petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-21--10 Black-Owned Vegan Food Brands That Deliver Deluxe Dishes

What if there were a way to support equality and justice while enjoying tasty plant-based foods , all from the comfort of your own home ?
Well , you ’ re in luck , because these 10 Black-owned vegan food brands deliver right to your door .
Maya ’ s Cookies has all sorts of delectable , unique recipes that you won ’ t find at your average bakery .
“ The Obama ” was inspired by former first lady Michelle Obama ’ s iconic mint , white , and semi-sweet chocolate chip cookie recipe—but made vegan .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cookies to friends and family as a nice gift or simply treat yourself .
If you never seem to have a moment off , meal prepping doesn ’ t have to be another chore to add to your busy schedule .
Sam Boyce created Boycemode so that you can have meal prep options delivered right to your door in 100 % compostable packaging .
Boycemode offers a wide variety of wholesome plant-based meals , which allows you to fuel your body the right way while alleviating some stress .
MylkDog Cheez products contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and gluten-free .
If you think vegan cheese makes everything better ( which it does ) , try the Original Notcho Cheez .
You can add it to sandwiches , burritos , mac and cheese , chips , veggies—whatever your taste buds desire .
If knowing that traditional marshmallows are filled with animal bones and tendons isn ’ t enough to make you find a vegan option , Funky Mello will surely do the trick .
These aren ’ t your run-of-the mill plain marshmallows—they ’ re chewy and gooey and come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy them in a vegan s ’ more or by themselves .
Oat Butter is the brainchild of the one and only Jakera Willis , who decided it was time to change the way people think and talk about food .
This raw , vegan , and gluten-free spread can be added to nearly any snack , from fruit to toast .
Try adding the Cinnamon Maple Walnut Oat Butter to your vegan yogurt for a new go-to breakfast recipe—but be quick , because these nourishing products sell out fast !
Ayindé Howell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his family ’ s generational recipes to create Mac & Yease .
If you need an easy-to-prepare dish that you can share with friends and family , the Original Mac & Yease and the Jalapeño & Cheddar Mac & Yease packs come with all the ingredients and instructions that will make you the king or queen of the vegan potluck .
If you need to enliven your plant-based plate with some new vegan sauces , Houston Sauce Co. is where it ’ s at .
Flavors include sweet , spicy , cheesy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s a sauce that will satisfy .
Toss some fried cauliflower in the Dirty 3rd Sauce to make delicious vegan Buffalo wings , or dip some veggies into the fresh lemon pepper Sunnyside Sauce .
Carolyn Simon grew up loving Jamaican patties , which is why she was so compelled to make a version of them that vegans can enjoy .
These patties are packed with wholesome ingredients such as kale , carrots , and soy-based vegan beef , all wrapped in a soft , flaky crust .
Owned by mother-daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hella Nuts is the soy-free option for vegan meat .
The walnut-based meat can be shipped to your door and added to tacos , pasta , burritos , and all kinds of other dishes for a little extra protein and texture .
Made with raw coconut milk , Kubé ice cream is refreshing , delicious , and nourishing .
You can try the classic vanilla or chocolate flavors or opt for something a little more daring , like the Orange Turmeric , Cardamom , or Lemon Ginger .
While you oppose speciesism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other social justice issues in mind as well .
If you ’ re looking for more Black-owned businesses to support , check out PETA ’ s list of Black-owned vegan restaurants and Black-owned beauty brands .

September 21, 2020 by Elena Waldman Last Updated January 20, 2022. Publishedby
What if there were a way to support equality and justice while enjoying tasty plant-based foods, all from the comfort of your own home? Well, you’re in luck, because these 10 Black-owned vegan food brands deliver right to your door.
Maya’s Cookies has all sorts of delectable, unique recipes that you won’t find at your average bakery. “The Obama” was inspired by former first lady Michelle Obama’s iconic mint, white, and semi-sweet chocolate chip cookie recipe—but made vegan. You can send deluxe packages of Maya’s Cookies to friends and family as a nice gift or simply treat yourself.
If you never seem to have a moment off, meal prepping doesn’t have to be another chore to add to your busy schedule. Sam Boyce created Boycemode so that you can have meal prep options delivered right to your door in 100% compostable packaging. Boycemode offers a wide variety of wholesome plant-based meals, which allows you to fuel your body the right way while alleviating some stress.
MylkDog Cheez products contain 11 ingredients that are dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free. If you think vegan cheese makes everything better (which it does), try the Original Notcho Cheez. You can add it to sandwiches, burritos, mac and cheese, chips, veggies—whatever your taste buds desire.
If knowing that traditional marshmallows are filled with animal bones and tendons isn’t enough to make you find a vegan option, Funky Mello will surely do the trick. These aren’t your run-of-the mill plain marshmallows—they’re chewy and gooey and come in different flavors so that you can enjoy them in a vegan s’more or by themselves.
Jakera & Co. is the brainchild of the one and only Jakera Willis, who decided it was time to change the way people think and talk about food. This raw, vegan, and gluten-free spread can be added to nearly any snack, from fruit to toast. Try adding the Cinnamon Maple Walnut Oat Butter to your vegan yogurt for a new go-to breakfast recipe.
Ayindé Howell combined his passion for nutritious vegan cooking with his family’s generational recipes to create Mac & Yease. If you need an easy-to-prepare dish that you can share with friends and family, the Original Mac & Yease and the Jalapeño & Cheddar Mac & Yease packs come with all the ingredients and instructions that will make you the king or queen of the vegan potluck.
If you need to enliven your plant-based plate with some new vegan sauces, Houston Sauce Co. is where it’s at. Flavors include sweet, spicy, cheesy, tangy—whatever you’re craving, there’s a sauce that will satisfy. Toss some fried cauliflower in the Dirty 3rd Sauce to make delicious vegan Buffalo wings, or dip some veggies into the fresh lemon pepper Sunnyside Sauce.
Carolyn Simon grew up loving Jamaican patties, which is why she was so compelled to make a version of them that vegans can enjoy. These patties are packed with wholesome ingredients such as kale, carrots, and soy-based vegan beef, all wrapped in a soft, flaky crust.
Owned by mother-daughter vegan chefs Mieko Scott and Kamari Quinones, Hella Nuts is the soy-free option for vegan meat. The walnut-based meat can be shipped to your door and added to tacos, pasta, burritos, and all kinds of other dishes for a little extra protein and texture.
Made with raw coconut milk, Kubé ice cream is refreshing, delicious, and nourishing. You can try the classic vanilla or chocolate flavors or opt for something a little more daring, like the Orange Turmeric, Cardamom, or Lemon Ginger.
*****
While you oppose speciesism, it’s important to keep other social justice issues in mind as well. If you’re looking for more Black-owned businesses to support, check out PETA’s list of Black-owned vegan restaurants and Black-owned beauty brands.
Help End Speciesism Today!


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-21--PETA ‘Lobs’ a Bunch of Coconuts at Costco CEO

Seattle – Costco President and CEO W. Craig Jelinek will receive a special delivery this week , courtesy of PETA : a bunch of fresh , humanely picked coconuts to encourage him to drop products obtained through the coco-nuts practice of forced monkey labor .
Monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments , separated from their peers , driven insane , subjected to tooth-pulling , cruelly trained , and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh .
Costco is in discussions with PETA about dropping the brand but so far has refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 25,000 stores around the world—including Walgreens , Giant , and Food Lion—have agreed not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry .
“ Coconuts are sweet , but the ways monkeys in Thailand are deprived of any semblance of a real life and exploited to pick them is anything but , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ Smart , sensitive primates don ’ t deserve to be subjected to bitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also sent coconuts and letters to the CEOs of other companies—including Kroger , Publix , and Woodman ’ s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to abuse in any way ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .
Greetings from PETA .
We applauded Costco when it stopped offering trip packages involving elephant rides , and now we urge you to help other wild animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products on your store shelves .
We ’ ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open some progress regarding your business relationship with Chaokoh , a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand ’ s coconut industry .
This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that ’ s forcing monkeys—confined for life , sometimes with their teeth removed , always on chains , and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that ’ s natural and important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monkeys used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in nature as babies .
Then , they endure abusive training .
Investigators visited “ monkey schools , ” which exploit the animals to entertain visitors through tricks such as riding bicycles and shooting basketballs .
Coercion is used to train them to pick coconuts , as they wouldn ’ t voluntarily do it .
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained , transported in cages , and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior , such as circling endlessly .
Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations .
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk , sold by your chain .
In contrast , more than 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor .
We ’ d love for these products to be removed from your shelves .
Will you please call our office at 757-622-7382 , extension 8709 , at your earliest convenience ?

Costco Considering Nixing Coconut Milk Obtained via Forced Monkey Labor
For Immediate Release:
September 21, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Seattle – Costco President and CEO W. Craig Jelinek will receive a special delivery this week, courtesy of PETA: a bunch of fresh, humanely picked coconuts to encourage him to drop products obtained through the coco-nuts practice of forced monkey labor.
Monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments, separated from their peers, driven insane, subjected to tooth-pulling, cruelly trained, and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh. Costco is in discussions with PETA about dropping the brand but so far has refused to eliminate it from its shelves. More than 25,000 stores around the world—including Walgreens, Giant, and Food Lion—have agreed not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry.
“Coconuts are sweet, but the ways monkeys in Thailand are deprived of any semblance of a real life and exploited to pick them is anything but,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Smart, sensitive primates don’t deserve to be subjected to bitter lives of forced labor.”
The group has also sent coconuts and letters to the CEOs of other companies—including Kroger, Publix, and Woodman’s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to Costco follows.
September 21, 2020
Craig Jelinek
President and CEO, Costco
Dear Mr. Jelinek,
Greetings from PETA. We applauded Costco when it stopped offering trip packages involving elephant rides, and now we urge you to help other wild animals: monkeys forced to pick coconuts for products on your store shelves.
We’ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open some progress regarding your business relationship with Chaokoh, a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand’s coconut industry. This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that’s forcing monkeys—confined for life, sometimes with their teeth removed, always on chains, and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them—to collect coconuts.
It seems that monkeys used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in nature as babies. Then, they endure abusive training. Investigators visited “monkey schools,” which exploit the animals to entertain visitors through tricks such as riding bicycles and shooting basketballs. Coercion is used to train them to pick coconuts, as they wouldn’t voluntarily do it.
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained, transported in cages, and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts. The captive animals display stereotypic types of behavior, such as circling endlessly. Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations.
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk, sold by your chain. In contrast, more than 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor.
We’d love for these products to be removed from your shelves. Will you please call our office at 757-622-7382, extension 8709, at your earliest convenience?
Sincerely,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
President


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-21--If It Were Possible to Leave 0 Stars on Yelp, That’s What SeaQuest Would Earn

SeaQuest aquariums—which are owned by Vince Covino—are plagued by issues : animal deaths , legal violations , injuries to employees and members of the public from direct contact with animals , and customer reviews that ’ ll make your jaw drop ( and not in a good way ) .
So if you ’ ve ever considered visiting a SeaQuest location or any other Covino-operated aquarium , do yourself and animals a favor : Learn from these TripAdvisor and Yelp reviewers .
At SeaQuest Folsom in California , an otter was apparently whacked with a broom .
“ Thought I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
… We could just sense the sadness of the animals in the enclosures and the poor tortoises were taking abuse from kids touching and grabbing at them , ” another visitor exclaimed on TripAdvisor .
“ No monitoring around the ray touch pond which was so cringe worthy that we had to walk away .
This place is in it for the monetary gain not the true education and sanctuary purposes .
We will not support this establishment again and encourage others to [ avoid it ] also .
How it hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond me !
” Reports of “ depressed animals ” and “ filthy enclosures ” earned SeaQuest Littleton in Colorado one-star reviews .
“ If you love animals and are fond of them , you won ’ t want to go here .
… You ’ ll see social animals living solitary , and a capybara in the Asian exhibit .
Spoiler : they are not from Asia .
The employees working the floor won ’ t , however , know that .
Their water is cloudy and indicative of bacterial bloom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ family here even once makes me sick to my stomach , ” admitted one reviewer on Yelp .
“ I still believe in being a good global citizen and respecting the other creatures on the planet and this place clearly doesn ’ t feel the same.
” “ This attraction was one of the worst I have seen .
It was dirty and not well kept .
The animals looked stressed , especially the sloth .
People are allowed to reach into the tanks and ‘ pet ’ and feed the stingrays , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ August H warned folks on TripAdvisor .
“ So basically , the animals are harassed and overfed while under fluorescent lights all day and in dirty water .
This Seaquest has failed multiple animal welfare inspections .
Just google them and see all of the bad press and reviews.
” It ’ s as if that reviewer took the words right out of our mouth .
Life appears no better for the animals stuck in Connecticut ’ s SeaQuest Trumbull .
“ ZERO STARS , ” Kelly B. began her Yelp review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk through seeing dirty tanks and dead animals , luckily my daughter is too young to understand what she was looking at .
Very expensive for what it is .
All the land animals are surrounded by plastic , weird to see sloths , an animal that lives … in trees , in a small cage with no vegetation .
I refused to buy anything from gift shop because I did not want to give any more money to this company.
” “ From the minute I walked into this establishment , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were displayed on , ” Sabrina K. posted on Yelp .
“ To start , the Capybara ’ s pen was tinier than a handicap stall and not even half of it had grass the other was concrete .
… The displays looked like they havent been cleaned for 5 years even though this place has been open for a month .
Then you go downstairs to the actual aquarium … .
I felt that I walked into someone ’ s basement .
There were tanks everywhere … Kids could stick their fingers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the animals .
There was no one on most of the fish sites to assist kids or tell them how to touch/feed these creatures .
It was appalling .
The stingrays were scratch up clearly from nails , and the tank was so dirty I had to stand and look over the wall to see anything .
… I would NEVER bring my children to see how these animals were treated , and I will never WASTE my money on this place .
Do yourself a favor and save yourself the time.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough for SeaQuest Las Vegas , says Lisa S. “ I would give them zero stars if I could .
This was the saddest excuse for an animal experience I have ever seen .
The animals looked miserable and crowded .
The place smelled like a fish store .
They are ALL about making money .
Any excuse to charge you for something they took .
Exploitation is the only word that came to mind .
There was this horrible bird exhibit that put rowdy children in an enclosed room with birds who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in addition to the tiny clouded stingray tank they let people swim in that was hardly big enough for the stingrays alone .
I went here without doing my research so I looked into them after and found alot of similar feelings to the ones I had , ” Lisa warned on Yelp .
Sara K. agreed , adding , “ This place is so disgusting !
I was told by a friend to go here because it would be great for my active toddler and for educational purposes .
… [ T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I regret going there because the animals looked so unhappy and were in unkempt conditions !
I did further research after leaving that place and found out an otter just died there last week , and I could see why many animals die there !
The workers do not supervise the animals , and they are in open areas .
Any kid could just come and torture animals without the employees even knowing it .
The otters were in a small area filled with baby toys and a dirty wet cloth !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I would never go back to this place !
I left feeling depressed and disgusted !
!
!
!
I hope this place shuts down !
” SeaQuest Woodbridge in New Jersey is equally deserving of zero stars .
“ Please do not go here .
My husband and i stopped in to take a break from shopping and were HORRIFIED of the conditions of the animals , ” warned one shopper on TripAdvisor .
“ My heart broke for every animal ( with no shelter to hide from the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sight .
We saw a dead seahorse , the iguanas being grabbed and trying to be held by VERY infant children , the ducks enclosure water was extremely murky , the Silky Chicken enclosure is a very small dog house on top of a high lifted platform and the poor Scarlet Macaw ’ s tail was completely banged up due to being held in a too small cage and the poor thing was sitting like a stone—not moving at all .
It looked terrified and uncomfortable .
Horrible experience all together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ our walk through and the girl said ‘ we are still making improvements ’ .
I highly doubt that .
We have not been back and i tell everyone i know to STAY AWAY !
!
” “ I don ’ t normally write reviews but this place was atrocious .
I felt guilty a few minutes after walking into this place , ” said another Yelp reviewer .
“ Would give it negative stars if I could .
Animals are in concrete enclosures , with no place to rest or get away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , overcrowded .
Most enclosures are clearly too small for the [ animals . ]
There ’ s no regulation on snacks being fed to the animals making their water dirty and murky .
I really hope this place doesn ’ t stay open- it ’ s heartbreaking to see animals kept in this state.
” At SeaQuest Fort Worth in Texas , a TripAdvisor reviewer alleged that one worker “ took her baton and flicked [ a ] bird away with it twice ” after the bird made loud noises while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SeaQuest Utah can ’ t copy and paste its way out of trouble .
Mary S. “ immediately got a bad feeling when walking in ” to the San Antonio Aquarium in Texas , which is operated by Ammon Covino , Vince ’ s brother .
At the Austin Aquarium in Texas , operated by Ammon Covino , animals reportedly “ barely have enough room to live.
” The Reviews Are In—and SeaQuest Is Out You don ’ t need to visit a SeaQuest location or any other Covino-operated aquarium to know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty for supporting a clear neglect of exotic animals.
” The slew of scathing reviews above should be more than enough to persuade anyone to steer clear .
So save your money ( and your dignity ) and spend your time speaking up for the animals imprisoned at these hellholes , instead :

SeaQuest aquariums—which are owned by Vince Covino—are plagued by issues: animal deaths, legal violations, injuries to employees and members of the public from direct contact with animals, and customer reviews that’ll make your jaw drop (and not in a good way). So if you’ve ever considered visiting a SeaQuest location or any other Covino-operated aquarium, do yourself and animals a favor: Learn from these TripAdvisor and Yelp reviewers.
SeaQuest Folsom
A visitor at SeaQuest Folsom in California said that a toucan appeared to have bitten their own tail off—which isn’t an uncommon behavior for animals suffering from severe psychological distress:
’s old snakeskin in snake cages, the toucan cage [is] covered in poop. It doesn’t look like cleaning is a priority. The water the fish are in is green. It’s so sad. The toucan has no tail and [their] feathers are all messed up. Probably from biting [themselves] due to being stressed out. By the time we left I was upset and physically ill for what I experienced. Looking into these animals’ eyes was disturbing.”
Another visitor apparently saw an employee hit an otter with a broom:
“This place smells the animals look tortured and starved. I’m not a fan of this place. Took my family and we ran out of there. … We will never go back. Also we saw an employee wack an otter with a broom. … If you love animals you will hate this place.”
SeaQuest Fort Worth
One reviewer who visited SeaQuest Fort Worth in Texas urged others never to visit the crummy shopping mall aquarium:
“Nearly every enclosure is too small and has little stimulation for the animals. They allow guests to feed animals freely, which is terrible for maintaining proper diets. Most of the “interactive” enclosures had no handlers, which just puts the animals in danger. The entire place is on the first floor of a mall which means most of these animals will live and die without seeing even a ray of natural sunlight. It’s an awful excuse of a money grab with little to say in the name of conversation. Please spend your money elsewhere. We need to do better.”
Over on Yelp, another SeaQuest Fort Worth visitor admitted feeling “ashamed for supporting this place.” Sasha A. wrote, “This place was depressing, run down, and inhumane.”
SeaQuest Las Vegas
At SeaQuest Las Vegas in Nevada, a visitor was horrified by the stench of “rotting fish” and the utter lack of any natural sunlight or fresh air:
“I would give them zero stars if I could. This was the saddest excuse for an animal experience I have ever seen. The animals looked miserable and crowded. The place smelled like a fish store. They are ALL about making money. Any excuse to charge you for something they took. Exploitation is the only word that came to mind. There was this horrible bird exhibit that put rowdy children in an enclosed room with birds who just wanted to get away from them in addition to the tiny clouded stingray tank they let people swim in that was hardly big enough for the stingrays alone. I went here without doing my research so I looked into them after and found alot of similar feelings to the ones I had,” Lisa warned on Yelp.
Another review said it was the worst place they’d ever seen:
“On top of the dirt and stench, the noise from all the screaming children indoors clearly has the animals terrified, almost all of them were hiding in whatever measly hiding spot they could find.”
SeaQuest Littleton
A visitor at SeaQuest Littleton in Colorado said she had left the facility in tears after seeing how miserable the animals appeared to be:
“Horribly Sad. I left crying: This “attraction” was so SAD. There are many animals [who] should be housed in outdoor environments, such as bunnies and wallabies, however they are kept in dog cages where children are allowed entry to disturb them all day long. This is not good for the animals and could potentially be dangerous for the children! The place stunk to high heaven, it was dark, dirty, full of people running around yelling and talking loudly, which [echoes] inside the building. The animals appear stressed, and it’s easy to see. I do not recommend it for anyone unless you are simply heartless and don’t really care about the well being of animals.”
Another guest at the location alleged that a wallaby had been forced into the petting area despite apparently having a leg injury:
“I only got whiffs of unending sadness (and fish) here. Wallaby had a leg injury but was still in the petting arena. All the animals look stressed from all the relentless petting and careless feeding. I feel one day, they’re going to make a documentary about this place.”
SeaQuest Lynchburg
At SeaQuest Lynchburg in Virginia, one guest was heartbroken after seeing animals imprisoned in tiny enclosures:
“All of the farmland in Lynchburg and they have to put this in a big concrete mall. The enclosures were WAY too small for the animals, it broke my heart. The pigs were constantly slipping on the concrete floor with their hooves. The tortoise was constantly pacing back and forth. The enclosure for the kangaroo area looked to be less than 200 square. And it was poorly lit with no natural light. If these places cannot provide adequate space for the animals they need to be shut down.”
SeaQuest Roseville
One reviewer likened Minnesota’s SeaQuest Roseville to a horrifying basement:
“From the minute I walked into this establishment, I was HORRIFIED by the pens these animals were displayed on,” Sabrina K. posted on Yelp. “To start, the Capybara’s pen was tinier than a handicap stall and not even half of it had grass the other was concrete. … The displays looked like they havent been cleaned for 5 years even though this place has been open for a month. Then you go downstairs to the actual aquarium …. I felt that I walked into someone’s basement. There were tanks everywhere … Kids could stick their fingers wherever they want and could possibly hurt the animals. There was no one on most of the fish sites to assist kids or tell them how to touch/feed these creatures. It was appalling. The stingrays were scratch up clearly from nails, and the tank was so dirty I had to stand and look over the wall to see anything. … I would NEVER bring my children to see how these animals were treated, and I will never WASTE my money on this place. Do yourself a favor and save yourself the time.”
Another visitor called it “Minnesota’s version of Tiger King”:
“Animal abuse is not for our entertainment. Period. Shame on owners that would profit from a disgusting display of neglect. I will not be going to this hap hazard zoo ever again. I felt guilty being part of this. Never again.”
SeaQuest Stonecrest
One review of SeaQuest Stonecrest in Georgia called for the facility to send the animals to a proper sanctuary—which is what PETA has long been saying:
“These poor animals. They are over fed and some are under fed. Fish tanks are extremely dirty. The animals are over stimulated by way too many people allowed to come in. Someone should really shut this place down and give these animals to an outdoor sanctuary.”
SeaQuest Trumbull
One visitor at SeaQuest Trumbull in Connecticut vowed never to support the business again, noting that animals were confined to inadequate enclosures under fluorescent lights and left vulnerable to poking, prodding guests:
“I left SeaQuest disheartened and angry. The FARM animals will never see the light of day, only fluorescent lights. There were plastic containers floating with the ducks. The chickens have zero defense against a grabby guest. I was shocked to see that not a single staff member was monitoring who touched what animal. SHOCKED the barriers to these animals isn’t more protective for THEM. The pig is in a dark enclosure with what looked like it would be a small heat lamp? Pigs need natural sunlight for natural vitamin absorption. The wallabies were the saddest thing. None of these animals live in an environment that simulates their natural habitat, this is a somehow legal, bootleg circus with poor health standards for the animals. There were water buckets catching water from the leaky ceiling. I experienced an unattended 9/10 year old slamming his hands on the parakeet netting then running to the others to do the same. This place is not safe for the animals, let alone does it provide for a healthy environment. It’s expensive, it smells, and I am left saddened that this exists. I’ll never support it again.”
Another reviewer explicitly gave SeaQuest “zero stars” after allegedly seeing dead animals in its enclosures:
“ZERO STARS,” Kelly B. began her Yelp review. “It was just sad to walk through seeing dirty tanks and dead animals, luckily my daughter is too young to understand what she was looking at. Very expensive for what it is. All the land animals are surrounded by plastic, weird to see sloths, an animal that lives … in trees, in a small cage with no vegetation. I refused to buy anything from gift shop because I did not want to give any more money to this company.”
SeaQuest Utah
A visitor at SeaQuest Utah put the facility on blast after witnessing “pure animal extortion and abuse”:
’m curious if there is any sort of unbiased, qualified animal welfare specialist overseeing the operations and enclosure design. There is no chance I’ll ever visit another SeaQuest again and I can guarantee that I will steer everyone I know away. How can you control the salt content, pH level, and other contaminants in water with so many hands inserted into the tank all day? How do you manage the [animals’] nutrition properly if you’re not measuring who gets what and how much? How many animals die from stress, illness, and improper care?”
SeaQuest Woodbridge
A guest at SeaQuest Woodbridge in New Jersey said she saw a dead seahorse and a bird whose tail was apparently “banged up”:
“Please do not go here. My husband and i stopped in to take a break from shopping and were HORRIFIED of the conditions of the animals,” warned one shopper on TripAdvisor. “My heart broke for every animal (with no shelter to hide from the public) being grabbed at with no employee in sight. We saw a dead seahorse, the iguanas being grabbed and trying to be held by VERY infant children, the ducks enclosure water was extremely murky, the Silky Chicken enclosure is a very small dog house on top of a high lifted platform and the poor Scarlet Macaw’s tail was completely banged up due to being held in a too small cage and the poor thing was sitting like a stone—not moving at all. It looked terrified and uncomfortable. Horrible experience all together. I spoke with the front desk after our walk through and the girl said ‘we are still making improvements’. I highly doubt that. We have not been back and i tell everyone i know to STAY AWAY!!”
Another review alleged that animals were forced to sit in their own filth:
“This place is disgusting and absolutely cruel to the animals being held. The animals look malnourished and are forced to sit in their own filth. The cages and tanks are extremely small and not compatible at all with the types of animals being held in them. It’s horrible how these animals are being kept. Do not bring your kids here! The owners of this place should be ashamed.”
Mary S. “immediately got a bad feeling when walking in” to the San Antonio Aquarium in Texas, which is operated by Ammon Covino, Vince’s brother.
“The place SMELLS horrible and the animal areas were not clean at all! Especially the poor sting ray areas,” Mary elaborated on Yelp. “You could literally pet fish? How and why would you let children pet fish? Overall it was horrible I felt really bad for all the animals.”
“Go here if you want to see a sad excuse of an aquarium,” another reviewer wrote. “You enter into an area that is like a mini prison for small land animals. Enclosures are tiny and disgustingly dirty. No sound proofing … but many of the jailed animals there have sensitive hearing … Pay enough money and you can touch everything there. (Sloths/lemurs/other random tortured animal) The animals look visibly miserable. … This place solely wants to make money extorting the animals in a cruel way.”
At the Austin Aquarium in Texas, operated by Ammon Covino, animals reportedly “barely have enough room to live.”
One TripAdvisor review titled “Animal Cruelty” pointed out the minuscule tanks that the animals are forced to exist in: “This place was horrible. The animals are suffering,” Jaime F. said. “Many of them [are in] really bad conditions.”
The Reviews Are In—and SeaQuest Is Out
You don’t need to visit a SeaQuest location or any other Covino-operated aquarium to know that doing so will make you feel “guilty for supporting a clear neglect of exotic animals.” The slew of scathing reviews above should be more than enough to persuade anyone to steer clear. So save your money (and your dignity) and spend your time speaking up for the animals imprisoned at these hellholes, instead:


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-21--PETA Calls For State Audit of University of Wisconsin–Madison After Apparent COVID-19–Related Animal

PETA Calls For State Audit of University of Wisconsin–Madison After Apparent COVID-19–Related Animal Killings

University Is Under Investigation for Alleged Animal Welfare Violations Following PETA 's Undercover Investigation of Primate Center Madison , Wis. – Today , PETA sent a letter to the state auditor urging an audit of the use of public money , personnel , property , equipment , and space by the University of Wisconsin–Madison for animal experiments deemed non-essential during the COVID-19 pandemic .
This apparently led to the euthanasia of animals in the school ’ s laboratories .
In its letter , PETA notes that in the last fiscal year , the university received $ 456 million in state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone toward funding animal experiments that were ultimately postponed or canceled .
In March , the school informed its experimenters that only “ essential research ” is allowed and urged them to “ [ s ] uspend plans to order and ship animals ” and “ consider reduction or cessation of non-critical animal breeding , including agricultural animals and USDA-covered species.
” These directives likely led to the killing of hundreds or more animals the school deemed extraneous .
PETA questions why state funds were wasted on experiments considered non-essential .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals were undoubtedly cruel , and apparently not even the school can justify them , ” says PETA Vice President Shalin Gala .
“ PETA is calling on state officials to follow the money and prevent taxpayer waste—and animal suffering—in laboratories that should never have received funding in the first place.
” Numerous published studies have shown that animal experimentation wastes resources and lives , as more than 90 % of basic scientific research—much of it involving animal experimentation—fails to lead to treatments for humans .
( Please read under “ Lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition , 95 % of new medications that are found to be safe and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials .
The USDA and the National Institutes of Health have launched investigations into the university following a six-month PETA undercover investigation showing widespread suffering and neglect at its Wisconsin National Primate Research Center .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to experiment on ” —opposes speciesism , a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org or click here .

University Is Under Investigation for Alleged Animal Welfare Violations Following PETA's Undercover Investigation of Primate Center
For Immediate Release:
September 21, 2020
Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
Madison, Wis. – Today, PETA sent a letter to the state auditor urging an audit of the use of public money, personnel, property, equipment, and space by the University of Wisconsin–Madison for animal experiments deemed non-essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. This apparently led to the euthanasia of animals in the school’s laboratories.
In its letter, PETA notes that in the last fiscal year, the university received $456 million in state appropriations, some of which may have gone toward funding animal experiments that were ultimately postponed or canceled. In March, the school informed its experimenters that only “essential research” is allowed and urged them to “[s]uspend plans to order and ship animals” and “consider reduction or cessation of non-critical animal breeding, including agricultural animals and USDA-covered species.” These directives likely led to the killing of hundreds or more animals the school deemed extraneous. PETA questions why state funds were wasted on experiments considered non-essential.
“The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s experiments on animals were undoubtedly cruel, and apparently not even the school can justify them,” says PETA Vice President Shalin Gala. “PETA is calling on state officials to follow the money and prevent taxpayer waste—and animal suffering—in laboratories that should never have received funding in the first place.”
Numerous published studies have shown that animal experimentation wastes resources and lives, as more than 90% of basic scientific research—much of it involving animal experimentation—fails to lead to treatments for humans. (Please read under “Lack of benefit for humans” here.) In addition, 95% of new medications that are found to be safe and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials.
The USDA and the National Institutes of Health have launched investigations into the university following a six-month PETA undercover investigation showing widespread suffering and neglect at its Wisconsin National Primate Research Center.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or click here.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--Get FREE Stickers to Help Sheep

Get FREE Stickers to Help Sheep

Fact of the day : Sheep in the wool industry suffer just as much as other animals suffer in the fur industry .
Don ’ t believe it ?
Well , PETA and our international affiliates have captured extensive footage inside numerous shearing sheds and farms across the U.S. , Australia , South America , and the U.K. showing workers jabbing sheep in the face with electric clippers , punching them , standing on their heads and necks , and throwing them across the filthy shearing floor .
Most people who buy wool or wool-blend hats , scarves , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no idea that the material comes from abused sheep .
But the company sure knows—because we ’ ve shared this information with it numerous times and caring consumers have urged it to take action .
Yet it chooses to continue to sell wool despite being aware that sheep are beaten , mutilated , and barbarically killed in the wool industry .
It ’ s our duty to stand up against speciesism .
Sheep aren ’ t ours to abuse , and their wool isn ’ t ours to take .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cruelty , because no sweater or hat is worth the suffering of living , feeling beings .
As consumers , we have the power to prevent Forever 21 from making more blood money to add to its billions—and we have the opportunity to choose from countless items made of vegan textiles that don ’ t require breeding animals , holding them captive , and stealing from them for profit .
Get our FREE sticker and leaflets to spread the word that wool is cruel !
By submitting this form , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , use , and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us .

Please urge Lake Station Mayor Bill Carroll and the Lake Station City Council to compel the police department to recuse itself from the case, to allow the Humane Society of Hobart to retain protective custody of all animals involved, and to ensure that an unaffiliated third-party agency take over the investigation immediately.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--PETA ‘Lobs’ a Bunch of Coconuts at Kroger CEO

Kroger Is One of Only a Few Still Selling Coconut Milk Brand That Uses Forced Monkey Labor Cincinnati – Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen will receive a special delivery this week , courtesy of PETA : a bunch of fresh , humanely obtained coconuts to remind him that selling products obtained through forced monkey labor is coco-nuts .
Even though monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments , separated from their peers , driven insane , and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh , Kroger is one of the few holdouts still selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world—including chains Walgreens , Giant , and Food Lion—have pledged not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry .
“ Coconuts are sweet , but the ways in which monkeys in Thailand are deprived and exploited to pick them is anything but , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ Smart , sensitive primates don ’ t deserve to be subjected to bitter lives of forced labor.
” The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CEOs of other holdout companies—including Costco , Publix , and Woodman ’ s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to abuse in any way ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .
Greetings from PETA .
We applaud you for offering tasty vegan meats , cheeses , and other products for your compassionate customers , and now we urge you to take action on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open a dialog about reconsidering your business relationship with Chaokoh , a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand ’ s coconut industry .
This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that ’ s forcing monkeys—confined for life , sometimes with their teeth removed , always on chains , and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that ’ s natural and important to them—to collect coconuts .
It seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the monkeys used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in their natural habitat as babies .
Then , they endure abusive training .
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained , transported in cages , and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts .
The captive animals display stereotypic types of behavior , such as circling endlessly .
Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations .
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk , sold by your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor .
We ’ d love to work together to get cruelly sourced coconut products off your shelves .
May we please hear from you ?
Please call our office at your earliest convenience .

Kroger Is One of Only a Few Still Selling Coconut Milk Brand That Uses Forced Monkey Labor
For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Cincinnati – Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen will receive a special delivery this week, courtesy of PETA: a bunch of fresh, humanely obtained coconuts to remind him that selling products obtained through forced monkey labor is coco-nuts.
Even though monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments, separated from their peers, driven insane, and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh, Kroger is one of the few holdouts still selling the brand. More than 25,000 stores around the world—including chains Walgreens, Giant, and Food Lion—have pledged not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry.
“Coconuts are sweet, but the ways in which monkeys in Thailand are deprived and exploited to pick them is anything but,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Smart, sensitive primates don’t deserve to be subjected to bitter lives of forced labor.”
The group has also sent coconuts and letters to the CEOs of other holdout companies—including Costco, Publix, and Woodman’s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to McMullen follows.
September 22, 2020
Rodney McMullen
CEO
Kroger
Dear Mr. McMullen,
Greetings from PETA. We applaud you for offering tasty vegan meats, cheeses, and other products for your compassionate customers, and now we urge you to take action on an issue they are concerned about. We’ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open a dialog about reconsidering your business relationship with Chaokoh, a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand’s coconut industry.
This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that’s forcing monkeys—confined for life, sometimes with their teeth removed, always on chains, and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them—to collect coconuts. It seems that most (if not all) of the monkeys used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in their natural habitat as babies. Then, they endure abusive training.
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained, transported in cages, and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts. The captive animals display stereotypic types of behavior, such as circling endlessly. Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations.
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk, sold by your chain. In contrast, more than 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor.
We’d love to work together to get cruelly sourced coconut products off your shelves. May we please hear from you? Please call our office at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
President


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--PETA ‘Lobs’ a Bunch of Coconuts at Raleyâ€™s President and CEO

Raley 's Is One of Only a Few Still Selling Coconut Milk Brand That Uses Forced Monkey Labor Sacramento – Raley ’ s President and CEO Keith Knopf will receive a special delivery this week , courtesy of PETA : a bunch of fresh , humanely obtained coconuts to remind him that selling products obtained through forced monkey labor is coco-nuts .
Even though monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments , separated from their peers , driven insane , and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh , Raley ’ s is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the brand .
More than 25,000 stores around the world—including chains Walgreens , Giant , and Food Lion—have pledged not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry .
“ Coconuts are sweet , but the ways in which monkeys in Thailand are deprived and exploited to pick them is anything but , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ Smart , sensitive primates don ’ t deserve to be subjected to bitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also sent coconuts and letters to the CEOs of other companies—including Kroger , Publix , and Woodman ’ s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to abuse in any way ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .
Greetings from PETA .
We applaud you for offering tasty vegan meats , milks , and other products for your compassionate customers , and now we urge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are concerned about .
We ’ ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open some progress regarding your business relationship with Chaokoh , a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand ’ s coconut industry .
This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that ’ s forcing monkeys—confined for life , sometimes with their teeth removed , always on chains , and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that ’ s natural and important to them—to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in nature as babies .
Then , they endure abusive training .
Investigators visited “ monkey schools , ” which exploit the animals to entertain visitors through tricks such as riding bicycles and shooting basketballs .
Coercion is used to train them to pick coconuts , as they wouldn ’ t voluntarily do it .
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained , transported in cages , and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as circling endlessly .
Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations .
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk , sold by your chain .
In contrast , more than 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor .
We ’ d love for these products to be removed from your shelves .
Will you please call our office at your earliest convenience ?

Raley's Is One of Only a Few Still Selling Coconut Milk Brand That Uses Forced Monkey Labor
For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Sacramento – Raley’s President and CEO Keith Knopf will receive a special delivery this week, courtesy of PETA: a bunch of fresh, humanely obtained coconuts to remind him that selling products obtained through forced monkey labor is coco-nuts.
Even though monkeys in Thailand are chained in barren environments, separated from their peers, driven insane, and forced to climb trees to pick coconuts for coconut milk sold by Chaokoh, Raley’s is one of the few holdouts still selling the brand. More than 25,000 stores around the world—including chains Walgreens, Giant, and Food Lion—have pledged not to sell coconut products obtained through monkey labor after PETA shared with them the cruelty uncovered in its exposé of this practice in the Thai coconut industry.
“Coconuts are sweet, but the ways in which monkeys in Thailand are deprived and exploited to pick them is anything but,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Smart, sensitive primates don’t deserve to be subjected to bitter lives of forced labor.”
The group has also sent coconuts and letters to the CEOs of other companies—including Kroger, Publix, and Woodman’s—to ask them to reconsider their business relationship with Chaokoh.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to Knopf follows.
September 22, 2020
Keith Knopf
President & CEO
Raley’s
Dear Mr. Knopf,
Greetings from PETA. We applaud you for offering tasty vegan meats, milks, and other products for your compassionate customers, and now we urge you to take action on an issue they are concerned about.
We’ve sent you these coconuts in the hope of cracking open some progress regarding your business relationship with Chaokoh, a brand sold by your company and implicated in a recent PETA Asia exposé of Thailand’s coconut industry. This investigation revealed that Chaokoh is complicit in an industry that’s forcing monkeys—confined for life, sometimes with their teeth removed, always on chains, and often driven insane from being deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them—to collect coconuts.
It seems that monkeys used in the coconut industry are illegally captured in nature as babies. Then, they endure abusive training. Investigators visited “monkey schools,” which exploit the animals to entertain visitors through tricks such as riding bicycles and shooting basketballs. Coercion is used to train them to pick coconuts, as they wouldn’t voluntarily do it.
The monkeys are isolated from their peers as they spend their lives chained, transported in cages, and forced to climb trees in order to collect coconuts. The captive animals display stereotypic types of behavior, such as circling endlessly. Similar abuse was found at all 13 randomly selected locations.
Monkeys are exploited for coconuts used for Chaokoh coconut milk, sold by your chain. In contrast, more than 25,000 other stores have pledged not to purchase products from any company that depends on forced monkey labor.
We’d love for these products to be removed from your shelves. Will you please call our office at your earliest convenience?
Sincerely,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
President


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--PETA is Stirring the Pot by Placing Crab Billboard Right Next to Chic’s Seafood

In Time for Fish Amnesty Day , New Billboard Urges People to See All Animals as Individuals and Go Vegan Hagerstown , Md .
– “ I ’ m ME , Not MEAT !
” That ’ s the message from a crab who appears on a new PETA billboard that just went up next to Chic ’ s Seafood , which displays a giant “ crab ” on its roof to advertise the sensitive crustaceans , fish , and other animals it sells for food .
The ad comes in advance of Fish Amnesty Day ( September 26 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in answer to National Hunting and Fishing Day to remind people that all animals deserve compassion and respect .
“ If the ‘ crab ’ on Chic ’ s Seafood ’ s roof could talk , he ’ d tell would-be diners to run the other way , ” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman .
“ Crabs feel pain and fear , just like humans do , and PETA ’ s billboard encourages people to help spare all animals the agony of being torn apart or boiled alive by simply choosing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crustacean slaughterhouse revealed that live lobsters and crabs were impaled , torn apart , and decapitated—even as their legs continued to move .
Chefs typically place live crabs and lobsters into pots of boiling water while they ’ re still conscious .
Fish slowly suffocate or are crushed to death when they ’ re dragged from the oceans in huge nets , and the throats and stomachs of those who survive are cut open on the decks of fishing boats .
In addition to sparing the lives of nearly 200 animals every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their risk of suffering from heart disease , diabetes , cancer , obesity , and numerous other health concerns .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” and which opposes speciesism , a human-supremacist worldview—offers a free vegan starter kit ( available here ) full of recipes , tips , and more .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .
The billboard is located at 300 Summit Ave .

In Time for Fish Amnesty Day, New Billboard Urges People to See All Animals as Individuals and Go Vegan
For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Hagerstown, Md. – “I’m ME, Not MEAT!” That’s the message from a crab who appears on a new PETA billboard that just went up next to Chic’s Seafood, which displays a giant “crab” on its roof to advertise the sensitive crustaceans, fish, and other animals it sells for food.
The ad comes in advance of Fish Amnesty Day (September 26), which PETA founded 23 years ago in answer to National Hunting and Fishing Day to remind people that all animals deserve compassion and respect.
“If the ‘crab’ on Chic’s Seafood’s roof could talk, he’d tell would-be diners to run the other way,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “Crabs feel pain and fear, just like humans do, and PETA’s billboard encourages people to help spare all animals the agony of being torn apart or boiled alive by simply choosing vegan meals.”
A PETA investigation of a crustacean slaughterhouse revealed that live lobsters and crabs were impaled, torn apart, and decapitated—even as their legs continued to move. Chefs typically place live crabs and lobsters into pots of boiling water while they’re still conscious. Fish slowly suffocate or are crushed to death when they’re dragged from the oceans in huge nets, and the throats and stomachs of those who survive are cut open on the decks of fishing boats.
In addition to sparing the lives of nearly 200 animals every year, people who go vegan reduce their risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and numerous other health concerns.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers a free vegan starter kit (available here) full of recipes, tips, and more. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
The billboard is located at 300 Summit Ave.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--Versace, Michael Kors Face PETA Pressure Over Exotic Skins

Group Plans to Sue Unless G.W .
Park Gets Out of the Animal-Exploiting Business , Lets the Animals Go to Sanctuaries Wynnewood , Okla. – “ When will Capri Holdings protect public health and animal welfare by no longer sourcing exotic animal skins ?
” That ’ s the question that a representative of PETA—which owns stock in the parent company of Versace , Michael Kors , and Jimmy Choo—will ask during Capri Holdings ’ annual meeting on Wednesday .
“ The wildlife trade ’ s connection to contagious diseases like COVID-19 should have every designer scrambling to scrap skins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman .
“ PETA is asking Michael Kors , Versace , and Jimmy Choo to join the dozens of brands that refuse to profit from sensitive reptiles ’ gruesome deaths.
” PETA and its affiliates have documented that in the exotic-skins industry , alligators ’ necks are hacked open and metal rods are shoved into their heads ; snakes are pumped full of water to loosen their skin , which is peeled off , often while they ’ re still conscious ; and feathers are yanked out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The squalid and severely crowded conditions in which wild animals are raised and slaughtered for their skins are similar to those that gave rise to the novel coronavirus , and they pose a potential threat of future pandemics .
Versace has already banned kangaroo skins and fur—Donatella Versace went so far as to say , “ I don ’ t want to kill animals to make fashion .
It doesn ’ t feel right ” —and Michael Kors has banned fur and mohair , but both brands still sell products made using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jil Sander , Chanel , Diane von Furstenberg , HUGO BOSS , Victoria Beckham , Vivienne Westwood , Tommy Hilfiger , Calvin Klein , and many other brands have banned exotic skins .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to wear ” —opposes speciesism , a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2020
Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382
London – “When will Capri Holdings protect public health and animal welfare by no longer sourcing exotic animal skins?” That’s the question that a representative of PETA—which owns stock in the parent company of Versace, Michael Kors, and Jimmy Choo—will ask during Capri Holdings’ annual meeting on Wednesday.
When: Wednesday, September 23, 1 p.m.
Where: Baker McKenzie LLP, 110 New Bridge St., London
“The wildlife trade’s connection to contagious diseases like COVID-19 should have every designer scrambling to scrap skins from snakes and crocodiles,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is asking Michael Kors, Versace, and Jimmy Choo to join the dozens of brands that refuse to profit from sensitive reptiles’ gruesome deaths.”
PETA and its affiliates have documented that in the exotic-skins industry, alligators’ necks are hacked open and metal rods are shoved into their heads; snakes are pumped full of water to loosen their skin, which is peeled off, often while they’re still conscious; and feathers are yanked out of ostriches while the birds are still alive. The squalid and severely crowded conditions in which wild animals are raised and slaughtered for their skins are similar to those that gave rise to the novel coronavirus, and they pose a potential threat of future pandemics.
Versace has already banned kangaroo skins and fur—Donatella Versace went so far as to say, “I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right”—and Michael Kors has banned fur, but both brands still sell products made using reptile skins. Meanwhile, Brooks Brothers, Jil Sander, Chanel, Diane von Furstenberg, HUGO BOSS, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and many other brands have banned exotic skins.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--Celebs Can’t Stop Talking About Anjelica Huston’s Film ‘Breaking the Chain’

After Breaking the Chain premiered on September 1 , celebrities and influencers alike took to social media to spread the word about this gripping documentary and encouraged fans to take action for animals .
Produced by Oscar winner Anjelica Huston , the film tells the story of neglected , often-forgotten animals and the field team dedicated to giving them hope .
Through interviews and behind-the-scenes footage following PETA ’ s devoted fieldworkers , viewers meet the heroes who respond to calls for help for animals around the clock and in all weather extremes .
Watch the official trailer below , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple TV , iTunes , Google Play , Prime Video , Vimeo , or Vudu .
Here ’ s what influential voices around the world are saying about Breaking the Chain : Singer Paulina Rubio shared the film ’ s trailer with her nearly 2 million Instagram followers .
Her compassion for dogs also led her to collaborate with PETA Latino on a campaign reminding fans not to leave dogs alone in hot cars : TV personality Sharon Osbourne , who worked with PETA to expose the cruel chinchilla-fur trade , encouraged her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the documentary : Oscar winner and Breaking the Chain executive producer Anjelica Huston says this film “ will reclaim your faith in humanity ” : Actor Quvenzhané Wallis told her followers “ to never be silent , always adopt , never buy & spay/neuter ” —we couldn ’ t agree more .
Actor Kate del Castillo , who has joined PETA and PETA Latino for countless campaigns to help animals , promoted the film on both her Twitter and Instagram pages , reaching over 11 million followers : Actor Alan Cumming said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspired ” by the documentary : Actor Kirstie Alley , who boasts over 1 million followers on Twitter , said Breaking the Chain is something everyone needs to see : “ Animals are the real angels in our lives , ” wrote Full House star Dave Coulier as he promoted the film : Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Charisma Carpenter reminded fans to help abandoned animals , especially in extreme weather conditions , while sharing the trailer for the film : “ Dogs [ are ] some of the most loving creatures alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to Breaking the Chain : In addition to being the NBA ’ s first female scout and a successful sports reporter , Bonnie-Jill Laflin is a proud vegan with a huge heart for animals : Actor Constance Marie showed love for PETA ’ s fieldworkers while promoting Breaking the Chain to her followers : Actors Holly Marie Combs Ryan , Theo Rossi , Nicholas Gonzalez , Joanna Krupa , and Brian White also promoted the documentary by retweeting PETA .
Rapper Eve previously collaborated with PETA to advocate for dogs chained outside—keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is featured in Breaking the Chain .
Wondering how you can help dogs like the ones featured in Breaking the Chain ?
One way is to mobilize and work to get a tethering ban passed in your area .
Click here for more information about ways to get animal-friendly legislation passed in your district , and contact PETA to request activist materials to distribute at council and commissioner meetings or to put in packets to inform people about the nationwide crisis of animal neglect .

After Breaking the Chain premiered on September 1, celebrities and influencers alike took to social media to spread the word about this gripping documentary and encouraged fans to take action for animals.
Produced by Oscar winner Anjelica Huston, the film tells the story of neglected, often-forgotten animals and the field team dedicated to giving them hope. Through interviews and behind-the-scenes footage following PETA’s devoted fieldworkers, viewers meet the heroes who respond to calls for help for animals around the clock and in all weather extremes.
Watch the official trailer below, and stream Breaking the Chain for free on Prime Video. You can also watch the complete film on Apple TV, iTunes, Google Play, Vimeo, or Vudu.
The incredibly moving documentary, #BreakingTheChain, is now streaming for FREE on @PrimeVideo & only $0.99 across all other video-on-demand services for the next month. The film shows how PETA fieldworkers spend every day helping animals in need. https://t.co/q2e4Jr6Lgo pic.twitter.com/bH9UcktRmC — PETA (@peta) November 10, 2020
Here’s what influential voices around the world are saying about Breaking the Chain:
Actor Jamie Chung promoted the documentary to her loyal fans and thanked PETA’s fieldworkers for their dedicated efforts to help animals:
Time for a good cry. Thank you for all your hard work — Jamie Chung (@jamiechung1) November 12, 2020
Singer Paulina Rubio shared the film’s trailer with her nearly 2 million Instagram followers. Her compassion for dogs also led her to collaborate with PETA Latino on a campaign reminding fans not to leave dogs alone in hot cars:
TV personality Sharon Osbourne, who worked with PETA to expose the cruel chinchilla-fur trade, encouraged her more than 2 million Twitter fans to watch the documentary:
Oscar winner and Breaking the Chain executive producer Anjelica Huston says this film “will reclaim your faith in humanity”:
I am honored to be executive producer of the new documentary #BreakingTheChain. Join @PETA’s fieldworkers as they change the world for forgotten animals. Among stories of neglect, the film will reclaim your faith in humanity. https://t.co/FQ1kinqALb pic.twitter.com/qEWZi9ZPeE — Anjelica Huston (@anjelicahuston) September 1, 2020
Actor Quvenzhané Wallis told her followers “to never be silent, always adopt, never buy & spay/neuter”—we couldn’t agree more.
I love animals!!!Check out #BreakingTheChain from executive producer Anjelica Huston to see why it’s so important to never be silent, always adopt, never buy & spay/neuter. — Quvenzhane' Wallis (@IAMQUVENZHANE) September 18, 2020
Actor Kate del Castillo, who has joined PETA and PETA Latino for countless campaigns to help animals, promoted the film on both her Twitter and Instagram pages, reaching over 11 million followers:
Actor Alan Cumming said he was “[s]o inspired” by the documentary:
So inspired by #BreakingTheChain, from executive producer Anjelica Huston. @peta's fieldworkers are changing the world for neglected & abused animals ❤ Join me in watching NOW on @PrimeVideo, @AppleTV, @iTunes, & more! https://t.co/xfoPLviYi6 pic.twitter.com/fMNtOWWUbp — Alan Cumming (@Alancumming) September 2, 2020
Actor Kirstie Alley, who boasts over 1 million followers on Twitter, said Breaking the Chain is something everyone needs to see:
Can’t wait to see it!!! Big confront but we should all see it! 😘🐿🐝🦆🐴🐞🐌🐺🐗🐔🦁🦊🐻🐼🐭🐱🐶🐹🐨🐰🐯🐸🐒🐷🐣 https://t.co/ecyRN3LNBJ — Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) September 1, 2020
“Animals are the real angels in our lives,” wrote Full House star Dave Coulier as he promoted the film:
Animals are the real angels in our lives. https://t.co/BcEXQ3XXCO — Dave Coulier (@DaveCoulier) September 1, 2020
Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Charisma Carpenter reminded fans to help abandoned animals, especially in extreme weather conditions, while sharing the trailer for the film:
https://twitter.com/AllCharisma/status/1303406344884551682
“Dogs [are] some of the most loving creatures alive,” wrote actor Kathy Najimy in response to Breaking the Chain:
#BreakingTheChain, exec produced by Anjelica Huston. @peta's dedicated fieldworkers R doing incredible things 4 neglected & abused dogs ❤Im so inspired! (& tearful) Dogs R some of the most loving creatures alive. watch on @PrimeVideo, @AppleTV, @iTunes https://t.co/23ex5oqOem — kathy najimy (@kathynajimy) September 4, 2020
In addition to being the NBA’s first female scout and a successful sports reporter, Bonnie-Jill Laflin is a proud vegan with a huge heart for animals:
#BreakingTheChain from executive producer Anjelica Huston, tells the inspiring story of @peta's dedicated fieldworkers on the front-lines of the animal neglect & overpopulation crisis. Join me and watch NOW on @PrimeVideo, @AppleTV, @iTunes, & more! https://t.co/UlgvwzHSob pic.twitter.com/wXyp5Vq6m6 — Bonnie-Jill Laflin (@BJLaflin) September 1, 2020
Actor Constance Marie showed love for PETA’s fieldworkers while promoting Breaking the Chain to her followers:
https://twitter.com/goconstance/status/1300853685744926722
Actors Holly Marie Combs Ryan, Theo Rossi, Nicholas Gonzalez, Joanna Krupa, and Brian White also promoted the documentary by retweeting PETA.
Rapper Eve previously collaborated with PETA to advocate for dogs chained outside—keep an eye out for her PSA, which is featured in Breaking the Chain.
*****
Wondering how you can help dogs like the ones featured in Breaking the Chain? One way is to mobilize and work to get a tethering ban passed in your area. Click here for more information about ways to get animal-friendly legislation passed in your district, and contact PETA to request activist materials to distribute at council and commissioner meetings or to put in packets to inform people about the nationwide crisis of animal neglect.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-22--Pigs Remained Conscious After Shots to the Head; PETA Seeks Federal Probe

Greene County , Ohio – PETA has obtained U.S. Department of Agriculture reports revealing violations of federal law at Bob Evans Farms outside Xenia between 2018 and last month .
In response , the group sent a letter today calling on U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers to review these violations of the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act and , as appropriate , file criminal charges against the facility and the workers involved .
On August 25 , a worker ineffectively shot a downed pig and cut her throat , after which the severely injured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the head was required to stun her .
In 2018 , a downed pig continued to cry out after workers shot her in the head twice , and yet another was documented keeping upright on her forelimbs and crying out after two shots to the head and workers ’ attempts to slash her throat .
“ These disturbing eyewitness reports show that these pigs experienced prolonged , agonizing deaths at Bob Evans Farms , ” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch .
“ PETA is calling for a federal investigation on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this facility and urging all compassionate members of the public who are disturbed by this cruelty to go vegan and help prevent more animals from suffering in slaughterhouses.
” PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
The group notes that pigs , sheep , cattle , chickens , and other animals feel pain and fear and value their lives , just as humans do , and that the only way to help prevent them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
I hope this letter finds you well .
I would like to request that your office investigate and file appropriate criminal charges against Bob Evans Farms ( BEF ) and its workers responsible for repeated violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act , which requires that animals be “ rendered insensible to pain by a single blow … or other means that is rapid and effective , before being shackled , hoisted … or cut.
” 1 At the company ’ s slaughterhouse , located at 640 Birch Rd .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot conscious , crying , and immobile pigs in the head , including one who was conscious after workers cut her throat , as documented in the attached reports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’ s Food Safety and Inspection Service ( FSIS ) .
According to the reports , federal officials documented the following : • August 25 , 2020 : “ [ T ] he FSIS Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian ( SPHV ) observed an employee stun a slow-moving sow [ who ] had become non-ambulatory and laid down in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stunning chute .
After the initial stun , the employee verified the animal was unconscious and proceeded to stick the sow to initiate exsanguination .
Immediately after the stick , the sow vocalized and was observed to lift her head , blink naturally , and was breathing rhythmically with an increased respiratory rate .
The employee recognized the animal had regained consciousness and applied a second stun with the available backup captive bolt device.
” 2 • July 3 , 2018 : “ [ The SPHV ] … observed a disabled or slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a sitting position .
… Marks were placed on the sow ’ s forehead to identify proper captive bolt placement .
The captive bolt device was discharged into the location of the mark on the head .
The sow was observed to remain in a seated position , blinking , continued rhythmically breathing , and vocalized loudly .
… A second trained employee picked up the second captive bolt stunner and placed it on the sow ’ s forehead and discharged the device .
This attempt was ineffective .
The sow remained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blinked , continued breathing , vocalized loudly , and attempted to back away from the area .
… The member of BEF management had reloaded the second captive bolt device , placed and discharged the device into the head , placing the device more rostral on the sow ’ s forehead .
The sow was observed to drop to the floor.
” 3 • March 21 , 2018 : “ The SPHV observed establishment employees attempt to stun a sow [ who ] was non-ambulatory disabled … .
Establishment personnel marked the sow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had two employees , each with a sort board , restrain the sow .
The stunning operator aligned the captive bolt gun on the sow ’ s forehead and discharged .
Following the stunning attempt , the sow was dazed ; her forelimbs went rigid , her neck was extended , and her eyes rolled back .
A few seconds later , the sow began to blink .
Establishment personnel attempted to sweep the sow ’ s forelimbs out from under her in order to stick her to bleed , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once the sow began to resist , she then vocalized two to three times .
She also regained her balance and remained upright in the front .
The establishment supervisor handed a backup preloaded captive bolt gun to the stunning operator .
The device was placed on the sow ’ s forehead and discharged .
After this second stunning attempt , the sow remained standing in the forelimbs , resisted efforts to be swept off her feet again , vocalized , and blinked .
The first captive bolt gun was reloaded and handed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the device and fired .
This third stunning attempt rendered the animal insensible.
” 4 The Federal Meat Inspection Act classifies such offenses as misdemeanors and provides penalties of imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of up to $ 1,000.5 The fact that inhumane handling persists at the establishment makes it clear that FSIS enforcement actions alone are insufficient to deter future violations and that criminal prosecution is in the best interests of the animals killed there and the public .
Given that the FSIS “ fully supports the investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act ” and that “ [ i ] nvestigators from [ its ] enforcement division and from USDA ’ s Inspector General … stand ready to work ” 6 with offices such as yours , we respectfully ask that you investigate and bring appropriate criminal charges against those responsible for the above violations .
Please let us know what we might do to assist you .
Thank you for your consideration and for the difficult work that you do .
6U.S .
Department of Agriculture , FSIS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shares Some Insight on the Humane Handling of Livestock , ” ( Jan. 7 , 2011 ) https : //www.usda.gov/media/blog/2011/01/7/under-secretary-food-safety-shares-some-insight-humane-handling-livestock ( Last accessed on Sept. 21 , 2020 ) .

For Immediate Release:
September 22, 2020
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Greene County, Ohio – PETA has obtained U.S. Department of Agriculture reports revealing violations of federal law at Bob Evans Farms outside Xenia between 2018 and last month. In response, the group sent a letter today calling on U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers to review these violations of the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act and, as appropriate, file criminal charges against the facility and the workers involved.
On August 25, a worker ineffectively shot a downed pig and cut her throat, after which the severely injured animal cried out. An additional shot to the head was required to stun her. In 2018, a downed pig continued to cry out after workers shot her in the head twice, and yet another was documented keeping upright on her forelimbs and crying out after two shots to the head and workers’ attempts to slash her throat.
“These disturbing eyewitness reports show that these pigs experienced prolonged, agonizing deaths at Bob Evans Farms,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is calling for a federal investigation on behalf of the pigs who suffered at this facility and urging all compassionate members of the public who are disturbed by this cruelty to go vegan and help prevent more animals from suffering in slaughterhouses.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. The group notes that pigs, sheep, cattle, chickens, and other animals feel pain and fear and value their lives, just as humans do, and that the only way to help prevent them from suffering in slaughterhouses is not to eat them.
For more information, visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to DeVillers follows.
September 22, 2020
The Honorable David DeVillers
United States Attorney
Southern District of Ohio
Dear Mr. DeVillers,
I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to request that your office investigate and file appropriate criminal charges against Bob Evans Farms (BEF) and its workers responsible for repeated violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires that animals be “rendered insensible to pain by a single blow … or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted … or cut.”1 At the company’s slaughterhouse, located at 640 Birch Rd. in Greene County, its staff repeatedly shot conscious, crying, and immobile pigs in the head, including one who was conscious after workers cut her throat, as documented in the attached reports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
According to the reports, federal officials documented the following:
August 25, 2020: “[T]he FSIS Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) observed an employee stun a slow-moving sow [who] had become non-ambulatory and laid down in the drive alley before entering the electrical stunning chute. After the initial stun, the employee verified the animal was unconscious and proceeded to stick the sow to initiate exsanguination. Immediately after the stick, the sow vocalized and was observed to lift her head, blink naturally, and was breathing rhythmically with an increased respiratory rate. The employee recognized the animal had regained consciousness and applied a second stun with the available backup captive bolt device.” 2
“[T]he FSIS Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) observed an employee stun a slow-moving sow [who] had become non-ambulatory and laid down in the drive alley before entering the electrical stunning chute. After the initial stun, the employee verified the animal was unconscious and proceeded to stick the sow to initiate exsanguination. Immediately after the stick, the sow vocalized and was observed to lift her head, blink naturally, and was breathing rhythmically with an increased respiratory rate. The employee recognized the animal had regained consciousness and applied a second stun with the available backup captive bolt device.” July 3, 2018: “[The SPHV] … observed a disabled or slow sow down in the hind legs and in a sitting position. … Marks were placed on the sow’s forehead to identify proper captive bolt placement. The captive bolt device was discharged into the location of the mark on the head. The sow was observed to remain in a seated position, blinking, continued rhythmically breathing, and vocalized loudly. … A second trained employee picked up the second captive bolt stunner and placed it on the sow’s forehead and discharged the device. This attempt was ineffective. The sow remained conscious, in a seated position, blinked, continued breathing, vocalized loudly, and attempted to back away from the area. … The member of BEF management had reloaded the second captive bolt device, placed and discharged the device into the head, placing the device more rostral on the sow’s forehead. The sow was observed to drop to the floor.” 3
“[The SPHV] … observed a disabled or slow sow down in the hind legs and in a sitting position. … Marks were placed on the sow’s forehead to identify proper captive bolt placement. The captive bolt device was discharged into the location of the mark on the head. The sow was observed to remain in a seated position, blinking, continued rhythmically breathing, and vocalized loudly. … A second trained employee picked up the second captive bolt stunner and placed it on the sow’s forehead and discharged the device. This attempt was ineffective. The sow remained conscious, in a seated position, blinked, continued breathing, vocalized loudly, and attempted to back away from the area. … The member of BEF management had reloaded the second captive bolt device, placed and discharged the device into the head, placing the device more rostral on the sow’s forehead. The sow was observed to drop to the floor.” March 21, 2018: “The SPHV observed establishment employees attempt to stun a sow [who] was non-ambulatory disabled …. Establishment personnel marked the sow’s forehead for captive bolt placement and had two employees, each with a sort board, restrain the sow. The stunning operator aligned the captive bolt gun on the sow’s forehead and discharged. Following the stunning attempt, the sow was dazed; her forelimbs went rigid, her neck was extended, and her eyes rolled back. A few seconds later, the sow began to blink. Establishment personnel attempted to sweep the sow’s forelimbs out from under her in order to stick her to bleed, but the sow resisted attempts to lie down. Once the sow began to resist, she then vocalized two to three times. She also regained her balance and remained upright in the front. The establishment supervisor handed a backup preloaded captive bolt gun to the stunning operator. The device was placed on the sow’s forehead and discharged. After this second stunning attempt, the sow remained standing in the forelimbs, resisted efforts to be swept off her feet again, vocalized, and blinked. The first captive bolt gun was reloaded and handed to the stunning operator who then placed the device and fired. This third stunning attempt rendered the animal insensible.”4
The Federal Meat Inspection Act classifies such offenses as misdemeanors and provides penalties of imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of up to $1,000.5 The fact that inhumane handling persists at the establishment makes it clear that FSIS enforcement actions alone are insufficient to deter future violations and that criminal prosecution is in the best interests of the animals killed there and the public. Given that the FSIS “fully supports the investigation of all those involved in alleged violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act” and that “[i]nvestigators from [its] enforcement division and from USDA’s Inspector General … stand ready to work”6 with offices such as yours, we respectfully ask that you investigate and bring appropriate criminal charges against those responsible for the above violations.
Please let us know what we might do to assist you. Thank you for your consideration and for the difficult work that you do.
Sincerely,
Colin Henstock
Assistant Manager of Investigations
17 U.S.C. § 1902.
2FSIS District 50 Deputy Manager Dr. Tamara Davis, Notice of Intended Enforcement, Est. M6785, Bob Evans Farms Inc. (Aug. 25, 2020) .
3FSIS District 50 Manager Paul V. Wolseley, Notice of Suspension, Est. M6785, Bob Evans Farms Inc. (July 3, 2018) https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/7427ab1a-834b-4ca8-aef5-85e4bdbdef73/6785-suspension-07032018.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
4FSIS District 50 Manager Paul V. Wolseley, Notice of Intended Enforcement, Est. M6785, Bob Evans Farms Inc. (March 22, 2018) https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/dedbf988-4a8d-439c-bb92-cb0813708145/6785-NOIE-032218.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
521 U.S.C. § 676.
6U.S. Department of Agriculture, FSIS, “Under Secretary for Food Safety Shares Some Insight on the Humane Handling of Livestock,” (Jan. 7, 2011) https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2011/01/7/under-secretary-food-safety-shares-some-insight-humane-handling-livestock (Last accessed on Sept. 21, 2020).


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-23--Vegans to Wrestle in Tub of Tofu!

Vegans to Wrestle in Tub of Tofu!

During the Pandemic , Vegan Food Sales Have Soared , but Tofu 's Still a Mystery to Many , so PETA Will Be Giving It Out Along With Tips Milwaukee – To encourage anyone still wrestling with the idea of eating tofu to see it for the knockout that it is , a vegan couple will wrestle in a tub of tofu on a busy street corner on Thursday , with a giant “ tofu block ” referee calling the match .
Socially distanced “ ringside ” fans will hand out free blocks of bean curd to passersby along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Szechuan dishes to stir-fry and from creamy chocolate mousse to dairy-free cheesecake .
Where : At the northeast corner of N. Broadway and E. St. Paul Avenue , Milwaukee “ PETA ’ s wrestlers will remove the mystery from this ancient , versatile , protein-rich , cholesterol-free , and recipe-friendly food , sounding the bell for its winning role in a healthy , humane way of eating , ” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk .
“ Eating right can start at breakfast with a tofu scramble and end at bedtime with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tofu tipsters are ready to help people bound into the ring of life with our free vegan mentors , vegan recipes , tips , and more.
” PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to eat ” —points out that going vegan lowers one ’ s risk of suffering from heart disease , diabetes , cancer , and many other life-threatening health problems .
PETA offers delicious tofu-based recipes , such as General Tso ’ s Tofu and Buffalo Tofu-Scramble Breakfast Tacos , on its website .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

During the Pandemic, Vegan Food Sales Have Soared, but Tofu's Still a Mystery to Many, so PETA Will Be Giving It Out Along With Tips
For Immediate Release:
September 23, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Milwaukee – To encourage anyone still wrestling with the idea of eating tofu to see it for the knockout that it is, a vegan couple will wrestle in a tub of tofu on a busy street corner on Thursday, with a giant “tofu block” referee calling the match. Socially distanced “ringside” fans will hand out free blocks of bean curd to passersby along with tips on using it to make everything from Szechuan dishes to stir-fry and from creamy chocolate mousse to dairy-free cheesecake.
When: Thursday, September 24, 12 noon
Where: At the northeast corner of N. Broadway and E. St. Paul Avenue, Milwaukee
“PETA’s wrestlers will remove the mystery from this ancient, versatile, protein-rich, cholesterol-free, and recipe-friendly food, sounding the bell for its winning role in a healthy, humane way of eating,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “Eating right can start at breakfast with a tofu scramble and end at bedtime with a slice of tofu cream pie. Our tofu tipsters are ready to help people bound into the ring of life with our free vegan mentors, vegan recipes, tips, and more.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that going vegan lowers one’s risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many other life-threatening health problems. PETA offers delicious tofu-based recipes, such as General Tso’s Tofu and Buffalo Tofu-Scramble Breakfast Tacos, on its website.
PETA opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-09-23--PETA to Shut Down Exxon Gas Station for Cruelty to Dogs

Nationwide Campaign Calls On Oil Company to Stop Fueling Notorious Iditarod Race Tampa , Fla. – Because ExxonMobil continues to pump money into the deadly Iditarod dog race even as other sponsors have pulled out , PETA supporters armed with yellow caution tape and “ blood ” -filled gas jugs will close a local Exxon station for cruelty tomorrow .
The action follows a PETA protest outside the company ’ s headquarters and is one of many planned for Exxon locations nationwide .
Where : Exxon gas station , 3801 S. Dale Mabry Hwy .
( near the intersection with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exxon has the shameful distinction of being one of the last major companies still sponsoring the Iditarod ’ s cruelty to dogs , ” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman .
“ PETA is urging it to stop propping up an evil industry that forces dogs to run so far and so fast that they often die after inhaling their own vomit.
” Jack Daniel ’ s , Coca-Cola , Wells Fargo , Alaska Airlines , and many other companies cut ties with the race after PETA pointed out that more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since it began .
In addition to being tied up on mushers ’ properties ( as revealed in this PETA exposé ) , dogs are forced to pull heavy sleds across 1,000 miles through blinding blizzards and subzero temperatures .
More than 220 dogs were pulled off the trail during the 2020 race because of exhaustion , illness , injury , or other causes .
One , Cool Cat , developed twisted intestines and almost died .
Another , Betty , had pneumonia and was in critical condition , and two others refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and persistent coughs .
PETA—whose motto reads , in part , that “ animals are not ours to use for entertainment ” —opposes speciesism , which is a human-supremacist worldview .
For more information , please visit PETA.org .

Nationwide Campaign Calls On Oil Company to Stop Fueling Notorious Iditarod Race
For Immediate Release:
September 23, 2020
Contact:
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Tampa, Fla. – Because ExxonMobil continues to pump money into the deadly Iditarod dog race even as other sponsors have pulled out, PETA supporters armed with yellow caution tape and “blood”-filled gas jugs will close a local Exxon station for cruelty tomorrow. The action follows a PETA protest outside the company’s headquarters and is one of many planned for Exxon locations nationwide.
When: Thursday, September 24, 12 noon
Where: Exxon gas station, 3801 S. Dale Mabry Hwy. (near the intersection with W. Euclid Avenue), Tampa
“Exxon has the shameful distinction of being one of the last major companies still sponsoring the Iditarod’s cruelty to dogs,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is urging it to stop propping up an evil industry that forces dogs to run so far and so fast that they often die after inhaling their own vomit.”
Jack Daniel’s, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, Alaska Airlines, and many other companies cut ties with the race after PETA pointed out that more than 150 dogs have died in the Iditarod since it began. In addition to being tied up on mushers’ properties (as revealed in this PETA exposé), dogs are forced to pull heavy sleds across 1,000 miles through blinding blizzards and subzero temperatures.
More than 220 dogs were pulled off the trail during the 2020 race because of exhaustion, illness, injury, or other causes. One, Cool Cat, developed twisted intestines and almost died. Another, Betty, had pneumonia and was in critical condition, and two others refused to eat and had fevers, diarrhea, and persistent coughs.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.