petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-12--See All the Ways We’re Urging Forever 21 to Stop Selling Wool

Can you imagine watching this footage … … and then continuing to support the bloody , violent wool industry ?
Forever 21 can—the retailer has been doing it for years .
The footage above was recorded on a sheep farm in Australia , the world ’ s largest exporter of wool .
The video is part of a recent exposé of the global wool industry—one of 13 that PETA and our affiliates have released since 2014 .
We ’ ve shared our exposés with the retailer , but it still refuses to do the right thing .
In just the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned the heat way up on the clothing company .
Most recently , we posted a billboard in downtown Portland , Oregon—a few blocks from a Forever 21 store—that shows a sheep urging people not to buy wool and instead to shop vegan .
Just last month , a shearer who was caught on camera punching sheep and beating them in the face with heavy electric clippers during a PETA Asia undercover investigation pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals in Australia , which is a leading exporter of wool to the U.S. Consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profiting from an industry in which gentle lambs and sheep are beaten , mutilated , terrorized , and even killed for wool .
In October , we posted a giant anti-wool billboard outside its headquarters in Los Angeles .
Despite numerous PETA exposés revealing horrific cruelty to frightened lambs and sheep at wool operations around the world , Forever 21—which recently filed for bankruptcy—refuses to stop selling wool .
This new ad sends a pointed message that stylish vegan knits are here to stay—forever .
In September , we put up ads on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores in Oklahoma City showing a sheep ’ s sweet face and the words “ I ’ m a Living Being , Not a Sweater .
Boycott Forever 21 , ” urging the company to stop profiting from the cruel wool industry and instead opt for readily available vegan alternatives .
A passerby and their canine companions couldn ’ t help but stop and consider one of them : Meanwhile , in Washington , D.C. , more than 60 students from college and university campuses across the U.S. ( and some in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retailer , reminding fellow students and all consumers that sheep suffer for wool , but they don ’ t need to .
We also put up a billboard near two of the chain ’ s stores in Denver proclaiming , “ Don ’ t Let Forever 21 Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes .
Wool Is Just as Cruel as Fur .
# Never21.
” A similar billboard was erected outside the Madison , Wisconsin , West Towne Mall—which has a Forever 21 store—showing a sheep ’ s sweet face and the words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Don ’ t Buy Wool .
Wear Vegan.
” In February 2019 , we placed three ads on bus shelters near the Forever 21 store in Fort Wayne , Indiana .
The ads remind shoppers that sheep are living beings while encouraging them to leave wool out of their wardrobe and to opt for stylish vegan alternatives instead .
Earlier in February , we placed 27 pro-vegan ads on buses operating near Forever 21 stores .
The ads encourage shoppers to stay away from the company until it agrees to stock exclusively stylish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen in Buffalo … Also in February , a group of activists assembled outside the Beverly Hills , California , home of Forever 21 CEO Do Won Chang to urge him to modernize his brand by rejecting animal abuse and stop selling wool immediately .
Prior to this , a group of PETA supporters gathered outside the Forever 21 store in Kahului on the island of Maui , Hawaii , to urge shoppers to avoid the brand until it agrees to stop selling wool .
The protest was led by Texan Dani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawaii courtesy of Humane Travel after winning PETA ’ s 2018 Sexiest Vegan Next Door contest and decided to take her activism on the road .
Just after the new year , we placed ads showing an image of a terrified , bloody lamb ( from our most recent video exposé ) on the tops of taxis operating near Forever 21 ’ s Atlantic City , New Jersey , store .
We ’ ve had some help in calling out the retailer ’ s cruel actions .
Last month , a Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 ’ s target age group ) led a spirited protest outside the company ’ s Hollywood Boulevard store .
Another compassionate teen led a protest the following day in New York City .
Temperatures were low , but that didn ’ t stop her from rallying local activists to join her in speaking up for sheep .
PETA activists echoed the sentiment a few days later , taking to the streets of Los Angeles to urge Forever 21 publicly to stop selling wool .
It was impossible for the hundreds of passersby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , thousands of miles east , a group of PETA protesters dressed in “ bloody ” white clothes and sheep masks stared down Forever 21 ’ s Center City storefront in Philadelphia .
Holiday shoppers were urged to avoid the brand until it agrees to stop selling wool .
Salt Lake City got a piece of the action , too , when—the week prior—another group of “ bloody sheep ” gathered in front of a local Forever 21 store .
Activists held signs proclaiming , “ # Never21 ” and “ Sheep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenes from a PETA wool-industry investigation to shoppers .
Onlookers were shocked to see workers beat petrified sheep in the face , deliberately mutilate them , and cut the throats of fully conscious animals .
Across the pond , a mere few days before Black Friday , shoppers outside Forever 21 ’ s Oxford Street store in London were urged by “ sheep ” to shun the retailer until it agrees to stop selling wool .
More Black Friday “ sheep ” gathered outside the Forever 21 store in Portland , Oregon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s recent wool-industry investigations .
And New York City shoppers couldn ’ t ignore the activists in front of Forever 21 ’ s Times Square storefront , who screened recordings of sheep being beaten and mutilated on farms .
Passersby discovered that Forever 21 profits from cruelty to animals and were encouraged to choose only wool-free , vegan apparel .
How many more times must we expose the cruel treatment of sheep in the wool industry before Forever 21 does the right thing ?
The only acceptable answer is zero .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
As a shopper who wants to support retailers that don ’ t cause animals to suffer , you can make a difference .
Click below to urge Forever 21 to drop wool immediately in favor of the many beautiful , warm , animal-friendly materials available today made from recycled plastic bottles , biodegradable Tencel , bamboo , organic cotton , modal , rayon , and hemp—many of which outperform wool .
Are you on Instagram ?
Head over to Forever 21 ’ s Instagram page and post a comment on any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wool and to use only vegan materials .
Make sure you ’ re following @ never_forever_21 , and include the hashtag # Never 21 when you comment .
PETA is teaming up with young people in California , Hawaii , New York , and North Carolina to coordinate additional protests calling on Forever 21 to stop selling wool .
Get more information about holding a demonstration , and find out how to join our Action Team .

Can you imagine watching this footage …
… and then continuing to support the bloody, violent wool industry? Forever 21 can—the retailer has been doing it for years. The footage above was recorded on a sheep farm in Australia, the world’s largest exporter of wool. The video is part of a recent exposé of the global wool industry—one of 13 that PETA and our affiliates have released since 2014. We’ve shared our exposés with the retailer, but it still refuses to do the right thing.
So we’re putting Forever 21 on blast.
In just the last few months, we’ve turned the heat way up on the clothing company. Most recently, we posted a billboard in downtown Portland, Oregon—a few blocks from a Forever 21 store—that shows a sheep urging people not to buy wool and instead to shop vegan.
PHOTO: Pacific Outdoor Advertising
Just last month, a shearer who was caught on camera punching sheep and beating them in the face with heavy electric clippers during a PETA Asia undercover investigation pleaded guilty to cruelty to animals in Australia, which is a leading exporter of wool to the U.S.
Consumers deserve to know that Forever 21 is profiting from an industry in which gentle lambs and sheep are beaten, mutilated, terrorized, and even killed for wool.
In October, we posted a giant anti-wool billboard outside its headquarters in Los Angeles.
Despite numerous PETA exposés revealing horrific cruelty to frightened lambs and sheep at wool operations around the world, Forever 21—which recently filed for bankruptcy—refuses to stop selling wool. This new ad sends a pointed message that stylish vegan knits are here to stay—forever.
In September, we put up ads on 20 bus shelters near two Forever 21 stores in Oklahoma City showing a sheep’s sweet face and the words “I’m a Living Being, Not a Sweater. Boycott Forever 21,” urging the company to stop profiting from the cruel wool industry and instead opt for readily available vegan alternatives. A passerby and their canine companions couldn’t help but stop and consider one of them:
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., more than 60 students from college and university campuses across the U.S. (and some in Canada, too) rallied together against the retailer, reminding fellow students and all consumers that sheep suffer for wool, but they don’t need to.
We also put up a billboard near two of the chain’s stores in Denver proclaiming, “Don’t Let Forever 21 Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes. Wool Is Just as Cruel as Fur.”
A similar billboard was erected outside the Madison, Wisconsin, West Towne Mall—which has a Forever 21 store—showing a sheep’s sweet face and the words “I Want You to Change. Don’t Buy Wool. Wear Vegan.”
In February 2019, we placed three ads on bus shelters near the Forever 21 store in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The ads remind shoppers that sheep are living beings while encouraging them to leave wool out of their wardrobe and to opt for stylish vegan alternatives instead.
Earlier in February, we placed 27 pro-vegan ads on buses operating near Forever 21 stores. The ads encourage shoppers to stay away from the company until it agrees to stock exclusively stylish and compassionate animal-free knitwear. Ads can be seen in Buffalo …
… and Syracuse, New York …
… and Louisville, Kentucky.
Also in February, a group of activists assembled outside the Beverly Hills, California, home of Forever 21 CEO Do Won Chang to urge him to modernize his brand by rejecting animal abuse and stop selling wool immediately.
Prior to this, a group of PETA supporters gathered outside the Forever 21 store in Kahului on the island of Maui, Hawaii, to urge shoppers to avoid the brand until it agrees to stop selling wool. The protest was led by Texan Dani Alexander, who received a trip to Hawaii courtesy of Humane Travel after winning PETA’s 2018 Sexiest Vegan Next Door contest and decided to take her activism on the road.
Just after the new year, we placed ads showing an image of a terrified, bloody lamb (from our most recent video exposé) on the tops of taxis operating near Forever 21’s Atlantic City, New Jersey, store.
We’ve had some help in calling out the retailer’s cruel actions. Last month, a Los Angeles teen (who’s among Forever 21’s target age group) led a spirited protest outside the company’s Hollywood Boulevard store.
Another compassionate teen led a protest the following day in New York City. Temperatures were low, but that didn’t stop her from rallying local activists to join her in speaking up for sheep.
PETA activists echoed the sentiment a few days later, taking to the streets of Los Angeles to urge Forever 21 publicly to stop selling wool. It was impossible for the hundreds of passersby to miss the message.
The following day, thousands of miles east, a group of PETA protesters dressed in “bloody” white clothes and sheep masks stared down Forever 21’s Center City storefront in Philadelphia. Holiday shoppers were urged to avoid the brand until it agrees to stop selling wool.
Salt Lake City got a piece of the action, too, when—the week prior—another group of “bloody sheep” gathered in front of a local Forever 21 store. Activists held signs proclaiming “Sheep Suffer for Wool,” and showed scenes from a PETA wool-industry investigation to shoppers. Onlookers were shocked to see workers beat petrified sheep in the face, deliberately mutilate them, and cut the throats of fully conscious animals.
Across the pond, a mere few days before Black Friday, shoppers outside Forever 21’s Oxford Street store in London were urged by “sheep” to shun the retailer until it agrees to stop selling wool.
More Black Friday “sheep” gathered outside the Forever 21 store in Portland, Oregon, to show shoppers footage from PETA Asia’s recent wool-industry investigations.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Brv-ImqhPcw/
And New York City shoppers couldn’t ignore the activists in front of Forever 21’s Times Square storefront, who screened recordings of sheep being beaten and mutilated on farms. Passersby discovered that Forever 21 profits from cruelty to animals and were encouraged to choose only wool-free, vegan apparel.
How many more times must we expose the cruel treatment of sheep in the wool industry before Forever 21 does the right thing?
The only acceptable answer is zero.
So join us in demanding better from the company. As a shopper who wants to support retailers that don’t cause animals to suffer, you can make a difference. Click below to urge Forever 21 to drop wool immediately in favor of the many beautiful, warm, animal-friendly materials available today made from recycled plastic bottles, biodegradable Tencel, bamboo, organic cotton, modal, rayon, and hemp—many of which outperform wool.
Are you on Instagram? Head over to Forever 21’s Instagram page and post a comment on any and all posts asking it to drop wool and to use only vegan materials.
PETA is teaming up with young people in California, Hawaii, New York, and North Carolina to coordinate additional protests calling on Forever 21 to stop selling wool. Get more information about holding a demonstration, and find out how to join our Action Team.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-10--Watch as Animal Rahat Helps a Scared Mother Cow Limping in Pain

Limping in pain and scared , this mother cow didn ’ t know what to do to alleviate her agony .
That ’ s when PETA ’ s friends at the Indian animal protection organization Animal Rahat received a call .
The cow had a metal wire embedded in her hoof .
She was afraid of being caught and even tried to hide from humans among other cows .
But the folks from Animal Rahat remained patient and were eventually able to sedate her and gently remove the piece of sharp wire .
After a little antiseptic and a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself again .
She was taken back to her nursing calf , who had certainly missed her .
A family reunited and an animal no longer in pain—that ’ s what Animal Rahat is all about !
Animal Rahat offers a safe haven and a new lease on life for animals , who deserve happiness , autonomy , and respect after so much suffering .
Animal Rahat helps thousands of animals in often desperate need in rural regions of India .
The group ’ s 10-acre sanctuary provides rescued and retired animals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sanctuary ’ s residents were retired from backbreaking work in the sugar trade , some came from cruel circuses , and many were rescued after illness , injury , or abandonment .
In addition to providing formerly abused animals with a home and high-quality veterinary care , the group ’ s animal protection initiatives include spaying and neutering dogs and cats , rescuing displaced wild animals , and rehabilitating them with the help of state forest departments .
You Can Help Animal Rahat Rescue More Lives by Sponsoring an Animal Whether you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ community dog , ” secure medical care for an injured bullock , or provide relief through one of many other sponsorship opportunities , your generosity will have an immediate impact for animals in need .

Limping in pain and scared, this mother cow didn’t know what to do to alleviate her agony.
That’s when PETA’s friends at the Indian animal protection organization Animal Rahat received a call. The cow had a metal wire embedded in her hoof. She was afraid of being caught and even tried to hide from humans among other cows.
But the folks from Animal Rahat remained patient and were eventually able to sedate her and gently remove the piece of sharp wire. After a little antiseptic and a few painkillers, the cow was feeling like herself again.
She was taken back to her nursing calf, who had certainly missed her. A family reunited and an animal no longer in pain—that’s what Animal Rahat is all about!
Animal Rahat offers a safe haven and a new lease on life for animals, who deserve happiness, autonomy, and respect after so much suffering.
Animal Rahat helps thousands of animals in often desperate need in rural regions of India. The group’s 10-acre sanctuary provides rescued and retired animals with a lifetime of care. Some of the sanctuary’s residents were retired from backbreaking work in the sugar trade, some came from cruel circuses, and many were rescued after illness, injury, or abandonment.
In addition to providing formerly abused animals with a home and high-quality veterinary care, the group’s animal protection initiatives include spaying and neutering dogs and cats, rescuing displaced wild animals, and rehabilitating them with the help of state forest departments.
You Can Help Animal Rahat Rescue More Lives by Sponsoring an Animal
Whether you’re helping to supply vaccinations for a “community dog,” secure medical care for an injured bullock, or provide relief through one of many other sponsorship opportunities, your generosity will have an immediate impact for animals in need.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-10--PETA Australia To Hand Out Free Toilet Paper in Sydney—Find Out Why

As Australians continue to panic-buy loo rolls amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak , PETA has come to the rescue by handing out free toilet paper in Sydney , each sheet printed with the message “ Wipe Out Animal-Borne Illness : Go Vegan.
” Amid the mass hysteria around toilet paper , PETA has a message that gets to the bottom of the problem : this outbreak probably wouldn ’ t have happened if people didn ’ t breed and eat animals .
Public health experts believe the virus originated at a fish market , where close contact between humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it easy for the virus to jump species .
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , more than 75 % of emerging diseases originate in animals .
In this way , COVID-19 is similar to other infamous coronaviruses , such as severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS ) and Middle East respiratory syndrome ( MERS ) .
COVID-19 , SARS , and MERS all spread from animals to humans .
Human demand for meat means that huge numbers of animals , such as chickens and pigs , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , transported in filthy lorries , and slaughtered on killing floors soaked with blood , urine , and other bodily fluids .
Pathogens flourish in such conditions , making factory farms a breeding ground for new strains of dangerous bacteria and viruses , which is why today , more than half the antibiotics used in Australia are fed to farmed animals .
According to the British National Health Service , agricultural antibiotic use is driving up levels of antibiotic resistance , leading to new “ superbugs ” , and Hans-Gerhard Wagner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ intensive industrial farming of livestock ” an “ opportunity for emerging disease ” .
With every flush , PETA ’ s toilet paper will remind users that the best thing that any of us can do to help animals raised for food , who are at risk of suffering from diseases borne from the horrific conditions in which they live , is to avoid meat like the plague .
So live and let animals live – and stop buying up all the toilet paper .

As Australians continue to panic-buy loo rolls amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak, PETA has come to the rescue by handing out free toilet paper in Sydney, each sheet printed with the message “Wipe Out Animal-Borne Illness: Go Vegan.”
A stack of PETA’s toilet paper – – provided by Toilet Face.
Amid the mass hysteria around toilet paper, PETA has a message that gets to the bottom of the problem: this outbreak probably wouldn’t have happened if people didn’t breed and eat animals.
Public health experts believe the virus originated at a fish market, where close contact between humans and live animals in a small space made it easy for the virus to jump species.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 75% of emerging diseases originate in animals. In this way, COVID-19 is similar to other infamous coronaviruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). COVID-19, SARS, and MERS all spread from animals to humans.
Human demand for meat means that huge numbers of animals, such as chickens and pigs, are crammed together on crowded, faeces-ridden farms, transported in filthy lorries, and slaughtered on killing floors soaked with blood, urine, and other bodily fluids. Pathogens flourish in such conditions, making factory farms a breeding ground for new strains of dangerous bacteria and viruses, which is why today, more than half the antibiotics used in Australia are fed to farmed animals. According to the British National Health Service, agricultural antibiotic use is driving up levels of antibiotic resistance, leading to new “superbugs”, and Hans-Gerhard Wagner of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has called the “intensive industrial farming of livestock” an “opportunity for emerging disease”.
With every flush, PETA’s toilet paper will remind users that the best thing that any of us can do to help animals raised for food, who are at risk of suffering from diseases borne from the horrific conditions in which they live, is to avoid meat like the plague.
So live and let animals live – and stop buying up all the toilet paper.
I'm Ready – Make Me Vegan!


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-09--In the Dead of Winter, PETA Helped Animals When No One Else Would

You ’ d never realize it from her thin , frail body with bones protruding below the skin , but Ole Lady was once used as a hunting dog .
Eventually , she was no longer wanted by her owner , who penned her in the backyard and forgot about her .
The sickly dog was forced to live in the mud , freezing rain , and snow as dangerous February weather hit North Carolina hard .
Thanks to the persistence of PETA ’ s field team , Ole Lady was given to us and now has a chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , February is a harsh , frightening month for countless other animal companions forced to live outdoors .
Our fieldworkers are no strangers to finding neglected dogs frozen to death inside abysmal pens or on chains .
We do what we can to help animals like these survive the season .
Many animals like Ole Lady live every single day chained or caged outside , alone in all weather extremes with essentially garbage as their only “ shelter.
” This February , our field team rescued Snowball here , who was serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now he ’ s up for adoption at the Peninsula SPCA .
Hank was also given a second chance at life after we found him chained outside during a snowstorm .
He was transferred to Bay Beagle Rescue .
This emaciated pit bull puppy named Christian is out of harm ’ s way and up for adoption at the Norfolk SPCA .
Lady and her newborn pups went from spending all their waking hours on the wet , frozen ground to being properly cared for in a foster home … … and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was given to PETA and transferred to the Norfolk SPCA .
Our doghouses may very well be the only gifts from genuinely caring people many dogs have ever received .
Beauty desperately needed a doghouse to replace a flimsy carrier that left her soaking wet whenever it rained .
Imagine trying to stay warm and survive in conditions like this .
… and so did Blade … … and Sharon did , too .
Our efforts to relieve suffering animals never slow down , even in the dead of winter .
PETA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , aggressive dogs from a rural property .
A chain was so deeply embedded in the neck of one of them that her skin had grown through the links .
PETA ’ s fieldworker persuaded the octogenarian owner to surrender all the dogs on the property and to agree not to get any more .
Pam and Sissy had once lived on the streets—until an elderly man caught them and locked them in a cramped , makeshift , muddy pen .
He had been feeding them there for over a year but no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thanks to the help of local law enforcement , we tracked him down , and he gave up both dogs .
Bull ‘ s owner flagged down our fieldworkers regarding his geriatric , chained pit bull .
The dog ’ s testicles were extremely swollen , and he was likely suffering from testicular cancer .
His owner requested that his suffering be ended .
Trouble ‘ s caretakers took her to PETA for end-of-life help after she developed a massive mammary tumor that ruptured and became infected .
We came to the rescue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided him with a peaceful exit .
Like every month , we were busy in February working to end animal homelessness .
During February , in celebration of National Spay Day , PETA offered even lower-cost spay/neuter surgeries , with Fridays dedicated to felines .
Thanks to the generous support of a donor who subsidized the cat clinics , we were able to spay or neuter 312 cats , all at no or very low cost to their owners .
That ’ s on top of the 1,260 dogs we sterilized !
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Animals When you see animal abuse , please try to stop it or at least report it .
Remember : Adopt , don ’ t shop—and have your animal companions spayed or neutered .
You could also volunteer at your local animal shelter or rescue center .
And ask local government officials how you can help get laws passed that would require animal care standards and ban tethering , breeding , and the selling of animals in pet shops .
Click on the link below to learn more and take action .

You’d never realize it from her thin, frail body with bones protruding below the skin, but Ole Lady was once used as a hunting dog. Eventually, she was no longer wanted by her owner, who penned her in the backyard and forgot about her. The sickly dog was forced to live in the mud, freezing rain, and snow as dangerous February weather hit North Carolina hard.
Thanks to the persistence of PETA’s field team, Ole Lady was given to us and now has a chance to find a loving indoor home. Even so, February is a harsh, frightening month for countless other animal companions forced to live outdoors. Our fieldworkers are no strangers to finding neglected dogs frozen to death inside abysmal pens or on chains. We do what we can to help animals like these survive the season.
Many animals like Ole Lady live every single day chained or caged outside, alone in all weather extremes with essentially garbage as their only “shelter.”
This February, our field team rescued Snowball here, who was serving a life sentence on a chain. Now he’s up for adoption at the Peninsula SPCA.
Hank was also given a second chance at life after we found him chained outside during a snowstorm. He was transferred to Bay Beagle Rescue.
This emaciated pit bull puppy named Christian is out of harm’s way and up for adoption at the Norfolk SPCA.
Lady and her newborn pups went from spending all their waking hours on the wet, frozen ground to being properly cared for in a foster home …
… and the same goes for this unnamed puppy, who was given to PETA and transferred to the Norfolk SPCA.
Our doghouses may very well be the only gifts from genuinely caring people many dogs have ever received.
Beauty desperately needed a doghouse to replace a flimsy carrier that left her soaking wet whenever it rained. Imagine trying to stay warm and survive in conditions like this.
Rain also received a new PETA doghouse …
… and so did Blade …
… and Sharon did, too.
Our efforts to relieve suffering animals never slow down, even in the dead of winter.
PETA was able to remove five totally unsocial, aggressive dogs from a rural property. A chain was so deeply embedded in the neck of one of them that her skin had grown through the links. PETA’s fieldworker persuaded the octogenarian owner to surrender all the dogs on the property and to agree not to get any more.
Pam and Sissy had once lived on the streets—until an elderly man caught them and locked them in a cramped, makeshift, muddy pen. He had been feeding them there for over a year but no longer even lived on the property. Thanks to the help of local law enforcement, we tracked him down, and he gave up both dogs.
Bull‘s owner flagged down our fieldworkers regarding his geriatric, chained pit bull. The dog’s testicles were extremely swollen, and he was likely suffering from testicular cancer. His owner requested that his suffering be ended.
Trouble‘s caretakers took her to PETA for end-of-life help after she developed a massive mammary tumor that ruptured and became infected.
We came to the rescue of this badly injured feral cat and provided him with a peaceful exit.
Like every month, we were busy in February working to end animal homelessness.
During February, in celebration of National Spay Day, PETA offered even lower-cost spay/neuter surgeries, with Fridays dedicated to felines. Thanks to the generous support of a donor who subsidized the cat clinics, we were able to spay or neuter 312 cats, all at no or very low cost to their owners. That’s on top of the 1,260 dogs we sterilized!
You, Too, Can Make a Difference for Animals
When you see animal abuse, please try to stop it or at least report it. Remember: Adopt, don’t shop—and have your animal companions spayed or neutered. You could also volunteer at your local animal shelter or rescue center. And ask local government officials how you can help get laws passed that would require animal care standards and ban tethering, breeding, and the selling of animals in pet shops. Click on the link below to learn more and take action.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-09--Victory! These Tethering Bills Will Prevent Dogs From Dying on Chains

Sentencing a dog to a solitary life on a chain is wrong , and PETA couldn ’ t be happier to see new tethering restrictions headed to the Virginia governor ’ s desk for approval .
After four legislative sessions , countless discussions , supportive editorials , hard-fought compromises , and bipartisan collaborations , the Virginia General Assembly has voted to pass two desperately needed animal protection bills that will prohibit tethering dogs outside during below-freezing temperatures , extreme heat , and hurricanes and other severe storms .
The bills also increase the minimum length of a tether from 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are chained up like bicycles , alone and uncared for , will now be spared frostbite , baking to death during Virginia ’ s stifling summers , and even drowning during severe weather—all circumstances that PETA ’ s fieldworkers have seen .
This session ’ s bills , Senate Bill 272 and House Bill 1552 , were championed by Sen. John Bell ( D-Loudoun ) and Del .
Mark Levine ( D-Alexandria ) , respectively .
SB 272 was cosponsored by Sen. Bill DeSteph ( R–Virginia Beach ) and Sen. Lionell Spruill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was cosponsored by Del .
Alfonso Lopez ( D-Arlington ) .
“ It has been an honor and a privilege to work on this legislation , ” said Sen. Bell .
“ I am thrilled to see this commonsense lifesaving measure finally pass both chambers and know it will spell relief for countless dogs in the Commonwealth.
” Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s administration supported the bills , which prohibit leaving dogs tethered outside when temperatures dip to 32 degrees or below or soar to 85 degrees or above .
The ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside during winter storms , tornadoes , severe thunderstorms , hurricanes , and tropical storms .
PETA thanks Sen. Bell and Del .
Levine for championing these lifesaving bills and making Virginia a kinder , safer place for animals .
Dogs chained outdoors around the clock spend their entire lives in the same few square feet of space , forced to eat and sleep near or even in their own waste , and are deprived of the social interaction that they crave as pack animals .
Dogs left outside have been found suffering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frostbite and exposure in the winter .
All year round , dogs become tangled in their chains and die when they ’ re unable to reach food , water , or shelter .
You , Too , Can Make a Difference for Animals PETA urges anyone who witnesses animal abuse to try to stop it or at least report it to local authorities .
If possible , witnesses should take pictures and note how long an animal is left without adequate food , water , or shelter .
Familiarize yourself with local tethering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they ’ re being enforced .
You can also ask local government officials how you can help get laws passed that would ban tethering .
Click on the button below to help support some of PETA ’ s lifesaving outreach efforts :

Sentencing a dog to a solitary life on a chain is wrong, and PETA couldn’t be happier to see the Virginia Governor approve new tethering restrictions.
https://twitter.com/peta/status/1251560627925135364
After four legislative sessions, countless discussions, supportive editorials, hard-fought compromises, and bipartisan collaborations, the Virginia General Assembly voted to pass two desperately needed animal protection bills that will prohibit tethering dogs outside during below-freezing temperatures, extreme heat, and hurricanes and other severe storms. The bills also increase the minimum length of a tether from 10 feet to 15 feet.
Many dogs who are chained up like bicycles, alone and uncared for, will now be spared frostbite, baking to death during Virginia’s stifling summers, and even drowning during severe weather—all circumstances that PETA’s fieldworkers have seen.
This session’s bills, Senate Bill 272 and House Bill 1552, were championed by Sen. John Bell (D-Loudoun) and Del. Mark Levine (D-Alexandria), respectively. SB 272 was cosponsored by Sen. Bill DeSteph (R–Virginia Beach) and Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chesapeake), and HB 1552 was cosponsored by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington).
“It has been an honor and a privilege to work on this legislation,” said Sen. Bell. “I am thrilled to see this commonsense lifesaving measure finally pass both chambers and know it will spell relief for countless dogs in the Commonwealth.”
Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration supported the bills, which prohibit leaving dogs tethered outside when temperatures dip to 32 degrees or below or soar to 85 degrees or above. The ban also prohibits people from leaving dogs tethered outside during winter storms, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tropical storms.
PETA thanks Sen. Bell and Del. Levine for championing these lifesaving bills and making Virginia a kinder, safer place for animals.
Dogs chained outdoors around the clock spend their entire lives in the same few square feet of space, forced to eat and sleep near or even in their own waste, and are deprived of the social interaction that they crave as pack animals. Dogs left outside have been found suffering from heatstroke in the summer and from frostbite and exposure in the winter. All year round, dogs become tangled in their chains and die when they’re unable to reach food, water, or shelter.
You, Too, Can Make a Difference for Animals
PETA urges anyone who witnesses animal abuse to try to stop it or at least report it to local authorities. If possible, witnesses should take pictures and note how long an animal is left without adequate food, water, or shelter.
Familiarize yourself with local tethering laws so that you’ll know whether they’re being enforced. You can also ask local government officials how you can help get laws passed that would ban tethering.
Click on the button below to help support some of PETA’s lifesaving outreach efforts:


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-08--UPDATE: 2020 Iditarod Leader’s Sled Catches on Fire?!

For some dogs forced to run the deadly sled race , the 2020 Iditarod truly just became a trial by fire .
According to a video released by Anchorage-area NBC affiliate KTUU , current Iditarod leader Jessie Royer accidentally set her own sled on fire sometime before reaching the checkpoint in Ruby , Alaska .
In the clip below , she admits that the fire burned a bag of protective snow booties that dogs wear on their feet along with other supplies .
It ’ s unclear from the interview if she has more booties for her dogs to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to arrive at the Ruby checkpoint , she was greeted with a five-course “ gourmet meal ” and a bottle of Dom Pérignon .
Meanwhile , her dogs were left outside in the cold , prohibited from taking shelter , waiting for whatever might come next .
Animals aren ’ t sporting equipment .
They aren ’ t tools , and they aren ’ t gourmet meals , either .
It ’ s speciesist to believe that some animals are servants , some are soup , and only a select few are worthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to run the Iditarod are no different physiologically from other dogs .
It ’ s only a matter of time before an exhausted musher makes another careless mistake that could cost a dog their life .
Despite initial reports that Nicolas Petit would scratch from the Iditarod after admitting that all the dogs on his team vomited and that three of them had frostbite , it now seems clear that he is forcing them all to continue .
In an interview , Petit described what had happened on the trail , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , oh , then another one is puking , ” and he admitted that he had had to slow down out of fear that one of the dogs would choke if he or she threw up while panting .
The leading cause of death for dogs on the Iditarod trail is aspiration pneumonia caused by inhaling their own vomit .
Petit also stated that one dog bit another one on his team in the face so severely that the wound nearly needed stitches .
Last year , Petit was a frontrunner in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running .
Illness , injury , or exhaustion likely prompted him to drop four dogs from his team .
This meant that the remaining 10 dogs were forced to work even harder—before they gave up altogether .
Everyone should be asking the Iditarod why these dogs are still being forced to run .
If Petit cared about these dogs , he wouldn ’ t be forcing them to run a 1,000-mile race in which they die , year after year .
He ’ s seen firsthand how devastating this race is for dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to torture them in this frozen hellscape .
Musher John Schandelmeier claims that he has no desire to force dogs to race or to finish the deadly Iditarod , which begs the question , “ Why not spare the dogs and yourself the misery and just drop out now ?
” Schandelmeier became a last-minute substitute for his wife , Zoya DeNure , who dropped out because of a heart condition .
He has already suffered frostbite on his hands and toes and has a lingering leg injury as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How can he be expected to care for the dogs during the next several hundred miles of dangerous trial ?
“ It ’ s not like , ‘ Oh , I want to run the Iditarod.
’ I ’ ve never had that desire .
It ’ s not something on my wish list , ” said Schandelmeier , according to Anchorage Daily News .
You may remember that DeNure came forward to report that some trainers in the industry kill “ hundreds on top of hundreds or more dogs ” because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the team .
She called out musher Dallas Seavey ’ s kennels as being among those that kill dogs who aren ’ t fast or fit enough and wrote , “ Sadly , this has been going on in the family ‘ dynasty ’ for decades.
” PETA urges Schandelmeier to drop out now .
In other developments , 79-year-old Jim Lanier scratched “ after concerns for his own well-being ” according to Iditarod officials .
He was originally banned from the Iditarod this year over concerns for his health and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race .
A petition from mushers and fans compelled the Iditarod to reverse his ban .
Apparently , none of these petitioners cared about the well-being of the dogs .
Lanier didn ’ t race last year , but in 2018 another musher came across him stuck and starting to freeze .
The 2020 Iditarod death race has begun .
For roughly two weeks , hundreds of dogs will be forced to run about 1,000 miles through biting winds , blinding snowstorms , and subzero temperatures .
The race will leave sensitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scarred , if they make it back at all .
During the opening ceremony , PETA activists wearing three-dimensional husky masks and holding signs proclaiming , “ 150+ Dogs Have Died .
Am I Next ?
” and “ Pull Your Own Damned Sled , ” occupied the starting line of the race to protest the event ’ s cruelty .
Less than a week before the race began , Alaska Airlines cut its decades-long ties with the Iditarod and decided that this year would be the last time it sponsors the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from nearly 100,000 PETA supporters and faced numerous PETA protests outside its corporate headquarters .
Just two days later , Baird Private Wealth Management confirmed that it has ended its sponsorship of the Iditarod as well , following a push from PETA .
We ’ ll continue to keep a close eye on the 2020 Iditarod , including what happens with the worst , most abusive mushers .
Continue to check back for updates .
Help End the Iditarod by Asking Companies to Pull Their Sponsorships Up to half of the dogs who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they ’ re too ill , injured , or exhausted to go on—and more than 150 dogs have died as a result of the race , not including countless others who were killed simply because they weren ’ t fast enough or who died while chained up during the off-season .
It ’ s no wonder major companies like Coca-Cola , Costco , Jack Daniel ’ s , State Farm , and Wells Fargo dropped their sponsorships : No one wants dog blood on their hands .
Demand that Chrysler and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Update: March 22, 2020
The 2020 Iditarod race is now officially over. The last musher, Kaci Murringer, crossed the finish line with exhausted dogs in tow this afternoon.
Below, you’ll find a roundup of horrific incidents that occurred during the 2020 Iditarod, which shows why PETA and concerned people everywhere are calling on this cruel event to end:
Nicolas Petit forced his dogs to continue the race even after all of them reportedly vomited, one was injured in a fight with another dog, and three got frostbite. He finally stopped racing at mile 852, likely because the dogs simply couldn’t run any farther.
Jessie Royer accidentally set her own sled on fire.
A senior dog used by Matthew Failor named Cool Cat developed twisted intestines and almost died of painful bloat.
Mitch Seavey—already the subject of a recent PETA undercover investigation that found that dogs were chained up, denied veterinary care, and even killed during training—reportedly threw a dog down and pinned her muzzle to the ground while on the race’s livestream. He previously admitted to beating, depriving, and neglecting dogs.
Thomas Waerner—who chains his dogs to wooden boxes in the snow at his kennel (a common practice for mushers)—left behind four dogs he pushed beyond the breaking point during the race.
Richie Diehl admitted that he dropped out of the race because five dogs had coughs and were showing signs of the beginning stages of pneumonia.
As of March 20, a dog named Betty used by John Schandelmeier was in critical condition with pneumonia and dogs Thunder and Charlotte weren’t eating, had lost a lot of weight, and had fevers, diarrhea, and persistent coughs.
Three mushers had to call for rescue after running dogs through part of the trail blocked by seawater overflow. Rescuers reportedly found the mushers in sleeping bags, and they required oxygen. But there was no word as to the conditions of the wet dogs in the below-freezing temperatures.
More than 220 dogs were pulled off the trail because of exhaustion, illness, injury, and other causes, leaving the rest to have to work even harder.
These instances are in addition to ongoing complaints surrounding the Iditarod, including the deaths of more than 150 dogs since the race began.
From vomiting and frostbitten dogs to exhaustion, illness, and injury so severe that dogs were removed from the trail, the 2020 Iditarod stayed the course in terms of cruelty. Dogs will suffer horribly as long as this despicable race continues, which is why PETA is calling for this year to be its last.
PETA notes that forcing dogs to run hundreds of miles through ice and snow for a musher’s prize purse is a form of speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. This event is truly a matter of life or death for dogs.
For full coverage of the events described above, continue reading.
Update: March 21, 2020
The deadly race continued on March 20 as three mushers called for rescue from the Alaska National Guard when they realized part of the trail was flooded. In the dark, they apparently couldn’t see that the trail was blocked by seawater overflow, so the dogs ran through part of it. Rescuers reportedly found the mushers in sleeping bags, and they required oxygen. But there was no word as to the conditions of the wet dogs in the below-freezing temperatures.
And that’s not the only dangerous spot dogs are in. Musher Nicolas Petit—who previously admitted that all the dogs he forced to race were vomiting, three had frostbite, and one almost needed stitches—scratched on March 17 when he sent out a distress call after getting lost in a blizzard. Eleven other mushers are stuck in Elim waiting out a “nasty storm,” yet Petit evidently still plans to force the dogs to run all the way to Nome.
And after musher Richie Diehl scratched on March 16, he said that one of the dogs he used, Magic, had a “slight cough.” But soon, veterinarians said that four more dogs had coughs and that they along with Magic were showing signs of the beginning stages of pneumonia.
Betty, one of the dogs musher John Schandelmeier used, was in critical condition as of March 20 with pneumonia and had been on oxygen for at least 36 hours at an emergency clinic. Schandelmeier’s wife, Zoya, said that two dogs they used, Thunder and Charlotte, had fevers, weren’t eating, and had “diarrhea, consistent coughing and noses full of slime.” When she picked them up, she said, “I didn’t even recognize my own team. [They] were so gaunt, still, weak and fading.”
It’s past time for the Iditarod to end. Stay tuned for more news from this year’s dangerous and deadly race, and help dogs today!
Update: March 18, 2020
Thomas Waerner’s ‘win’ of the 2020 Iditarod this morning is cause for reflection, not celebration.
With approximately 180 dogs pulled from the Iditarod so far because of exhaustion, injuries, and illnesses such as life-threatening bloat—and mushers forcing dogs to continue in the face of vomiting and frostbite, sled fires, and last-minute substitutions—no musher’s finish warrants a celebration. When Waerner left behind four dogs he pushed beyond the breaking point during the race and chains up dogs desperate for love and warmth next to wooden boxes in the snow, it’s clear why PETA’s call for this despicable race to end is spot on.
Anchorage Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Center, Alaska Airlines, and Baird Private Wealth Management have all cut ties with the race in just the last two weeks. They join Coca-Cola, Costco, Jack Daniel’s, Maxwell House, Nestlé, Panasonic, Pizza Hut, Rite Aid, Safeway, State Farm, and Wells Fargo in ending their support of the Iditarod after hearing from PETA, which is calling on Millennium Hotels and Resorts to follow suit.
Update: March 17, 2020
Mitch Seavey previously admitted to beating, depriving, and neglecting dogs and PETA’s exposé of his facility found dogs chained up and even killed during training, so new reports that he threw a dog down and pinned her muzzle to the ground during this week’s race come as no shock. Just as some hunters are appalled by canned hunts, Iditarod supporters seem to be speaking out against behavior that even they deem to be cruel—and if this insider’s allegations are true, Seavey should face a police investigation and be banned from racing. Regardless, it is time for the cruel Iditarod to be relegated to the history books.
Update: March 16, 2020
Victory! Nine days into the 2020 Iditarod, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) confirmed that its Anchorage dealership will finally cut ties with the Alaskan dogsled death race.
Following a massive PETA campaign, Anchorage Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Center—an independently owned FCA dealership that has sponsored the Iditarod since 2007—will drop its support of the race after this year’s event.
In early March, longtime Iditarod sponsor Alaska Airlines cut ties with the cruel, deadly race, followed by Baird Private Wealth Management just two days later. They join Coca-Cola, Costco, Jack Daniel’s, Maxwell House, Nestlé, Panasonic, Pizza Hut, Rite Aid, Safeway, State Farm, and Wells Fargo in ending their support of the Iditarod after hearing from PETA.
But our work isn’t done yet. Dogs are still suffering. Keep reading to learn more about this year’s race and find out how you can take action to help them today.
Update: March 15, 2020
2020 Iditarod musher Matthew Failor is facing heat after one of the dogs he uses, Cool Cat, nearly died from a painful condition called bloat. Failor forced this senior dog to run hard, and she developed twisted intestines and almost died. Instead of staying with her while she recovered, he kept right on racing for the cash prize.
Unsurprisingly, Failor appears to keep the dogs at his facility chained to boxes, a practice previously revealed in PETA’s exposé of former Iditarod champion mushers’ facilities.
Update: March 14, 2020
For some dogs forced to run the deadly sled race, the 2020 Iditarod truly just became a trial by fire. According to a video released by Anchorage-area NBC affiliate KTUU, current Iditarod leader Jessie Royer accidentally set her own sled on fire sometime before reaching the checkpoint in Ruby, Alaska. In the clip below, she admits that the fire burned a bag of protective snow booties that dogs wear on their feet along with other supplies. It’s unclear from the interview if she has more booties for her dogs to wear.
When Royer became the first musher to arrive at the Ruby checkpoint, she was greeted with a five-course “gourmet meal” and a bottle of Dom Pérignon. Meanwhile, her dogs were left outside in the cold, prohibited from taking shelter, waiting for whatever might come next.
Animals aren’t sporting equipment. They aren’t tools, and they aren’t gourmet meals, either. It’s speciesist to believe that some animals are servants, some are soup, and only a select few are worthy of our consideration and empathy. Dogs forced to run the Iditarod are no different physiologically from other dogs.
It’s only a matter of time before an exhausted musher makes another careless mistake that could cost a dog their life.
Update: March 12, 2020
Despite initial reports that Nicolas Petit would scratch from the Iditarod after admitting that all the dogs on his team vomited and that three of them had frostbite, it now seems clear that he is forcing them all to continue.
In an interview, Petit described what had happened on the trail, saying, “Oh, another one pukes, oh, then another one is puking,” and he admitted that he had had to slow down out of fear that one of the dogs would choke if he or she threw up while panting. The leading cause of death for dogs on the Iditarod trail is aspiration pneumonia caused by inhaling their own vomit.
Petit also stated that one dog bit another one on his team in the face so severely that the wound nearly needed stitches.
Last year, Petit was a frontrunner in the race until his dogs refused to continue running. Illness, injury, or exhaustion likely prompted him to drop four dogs from his team. This meant that the remaining 10 dogs were forced to work even harder—before they gave up altogether.
Everyone should be asking the Iditarod why these dogs are still being forced to run. If Petit cared about these dogs, he wouldn’t be forcing them to run a 1,000-mile race in which they die, year after year. He’s seen firsthand how devastating this race is for dogs, yet for some reason, he continues to torture them in this frozen hellscape.
Update: March 12, 2020
Musher John Schandelmeier claims that he has no desire to force dogs to race or to finish the deadly Iditarod, which begs the question, “Why not spare the dogs and yourself the misery and just drop out now?”
Schandelmeier became a last-minute substitute for his wife, Zoya DeNure, who dropped out because of a heart condition. He has already suffered frostbite on his hands and toes and has a lingering leg injury as a result of a bacterial infection from last year. How can he be expected to care for the dogs during the next several hundred miles of dangerous trial?
“It’s not like, ‘Oh, I want to run the Iditarod.’ I’ve never had that desire. It’s not something on my wish list,” said Schandelmeier, according to Anchorage Daily News.
You may remember that DeNure came forward to report that some trainers in the industry kill “hundreds on top of hundreds or more dogs” because they don’t run fast enough to make the team. She called out musher Dallas Seavey’s kennels as being among those that kill dogs who aren’t fast or fit enough and wrote, “Sadly, this has been going on in the family ‘dynasty’ for decades.”
PETA urges Schandelmeier to drop out now.
In other developments, 79-year-old Jim Lanier scratched “after concerns for his own well-being” according to Iditarod officials. He was originally banned from the Iditarod this year over concerns for his health and his ability to care for his dogs during the race. A petition from mushers and fans compelled the Iditarod to reverse his ban. Apparently, none of these petitioners cared about the well-being of the dogs. Lanier didn’t race last year, but in 2018 another musher came across him stuck and starting to freeze.
Another musher, Tom Knolmayer, suffered frostbite in his eyes as temperatures on the trail dropped to -30 degrees. While Knolmayer gets to sleep indoors at the checkpoints, the dogs are forced to sleep outside in these subzero temperatures. Knolmayer’s vision is likely obscured which puts him and the dogs he’s forcing to run at risk.
Originally published March 7, 2020:
The 2020 Iditarod death race has begun. For roughly two weeks, hundreds of dogs will be forced to run about 1,000 miles through biting winds, blinding snowstorms, and subzero temperatures. The race will leave sensitive dogs bloodied, sick, and forever scarred, if they make it back at all.
During the opening ceremony, PETA activists wearing three-dimensional husky masks and holding signs proclaiming, “150+ Dogs Have Died. Am I Next?” and “Pull Your Own Damned Sled,” occupied the starting line of the race to protest the event’s cruelty.
Less than a week before the race began, Alaska Airlines cut its decades-long ties with the Iditarod and decided that this year would be the last time it sponsors the event. This comes after the airline heard from nearly 100,000 PETA supporters and faced numerous PETA protests outside its corporate headquarters. Just two days later, Baird Private Wealth Management confirmed that it has ended its sponsorship of the Iditarod as well, following a push from PETA.
https://business.facebook.com/official.peta/videos/188844259079345/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBFQqDoBZHNnIUW7hZ2GbMkhqpCAmf5cWUwB3oLqC8gjzZknPgccSUCYij7a6ij2XieSr7ZkYtfcHa5oPYOJuDR3Omj3erUU0WcrQ9emP74EOA6zTE226l2UNBXBzOqCQxmtmU8klMeY1XCcZE4LsiC2xuvz1QXdQqCBETu3cYbxcCnb7Ms65XbxzUcNxOtAp5aOEks-eUcGKFp8ZIjsxtPcP1L2NsoWK0iis_x-jtXIJq6q3actGkRcOblcy1WguDLLZBHQrSO0A38oRsyBz04EVsruFVj0IcxdX7lSYFIyQBrmC554bthoCiyDdtrWyC1KHa9bz8joRgYgjBBos15&__tn__=-R
We’ll continue to keep a close eye on the 2020 Iditarod, including what happens with the worst, most abusive mushers. Continue to check back for updates.
Help End the Iditarod by Asking Companies to Pull Their Sponsorships
Up to half of the dogs who start the race don’t finish because they’re too ill, injured, or exhausted to go on—and more than 150 dogs have died as a result of the race, not including countless others who were killed simply because they weren’t fast enough or who died while chained up during the off-season.
It’s no wonder major companies like Coca-Cola, Costco, Jack Daniel’s, State Farm, and Wells Fargo dropped their sponsorships: No one wants dog blood on their hands.
Demand that companies stop sponsoring the cruel Iditarod race:


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-06--Were Baby Chickens’ Legs Cut Off for Your Easter Eggs?

As Easter approaches , pictures of sweet , fluffy baby chickens and decorated Easter eggs will dominate our newsfeeds .
But if people saw what chicks in the egg industry actually endure , they ’ d be shell-shocked .
A mother hen bonds with her chicks while they ’ re still inside their shells .
Chickens have well-developed language skills that include dozens of types of vocalizations , and mothers start teaching them to their young even before they hatch .
Hens cluck softly while sitting on the eggs , and the babies soon start responding .
Perhaps hens trapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is all they ’ ll get : The bond will be broken as soon as their chicks hatch .
Hatcheries seek to maximize profits , and animals pay the price .
Since male chicks are useless to the egg industry , almost all of them are killed shortly after birth .
One of the most common methods ?
Throwing them into massive grinders called “ macerators ” and shredding them alive .
The Swiss government recently banned live shredding of baby chicks after a subcommittee determined the following : “ If the speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not uncommon to see chicks just with their legs cut but still alive .
… [ T ] he law on the protection of animals says : ‘ This law aims to protect the dignity and the welfare of the animal ’ .
It is reasonable to think that the fact of crushing a living animal does not respect this first article .
On the other hand , from an ethical point of view , one can wonder whether the act of killing a chick for the sole reason that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laying hens is acceptable .
This tendency to breed only for eggs or for meat transforms the animal into a simple object of production and leads to absurdities such as the grinding of live male chicks , an action unworthy of human intelligence.
” France is also banning live shredding of chicks by the end of 2021 .
It ’ s great progress , but male chicks born into the egg industry in both countries will still be killed by carbon dioxide gas , and live shredding persists in the U.S. and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egg company that exists in the U.S. today relies on killing male chicks , even those that market their eggs as “ cage-free , ” “ free-range , ” “ organic , ” “ humanely raised , ” or “ pasture-raised ” or use other kind-sounding euphemisms .
Nellie ’ s Free Range Eggs admits this on its website : “ [ G ] iven that there is no viable market for the male chicks , the hatcheries euthanize them .
… We do not have control over which practice they use and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We wish there was an alternative , but there currently are no hatcheries available to us that produce chicks without male chick culling.
” But there is an alternative .
We don ’ t have to kill baby chicks—or any other animals .
Check out PETA ’ s list of humane , dyeable Easter eggs and our roundup of the many products that you can use in place of eggs in recipes .
We can also connect you for free with one of our vegan mentors who can help provide animal-friendly solutions to @ @ @ @ @

As Easter approaches, pictures of sweet, fluffy baby chickens and decorated Easter eggs will dominate our newsfeeds. But if people saw what chicks in the egg industry actually endure, they’d be shell-shocked.
A mother hen bonds with her chicks while they’re still inside their shells. Chickens have well-developed language skills that include dozens of types of vocalizations, and mothers start teaching them to their young even before they hatch. Hens cluck softly while sitting on the eggs, and the babies soon start responding. Perhaps hens trapped in the egg industry know that this is all they’ll get: The bond will be broken as soon as their chicks hatch.
Hatcheries seek to maximize profits, and animals pay the price. Since male chicks are useless to the egg industry, almost all of them are killed shortly after birth. One of the most common methods? Throwing them into massive grinders called “macerators” and shredding them alive.
The Swiss government recently banned live shredding of baby chicks after a subcommittee determined the following:
“If the speed of the knives is incorrectly adjusted, it is not uncommon to see chicks just with their legs cut but still alive. … [T]he law on the protection of animals says: ‘This law aims to protect the dignity and the welfare of the animal’. It is reasonable to think that the fact of crushing a living animal does not respect this first article. On the other hand, from an ethical point of view, one can wonder whether the act of killing a chick for the sole reason that it is a male from a line of laying hens is acceptable. This tendency to breed only for eggs or for meat transforms the animal into a simple object of production and leads to absurdities such as the grinding of live male chicks, an action unworthy of human intelligence.”
France is also banning live shredding of chicks by the end of 2021. It’s great progress, but male chicks born into the egg industry in both countries will still be killed by carbon dioxide gas, and live shredding persists in the U.S. and other countries around the world.
Every commercial egg company that exists in the U.S. today relies on killing male chicks, even those that market their eggs as “cage-free,” “free-range,” “organic,” “humanely raised,” or “pasture-raised” or use other kind-sounding euphemisms. Nellie’s Free Range Eggs admits this on its website:
“[G]iven that there is no viable market for the male chicks, the hatcheries euthanize them. … We do not have control over which practice they use and it varies depending on the hatchery. We wish there was an alternative, but there currently are no hatcheries available to us that produce chicks without male chick culling.”
But there is an alternative. We don’t have to kill baby chicks—or any other animals. Check out PETA’s list of humane, dyeable Easter eggs and our roundup of the many products that you can use in place of eggs in recipes.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-06--It’s Not Too Late for Dogs Cannoli, Lucilla, and Varinia at Texas A&M

Peter Nghiem and his fellow experimenters at Texas A & M University ( TAMU ) have tormented and killed hundreds of dogs in useless canine muscular dystrophy experiments .
We have to get this laboratory shut down , and we have to get the dogs still imprisoned there out .
Meet Cannoli , Lucilla , and Varinia , and help PETA demand their freedom .
Cannoli was born into the dog hellhole at TAMU in September 2018 .
His father , Lunes , died in the lab under questionable circumstances that led PETA to file a complaint with the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate investigation .
Before his death , Lunes ’ sperm was routinely taken and used to inseminate female dogs , including Cannoli ’ s mother , Jan. To the disappointment of the experimenters , Cannoli was born without canine muscular dystrophy and didn ’ t carry the gene for it .
So while he was still just a puppy , he was used as a healthy control in experiments and subjected to what experimenters euphemistically call “ force measurements.
” Laboratory documents obtained by PETA don ’ t provide many details , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we believe that Cannoli was tied to a machine that painfully stretched and damaged his muscles and was then subjected to biopsies in his right leg .
In May 2019 , pro–animal-testing group Homes for Animal Heroes listed Cannoli on its website as being available for adoption .
But the group didn ’ t place him in a home .
Instead , in a move that is outrageous even by TAMU ’ s standards , the school betrayed him by moving him to a toxicology laboratory to be used in more crude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PETA fired off a letter to TAMU administrators asking what ’ s happened to him , but we ’ ve received no answer .
Sisters Lucilla and Varinia were another disappointment to experimenters .
They were also bred to have canine muscular dystrophy but , like Cannoli , were born without it .
At birth , their third sister was gasping and struggling to breathe and was killed at just a day old .
She was never even given a name .
Lucilla and Varinia do carry the muscular dystrophy gene , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to experimenters : They could be used as breeding machines .
At 3 months old , both pups were already suffering from intestinal parasites , hair loss , and lesions or scabs on their ears .
Varinia grew painfully thin , and Lucilla developed a benign mammary tumor , which experimenters believe was caused by a false pregnancy .
Over the past nine years , these beautiful German shorthair pointers have likely been subjected to painful and invasive artificial insemination dozens of times and have probably given birth to multiple litters of puppies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ve been advertised as being available for adoption , and we need to make sure they do get good homes .
We have good reason to worry about Varinia and Lucilla .
When Pamela Anderson recently offered to adopt all the dogs in this laboratory her generous offer was met with silence from TAMU .
In nearly 40 years , these kinds of abusive and deadly experiments have failed to produce even one single treatment that reverses symptoms of muscular dystrophy in humans .
They ’ ve continued for the sake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a handful of published papers .
Humans and dogs have a bond that goes back centuries .
We constantly see news reports of dogs who have saved their guardians from fires , drowning , and more .
The first blind Appalachian Trail thru-hiker finished the trail with the help of his canine companion .
A bloodhound ’ s sense of smell is so distinguished that it can be admitted as evidence in court cases , helping to put criminals behind bars .
George Lucas created the Ewoks in Star Wars based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TAMU dog lab opponent—Paul McCartney added a frequency into The Beatles ’ song “ A Day in the Life ” that only dogs are able to hear .
Everyone who has shared his or her life with a dog knows that these brilliant , thoughtful animals are fiercely devoted to their families .
The experimenters at TAMU are betraying “ man ’ s best friend.
” It ’ s time for Cannoli , Lucilla , Varinia , and all the other dogs still trapped at the school to be given a chance at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining years enjoying the kind of life that every dog deserves .
Join physicians , scientists , celebrities , muscular dystrophy patients , and animal advocates around the globe and demand freedom for these dogs right now : Urge TAMU to Release These Dogs Into Good Homes

Update: September 22, 2020
You did it! We asked you to call and e-mail and demand that two healthy dogs who have spent nine years inside canine muscular dystrophy laboratories finally be given a chance to live in a home, and Texas A&M University (TAMU) has listened! Records just obtained by PETA show that Lucilla and Varinia were adopted. Another dog, named Cheddar, has also been placed in a home. The documents indicate that there are just 25 dogs remaining in the infamous laboratory. However, a dog named Jambi is missing from the records that we’ve received, so we’re questioning TAMU about that. We won’t leave any dog behind.
PETA has offered to take all the dogs still imprisoned by TAMU. Please ask it to release them now by taking action below:
Peter Nghiem and his fellow experimenters at Texas A&M University (TAMU) have tormented and killed hundreds of dogs in useless canine muscular dystrophy experiments. We have to get this laboratory shut down, and we have to get the dogs still imprisoned there out. Meet Cannoli, Lucilla, and Varinia, and help PETA demand their freedom.
Cannoli
Cannoli was born into the dog hellhole at TAMU in September 2018. His father, Lunes, died in the lab under questionable circumstances that led PETA to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and call for an immediate investigation. Before his death, Lunes’ sperm was routinely taken and used to inseminate female dogs, including Cannoli’s mother, Jan. To the disappointment of the experimenters, Cannoli was born without canine muscular dystrophy and didn’t carry the gene for it. So while he was still just a puppy, he was used as a healthy control in experiments and subjected to what experimenters euphemistically call “force measurements.”
Laboratory documents obtained by PETA don’t provide many details, but based on the nature of the experiments, we believe that Cannoli was tied to a machine that painfully stretched and damaged his muscles and was then subjected to biopsies in his right leg.
In May 2019, pro–animal-testing group Homes for Animal Heroes listed Cannoli on its website as being available for adoption. But the group didn’t place him in a home. Instead, in a move that is outrageous even by TAMU’s standards, the school betrayed him by moving him to a toxicology laboratory to be used in more crude experiments and most likely eventually killed. PETA fired off a letter to TAMU administrators asking what’s happened to him, but we’ve received no answer.
Lucilla and Varinia
Sisters Lucilla and Varinia were another disappointment to experimenters. They were also bred to have canine muscular dystrophy but, like Cannoli, were born without it. At birth, their third sister was gasping and struggling to breathe and was killed at just a day old. She was never even given a name. Lucilla and Varinia do carry the muscular dystrophy gene, however, so they were of some value to experimenters: They could be used as breeding machines.
At 3 months old, both pups were already suffering from intestinal parasites, hair loss, and lesions or scabs on their ears. Varinia grew painfully thin, and Lucilla developed a benign mammary tumor, which experimenters believe was caused by a false pregnancy.
Over the past nine years, these beautiful German shorthair pointers have likely been subjected to painful and invasive artificial insemination dozens of times and have probably given birth to multiple litters of puppies used as laboratory equipment by experimenters.
They’ve been advertised as being available for adoption, and we need to make sure they do get good homes. We have good reason to worry about Varinia and Lucilla. When Pamela Anderson recently offered to adopt all the dogs in this laboratory her generous offer was met with silence from TAMU.
In nearly 40 years, these kinds of abusive and deadly experiments have failed to produce even one single treatment that reverses symptoms of muscular dystrophy in humans. They’ve continued for the sake of a few experimenters’ academic careers and a handful of published papers.
Humans and dogs have a bond that goes back centuries. We constantly see news reports of dogs who have saved their guardians from fires, drowning, and more. The first blind Appalachian Trail thru-hiker finished the trail with the help of his canine companion. A bloodhound’s sense of smell is so distinguished that it can be admitted as evidence in court cases, helping to put criminals behind bars. George Lucas created the Ewoks in Star Wars based on his dog. Devoted dog guardian—and outspoken TAMU dog lab opponent—Paul McCartney added a frequency into The Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life” that only dogs are able to hear. Everyone who has shared his or her life with a dog knows that these brilliant, thoughtful animals are fiercely devoted to their families. The experimenters at TAMU are betraying “man’s best friend.”
It’s time for Cannoli, Lucilla, Varinia, and all the other dogs still trapped at the school to be given a chance at adoption and an opportunity to spend their remaining years enjoying the kind of life that every dog deserves.
Join physicians, scientists, celebrities, muscular dystrophy patients, and animal advocates around the globe and demand freedom for these dogs right now:


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-05--As Taiji Slaughter Closes, How Many Dolphins Were Killed or Kidnapped?

PETA ’ s friends at Dolphin Project report that 740 dolphins were either killed or taken captive in this year ’ s annual slaughter in Taiji , Japan .
For six months , fishing vessels sailed out of Taiji , hunted down pods of wild dolphins , surrounded them , and drove them back toward land and the infamous killing cove .
Many more dolphins likely died in the process .
In the cove , dolphin hunters snared the animals with nets and dragged them to shore for the selection process .
Dolphin trainers work with them to help choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sold to marine parks and “ swim with dolphins ” encounters .
A metal rod is rammed down the spines of others , and they die of hemorrhaging or suffocation in full view of their friends and family members .
Their flesh is then sold as meat .
Why ?
So human tourists can pet dolphins and take pictures with them .
The captive-dolphin industry , which rakes in big bucks , supports the Taiji dolphin slaughter .
When humans stop paying to see sick , depressed dolphins performing stupid tricks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or hauling humans around , the slaughter will no longer be profitable .
Dolphins ’ brains are much larger than those of humans .
( Many would argue their hearts are , too . )
These brilliant animals use complex echolocation to navigate the vast ocean , and several species swim up to 60 miles a day .
They have highly developed communication skills , and it ’ s believed that individuals respond to the sound of a signature whistle the same way humans respond to the sound of their names .
Forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our entertainment is moral bankruptcy .
If you care about dolphins , please don ’ t pay to see them in captivity .
PETA offers a list of dolphin-friendly travel options on our website .
Take action for the ones who have been torn away from their homes and families , deprived of everything that ’ s natural and important to them , and shoved into cramped tanks for humans ’ fleeting amusement .
Tell Expedia to End ‘ Swim With Dolphins ’ Ticket Sales Note : A PETA staffer captured each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2013 .

PETA’s friends at Dolphin Project report that 740 dolphins were either killed or taken captive in this year’s annual slaughter in Taiji, Japan. For six months, fishing vessels sailed out of Taiji, hunted down pods of wild dolphins, surrounded them, and drove them back toward land and the infamous killing cove. Many more dolphins likely died in the process.
In the cove, dolphin hunters snared the animals with nets and dragged them to shore for the selection process. Dolphin trainers work with them to help choose the most beautiful ones—the ones who will be sold to marine parks and “swim with dolphins” encounters.
A metal rod is rammed down the spines of others, and they die of hemorrhaging or suffocation in full view of their friends and family members. Their flesh is then sold as meat.
Dolphin Project’s Ric O’Barry stated:
“[W]e witnessed dolphins chased, injured, manhandled, run-over by skiffs, dragged, drowned, taken captive and slaughtered. Entire pods of dolphins were decimated, from the very young to the very old.”
Why? So human tourists can pet dolphins and take pictures with them.
The captive-dolphin industry, which rakes in big bucks, supports the Taiji dolphin slaughter. When humans stop paying to see sick, depressed dolphins performing stupid tricks, swimming in circles in cramped tanks, or hauling humans around, the slaughter will no longer be profitable.
Dolphins deserve better.
Dolphins’ brains are much larger than those of humans. (Many would argue their hearts are, too.) These brilliant animals use complex echolocation to navigate the vast ocean, and several species swim up to 60 miles a day. They have highly developed communication skills, and it’s believed that individuals respond to the sound of a signature whistle the same way humans respond to the sound of their names. Forcing these brilliant animals to live inside cages for our entertainment is moral bankruptcy.
Let’s end the dolphin slaughter.
If you care about dolphins, please don’t pay to see them in captivity. PETA offers a list of dolphin-friendly travel options on our website. Take action for the ones who have been torn away from their homes and families, deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them, and shoved into cramped tanks for humans’ fleeting amusement.
Note: A PETA staffer captured each of these images of the killing cove in 2013.


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-04--Training or Animal Abuse? U.S. Marines Behead Cobras, Drink Their Blood

Jungles are full of fruits and other nutritious , edible plants—so why are U.S. Marines beheading snakes , guzzling their blood , and calling it survival “ training ” ?
This ☝ is what went on in the Thai wilderness at the annual joint military exercise known as Cobra Gold , and we ’ re urging the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps , Gen. David H. Berger , not to exploit animals for “ survival training ” again .
Today , we fired off an urgent letter to Berger asking him to end the cruel , crude use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food procurement exercises and to use widely available non-animal training methods instead .
Included in their Cobra Gold “ training , ” U.S. Marines reportedly kill chickens with their bare hands , skin and eat live geckos , consume live scorpions and tarantulas , and decapitate cobras and drink their blood .
The scenes are almost frat party–esque , with some Marines celebrating and cheering one another on .
Others apparently whipped out their phones to record the killings .
According to reports , Cobra Gold attendees were also trained to use jungle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize edible plants .
They should have stuck to this kind of humane “ how to live off the land ” training .
No one needed to die for U.S. and Thai forces to strengthen their alliance .
In 2016 , after PETA exposed the apparent beating , killing , skinning , dismembering , and cooking of rabbits for “ survival sustenance training ” by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy , thousands of people joined us in urging the USAFA to end this practice .
In 2011 , the Marine Corps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of live animals in its survival training courses following discussions with PETA .
And nearly three decades ago , the U.S. Army ’ s Dugway Proving Ground canceled a survival skills training course using animals after PETA asked then–Defense Secretary Les Aspin to intervene .
There ’ s an abundance of training options that don ’ t harm any animals , including those in the book Primitive Wilderness Skills , Applied & Advanced , in which the authors—having themselves trained U.S. Army Survival Evasion Resistance Escape ( SERE ) instructors—explain how to obtain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already using virtual reality to prepare Air Force pilots for worst-case scenarios , and interactive video games that have food procurement components are now on the market .
The video series Prepared to Survive , which is hosted by Gretchen Cordy ( a former Air Force survival instructor who appeared on the CBS show Survivor ) , also demonstrates how to survive in nature without killing and eating animals .
Clearly , there are precedents for troops to learn food procurement survival skills without having to use live animals in abhorrent training drills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Marines to stop using live animals in their survival training exercises : Urge U.S. Marines to Stop Beheading Cobras and Drinking Their Blood PETA participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , an affiliate advertising program designed to provide websites with a means to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com .

Update (March 2, 2023): A top Thai military official has confirmed to PETA that no animals will be killed during the 2023 Cobra Gold drill, a massive joint multinational military exercise that takes place in Thailand and is attended by the U.S. military. Our statement is below:
A top Thai official directly confirmed to PETA that for the third year running, no animals will be killed during Cobra Gold exercises, which are occurring right now in Thailand. It’s a welcome sign that this “frat party gone wrong” spectacle is now receiving the dishonorable discharge it deserves. This development follows PETA’s release of shocking video footage and our exposé showing that U.S. Marines were previously forced to kill chickens with their bare hands, skin and eat live geckos, consume live scorpions and tarantulas, and decapitate cobras and drink their blood. PETA is now calling out the U.S. Army for its shameful policy that explicitly permits formerly banned laboratory experiments involving the wounding of dogs, cats, marine animals, and primates with weapons and attempts to conceal this unethical practice as “classified” information. If the U.S. military can do right by animals in Thailand, it should also do right by them at home.
We hope the days of this outrageous spectacle are behind us, and we’ll keep a watchful eye on the exercise to ensure that the cruelty doesn’t resume.
Update (February 10, 2022):
PETA has confirmed that no animals will be killed this year in Cobra Gold 2022, a joint multinational survival training exercise held in Thailand and attended by the U.S. military. Our statement is below:
We hope this good news signals that Cobra Gold training drills will remain cruelty-free. We’ll be monitoring the situation closely to ensure that they do.
Update: August 16, 2021
Wonderful news! Not a single animal was killed in survival training drills during Cobra Gold 2021, a massive joint multinational military exercise held in Thailand.
This victory comes after an intense campaign in which PETA and thousands of supporters urged the secretary of defense and the Marine Corps commandant to end the freakish behavior of Marines participating in the annual exercise, which included beheading snakes, killing chickens with their bare hands, eating live scorpions, and gutting live geckos. (More details are below.)
This should be the end of this frat-party-gone-wrong spectacle. PETA will be watching to ensure that that’s the case.
During a survival training exercise in Thailand, the few, the proud, the Marines turned into the freakish, the ridiculous, the embarrassing.
Shocking cell phone videos show these U.S. troops proudly drinking blood from beheaded cobras and chomping on the live bodies of tarantulas and scorpions while others feverishly cheered them on in what was more reminiscent of a frat party gone wrong than a military training drill.
The gruesome scenes—which included frenzied Marines killing chickens with their bare hands and gutting live geckos—were part of Cobra Gold 2020, a massive joint multinational military exercise held in Thailand. Thousands of U.S. troops participated in the 39th annual event, ostensibly to learn how to survive when trapped in a jungle.
PETA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Navy’s Office of the Naval Inspector General urging it to end the use of animals during Cobra Gold and to sanction any officer in the U.S. Marine Corps—which is administered by the Navy—who orders Marines to participate in this bloodlust killing of animals. In the complaint, we allege that the mutilation and killing of live animals cause extreme and unjustified suffering that would violate U.S. cruelty-to-animals laws. Therefore, these acts “bring discredit upon the armed forces,” and commissioned officers who order troops to engage in them have participated in “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman”—all in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Animal-free survival training in the jungle is something that Boy or Girl Scouts could figure out without reducing themselves to being participants in a cruel, carnival-like, toxic-masculinity sideshow. Jungle-survival experts agree that there’s no need to use animals in survival training:
“Plants don’t run away and plants don’t bite. The last thing you want to do is to put yourself in any kind of danger. So hunting snakes would be a really, really silly idea. I’ve been (in Thailand) for 28 years and I go into jungles all the time. I’ve seen maybe two or three cobras in 28 years. So when they are doing their Cobra Gold thing, they are bringing the animals to sacrifice.”
—Dave Williams, who teaches jungle survival courses in Thailand, as quoted in The Straits Times
If the “most prestigious branch of the armed forces,” according to Gallup polls, isn’t embarrassed enough for buying into a cruel and “silly idea,” then the Marines should at least be ashamed for putting public health at risk by continuing to eat live animals and drink beheaded snakes’ blood.
“All kinds of raw blood and meat are risky. You never know what contagions they have .… So what’s in the snake blood?”
—Nattaphol Suangam, a Thai snake catcher and former soldier who relocates snakes found in neighborhoods to jungle habitats, as quoted in The Straits Times
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a stark warning: “Approximately 75 percent of recently emerging infectious diseases affecting people began as diseases in animals.” This is a problem that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into tragic focus. Considering the danger that zoonotic diseases pose to the troops—and indeed to all humanity—it is imperative that military leaders end the use of live animals in Cobra Gold and instead use more effective, ethical, non-animal training methods that will better protect the health of troops and the public.
PETA fired off a letter to Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David H. Berger and a petition for rulemaking to Secretary of Defense Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, urging them to stop sullying Marines’ honor and endangering public health with these gruesome bloodlust drills. It’s time to end the use of live animals during Cobra Gold training, just as individual U.S. military installations have previously done in separate survival skills exercises.
PETA has sent a similar letter signed by 19 military veterans to Austin. In it, the Army, Air Force, Marine, and Navy veterans wrote the following:
Troops deserve the best training to survive in the outdoors, but Cobra Gold’s use of live animals resembles a vulgar hazing ritual and doesn’t deliver any practical survival skills. Rather, as the U.S. Marine Corps has admitted, the main objective of the activity has been to build camaraderie …. This goal could easily be achieved through other means that don’t harm or kill animals. We urge you to end Cobra Gold’s deadly, dishonorable, and dangerous use of live animals.
Ending the use of live animals during a military survival skills exercise has strong precedent.
In 2011, the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in California suspended its use of live animals in its survival training courses following discussions with PETA. Before that, the U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah canceled a survival skills training course using animals after PETA appealed to then–Defense Secretary Les Aspin to intervene.
There’s an abundance of survival training options that don’t harm any animals. Jungles have no lack of … wait for it… fruits and edible plants. In fact, a tweet posted by a Marine expeditionary unit stated that fruits and vegetables are “commonly found throughout the jungle” during the Cobra Gold training, which means that there is no need to kill animals and drink their blood in survival exercises. Read more:
In the book Primitive Wilderness Skills, Applied & Advanced, the authors—both U.S. Army Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE) instructors—explain how to obtain food in nature.
Gretchen Cordy, a former Air Force survival instructor who appeared on the CBS show Survivor, hosts an instructional wilderness survival video series titled Prepared to Survive.
SERE specialists are already using virtual reality to prepare Air Force pilots for worst-case scenarios.
Interactive video simulations that have food-procurement components abound.
Take Action: Urge Medical School to End Pig Mutilation Drills


petapeoplefortheethicaltreatmentofanimals--2020-03-03--Speculation Grows That Elephant Acts Are Over at Garden Bros. Circus

Breakthrough !
There ’ s been no formal announcement , but cruel acts featuring elephants are notably absent from the remainder of Garden Bros.
Circus ’ 2020 performance lineup .
This exciting development follows years of pressure from PETA—we ’ ve organized protests across the country against the use of wild animals in circus shows—and tens of thousands of compassionate people like you .
To further our efforts in behalf of animals exploited for entertainment , PETA previously released a whistleblower complaint detailing the routine cruelty that they endure at Garden Bros. We also persuaded venues and localities across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performing with animals .
How Garden Bros. Harms Elephants and Other Animals Elephants exploited by circuses are controlled with bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp hook on one end—and kept chained between performances .
Last year , Garden Bros. used two elephants , named Betty and Bo , supplied by Larry Carden—even though Betty is chronically lame , likely a result of prolonged chaining and confinement .
In 2018 , officials in Missouri charged handlers for holding elephants , camels , and ponies on hot asphalt without shade .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garden Bros. employee described frequently seeing elephants with blood dripping from behind their ears .
It was alleged that they were struck with a bullhook or shocked with a Taser .
This year , the circus used elephants at its first stop of the season—in Estero , Florida , on January 17 and 18—but hasn ’ t since , and its website now makes no mention of elephants .
“ Elephant acts are being banned across the country as people realize that these magnificent animals are subjected to perpetual domination , bullying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The future of circuses is animal-free , and it seems that Garden Bros. may finally have seen the writing on the wall , ” What You Can Do to Help Animals Suffering in the Circus Numerous venues and localities across the country—including in Florida , Georgia , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , New York , Virginia , and Washington , D.C.—have canceled Garden Bros. shows or barred the circus from performing with animals after hearing from conscientious members of the community .
This latest development for elephants suggests that Garden Bros. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be over , but our work isn ’ t done yet .
We need your help to make sure this move is permanent and to keep the pressure on this circus to go completely animal-free .
Click on the link below to take action for animals now .

Breakthrough! There’s been no formal announcement, but cruel acts featuring elephants are notably absent from the remainder of Garden Bros. Circus’ 2020 performance lineup. This exciting development follows years of pressure from PETA—we’ve organized protests across the country against the use of wild animals in circus shows—and tens of thousands of compassionate people like you. To further our efforts in behalf of animals exploited for entertainment, PETA previously released a whistleblower complaint detailing the routine cruelty that they endure at Garden Bros. We also persuaded venues and localities across the U.S. to bar the shady circus from performing with animals.
© iStock.com/Kyslynskyy
How Garden Bros. Harms Elephants and Other Animals
Elephants exploited by circuses are controlled with bullhooks—weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a sharp hook on one end—and kept chained between performances. Last year, Garden Bros. used two elephants, named Betty and Bo, supplied by Larry Carden—even though Betty is chronically lame, likely a result of prolonged chaining and confinement.
In 2018, officials in Missouri charged handlers for holding elephants, camels, and ponies on hot asphalt without shade. In a 2017 whistleblower complaint, a former Garden Bros. employee described frequently seeing elephants with blood dripping from behind their ears. It was alleged that they were struck with a bullhook or shocked with a Taser.
This year, the circus used elephants at its first stop of the season—in Estero, Florida, on January 17 and 18—but hasn’t since, and its website now makes no mention of elephants.
“Elephant acts are being banned across the country as people realize that these magnificent animals are subjected to perpetual domination, bullying, violence, and privation in traveling shows. The future of circuses is animal-free, and it seems that Garden Bros. may finally have seen the writing on the wall,” — PETA Foundation Deputy Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Rachel Mathews
What You Can Do to Help Animals Suffering in the Circus
Numerous venues and localities across the country—including in Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.—have canceled Garden Bros. shows or barred the circus from performing with animals after hearing from conscientious members of the community.
This latest development for elephants suggests that Garden Bros.’ days of abusing these animals may be over, but our work isn’t done yet. We need your help to make sure this move is permanent and to keep the pressure on this circus to go completely animal-free. Click on the link below to take action for animals now.