions not unlike those of humans .
They can read emotional changes in one another as well as in human faces .
And when stressed , they exhibit signs of depression .
What You Can Do No Bible verse says that humans can force animals to perform for our entertainment .
If your church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nativity , talk to the organizers about using fake animals , which can ’ t be harmed , along with the human participants .
To learn more about God ’ s wish for Christians to live compassionately , visit PETALAMBS.com .

At Christmastime, many people find themselves invited to a live Nativity scene, in which costumed actors bring the biblical story to life. These human actors are willing participants, but animals used in the scenes are not. Donkeys, camels, sheep, and even goats and cows are often tethered and made to stand on pavement for hours beside noisy streets or in shopping center parking lots. Ignoring the fact that animals were unlikely to have been present at the Nativity anyway, including them in these displays causes them immense suffering.
Live Nativity, Unholy Abuse
Animals exploited in these types of displays are frequently rented from exhibitors. Their handlers commonly use whips, electric prods, and other abusive tools to make them obey commands out of fear of physical punishment. At a live-animal Nativity display in Kentucky, a handler reportedly identified as Joseph P. Price was caught on video punching a camel in the face. Tiffany Sparks, who uploaded the video and witnessed the alleged cruelty firsthand, said, “Those poor camels have been smacked, kicked, choked by being pulled to the ground every time they try and stand up. My kids and I are absolutely heartbroken seeing them treat the camels this way.”
Other camel exhibitors have been caught using electric prods as well as whipping, beating, punching, and kicking the animals. According to a whistleblower, one Florida-based exhibitor denied medical care to a sheep who had been suffering from a broken leg for two weeks. And a camel named LulaBell fell into the crowd at a manger scene in Florida after stumbling when her handler attempted to force her to lie down.
The Scene Is Staged, but the Suffering Is Real
Even when animals used in Nativity scenes aren’t sourced from exhibitors, they’re still made to endure frightening traffic and freezing temperatures, often forced to stand or sit on hard pavement for hours, and at risk of being grabbed or worse by crowds of strangers. Many terrified animals have tried to flee, including a camel named Ernie who escaped from a Nativity display in Maryland and was struck by a car and killed. A sheep being used in a manger scene in West Virginia was sexually assaulted when a man broke into the animals’ pen after hours. And in Virginia, three animals died after they were attacked by dogs while being used in a church display.
© iStock.com/Brzozowska
No animal deserves to be treated like this. Camels aren’t even fully mature until 7 years of age, but many are forced into performances well before that. In nature, these gentle, social animals, who softly blow in one another’s faces to say hello, would be traveling with their family herds. Donkeys are highly intelligent and curious, with a strong sense of self-preservation and a reluctance to do something that may harm them. Unfortunately, this often leads humans to label them “stubborn” and treat them harshly. Sheep are very sensitive and experience complex emotions not unlike those of humans. They can read emotional changes in one another as well as in human faces. And when stressed, they exhibit signs of depression.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-24--PETA Celebrates End to Dutch Fur Farming

Norfolk , Va. – Below , please find a statement from PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange in response to @ @ @ @ @ close all mink farms by the end of the year : Kind people worldwide are @ @ @ @ @ Dutch fur farms after the Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning the breeding of @ @ @ @ @ in hellish , filthy conditions that are breeding grounds for disease and where COVID-19 was @ @ @ @ @ humans .
This commonsense move follows appeals and protests by PETA Netherlands , local groups @ @ @ @ @ Animals .
PETA hopes the Netherlands will be the first of many countries to see @ @ @ @ @ and shut down cruel fur farms or risk being the source of the next pandemic @ @ @ @ @ reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to wear.
” More @ @ @ @ @ .

For Immediate Release:
June 24, 2020
Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382
Norfolk, Va. – Below, please find a statement from PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange in response to the Netherlands’ vote to close all mink farms by the end of the year:
Kind people worldwide are celebrating the impending closure of Dutch fur farms after the Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning the breeding of minks, who go insane in hellish, filthy conditions that are breeding grounds for disease and where COVID-19 was recently transmitted from animals to humans. This commonsense move follows appeals and protests by PETA Netherlands, local groups, and Party for the Animals. PETA hopes the Netherlands will be the first of many countries to see the writing on the wall and shut down cruel fur farms or risk being the source of the next pandemic.
PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear.” More information is available at PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-06-25--In the Mood for Something Sweet? Julius Might Satisfy Your Craving

Are you in the mood for something sweet and good for you ?
Sounds like you need an orange Julius .
While he ’ s as refreshing as a frosty drink , this orange Julius didn ’ t come from a smoothie bar .
He came from rural North Carolina after an elderly woman asked PETA to help her by trapping and neutering the supposedly “ feral ” cat .
But once we got Julius back to PETA ’ s Norfolk , Virginia , headquarters and got a good look at his sweet , round face and heard his infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything but feral .
At some point during the 2-year-old tabby ’ s life , someone had showed him some kindness , and he never forgot it .
Like many homeless cats who are mislabeled “ feral ” simply because no one has bothered to get to know them , Julius is actually extremely affectionate and outgoing , described by PETA staffers as one of the “ coolest , chillest cats around.
” We ’ re not sure about his position on the straws used in his namesake drinks , but we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of repurposing cardboard boxes as toys , stepstools , hiding places , and napping spots .
Orange you ready to welcome Julius into your life and give him a loving home ?
Get the recipe for making him the “ coolest , chillest ” member of your family at [ email protected ] .

Are you in the mood for something sweet and good for you? Sounds like you need an orange Julius.
While he’s as refreshing as a frosty drink, this orange Julius didn’t come from a smoothie bar. He came from rural North Carolina after an elderly woman asked PETA to help her by trapping and neutering the supposedly “feral” cat. But once we got Julius back to PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters and got a good look at his sweet, round face and heard his infectious purr, we realized that he was anything but feral. At some point during the 2-year-old tabby’s life, someone had showed him some kindness, and he never forgot it.
Like many homeless cats who are mislabeled “feral” simply because no one has bothered to get to know them, Julius is actually extremely affectionate and outgoing, described by PETA staffers as one of the “coolest, chillest cats around.”
We’re not sure about his position on the straws used in his namesake drinks, but we do know that he’s in favor of repurposing cardboard boxes as toys, stepstools, hiding places, and napping spots.
Orange you ready to welcome Julius into your life and give him a loving home? Get the recipe for making him the “coolest, chillest” member of your family at [email protected].