Written by PETA
On a hot Labor Day weekend, Los Angeles–area residents showed their warm hearts by turning out in droves to speak out against notorious elephant abuser Have Trunk Will Travel's (HTWT) elephant rides at the L.A. County Fair. Then, as the first demonstration was wrapping up, another wave of people came to protest, so fairgoers were treated to back-to-back demonstrations.
Standing outside a busy entrance and screening undercover footage that shows HTWT trainers as they strike and shock elephants, demonstrators received honks and waves of support from passing cars and handed out almost 3,000 leaflets to interested fairgoers. Because of the overwhelmingly positive response, chances are good that the elephants gave far fewer bullhook-prodded rides.
And we're not about to ease the pressure on HTWT or the L.A. County Fair—PETA has secured a demonstration spot near an entry gate to the fair for the rest of the month. As long as HTWT is trying to make a buck off elephant suffering, animal advocates will be out in force convincing fairgoers that their money is better spent on the Ferris wheel.
It's not too late for you to tell the L.A. County Fair to send cruelty to animals packing.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
As the L.A. County Fair opens this Saturday, notorious elephant-abusing company Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) is scheduled to be there, selling rides on elephants. There is still time for people to e-mail L.A. County Fair organizers and ask that they send HTWT packing.
If HTWT attends as scheduled, members of PETA and Animal Defenders International (ADI) will protest at the entrance to the fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon. The groups will screen the video footage that ADI obtained showing HTWT trainers striking elephants with sharp, metal-tipped bullhooks and shocking them with electric prods.
Although fair organizers have seen this footage and heard from countless people, including classic rock band Styx, asking them to bar HTWT from the fair, they have refused to do so. By allowing HTWT at the fair, organizers are not only supporting elephant abuse but also putting the public at risk. One of the elephants used by HTWT revolted at the Denver Zoo, throwing a trainer against a wall, knocking over a woman and her baby, and scattering crowds of visitors. Another elephant who came from HTWT trampled a handler at the L.A. Zoo, smashing his collarbone and bruising three ribs.
Help keep the pressure on the L.A. County Fair and remind the organizers that there is nothing festive about cruelty to animals.
Actor Seth Rogen has played freaks, geeks, and police, but in my opinion his recent "role" reading the children's book The Story of Ferdinand (commonly called Ferdinand the Bull) to a group at The Colburn School in Los Angeles was his best yet. This book is about a bull named Ferdinand who reasonably wants to smell the flowers instead of being stabbed to death in a bullfighting arena.
Of course, back in 1936 when the book was written, sensibilities were of the "kill 'em and hang 'em on the wall" variety, so author Munro Leaf didn't go into detail about how bulls who are used in bullfighting are beaten and sometimes have their horns shaved (to keep them off-balance) before they are let into the ring. Because this is a book for kids, Leaf also didn't mention that bulls are repeatedly stabbed with knives (called banderillas) until they are dizzy, weakened from blood loss, and suffering agonizing pain. Even though the goal is to kill the bulls, they are often still conscious when their ears and tails are cut off as trophies and they are dragged from the ring.
There's no question that bulls would rather be doing anything other than becoming victims of bullfights. Take a minute to speak up for bulls by signing this petition to end the Running of the Bulls.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
PETA's longtime friend and supporter, Bob Barker, along with some "Barker PETA Beauties," joined our own Ingrid E. Newkirk today to cut the ribbon on the start of renovations to our new Los Angeles office, aptly named—what else?—the Bob Barker Building.
Bob Barker donated $2.5 million to help us open our new location, and time after time after time, he has shown his unwavering support for animal protection. For decades, he influenced millions of people every day by ending each taping of The Price Is Right with his message to spay or neuter companion animals—a message that his successor, Drew Carey, also uses for his sign-off.
We're grateful to have Barker's continued support—and we're delighted to name PETA's new Los Angeles office in his honor.
Written by Karin Bennett
Eight raging wildfires have consumed more than 140,000 acres in California over the past week. While thousands of people have been evacuated, crews of brave firefighters have headed in to battle the flames.
As a way of thanking the courageous firefighters for all their hard work, PETA sent a contingent of "cuties" to California with delicious, dairy-free Tofutti Cuties frozen desserts.
If only the fires would disappear as quickly as our tasty treats.
Written by Liz Graffeo
Everyone seemed to have something to say about our recent billboards in Jacksonville, Florida. Some people loved one or both, while others loathed the first and were bored by the second. But regardless of where you stood, please help us decide what billboard should go up next.
We've narrowed the options down to four billboards that make the point that a vegetarian diet is brain food. First, read this and then please vote for your favorite billboard, invent your own, or heck, even tell us not to run any of them. It's in your hands.
A recent article in New Scientist reveals that researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles have discovered that as people age, the bigger their body mass, on average, the smaller their brain, "with the frontal and temporal lobes - important for planning and memory, respectively - particularly affected."
No wonder Grandpa can't remember where he put that "Double Down."
Since a vegan diet (no fatty, cheesy crap) is almost guaranteed to make you slimmer, it can likely also increase your odds of staying sharp as you age. Our four billboards drive home the point that a pure vegetarian diet is a smart diet. Cast your votes here.
My dog, Charlie, loves to swim and goes nuts for the Crazy Daisy. But he won't go outside if it's raining. He plants his butt on the floor and refuses to budge—until I bring out the treats.
After all these years, I've think I've finally figured out why Charlie balks at walking in the rain. He can't bear the idea of being dried off with that old, faded beach towel.* It makes sense. After all, a distinguished dog like Charlie deserves a Soggy Dog towel, made just for dogs.
Actually, every dog deserves one—especially yours. Score one for your best friend by submitting the funniest caption for the photo below in the comments section.
We've got one to give away. The contest ends on September 16, 2009, and we'll choose the wining comment on September 18, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
*Sure, Charlie's really holding out for the cookies, but I'm still getting him the fancy towel.
A recent article in USA Today reveals why so many dairy-lovin' adults spend too much time in the loo, cutting the cheese.
According to the article, titled "Sixty Percent of Adults Can't Digest Milk,"
[P]eople who are lactose intolerant can't digest the main sugar—lactose—found in milk. In normal humans, the enzyme that does so—lactase—stops being produced when the person is between two and five years old. The undigested sugars end up in the colon, where they begin to ferment, producing gas that can cause cramping, bloating, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea.
In other words, Gouda is no good for you and Swiss is a digestive miss.
The article continues,
Being able to digest milk is so strange that scientists say we shouldn't really call lactose intolerance a disease, because that presumes it's abnormal. Instead, they call it lactase persistence, indicating what's really weird is the ability to continue to drink milk.
It's time for milk-drinking "weirdos" to get off the can and discover the delicious world of dairy alternatives. They are better than cheddar and nicer than ice cream—for human health and for cows and their calves.
As a result of budget slashes in Los Angeles, 15 fire trucks and six ambulances will be collecting dust instead of responding to emergencies. That news got our wheels turning.
Faster than a team of strapping firemen could slide down a pole and hop into their non-decomissioned truck, we had an idea. PETA's sexy "nurse" should grace the side of the one of the ambulances in our "Bypass Heart Surgery—Go Vegan" ad, which would be seen all over Los Angeles.
The L.A. Fire Department gets money for the ad, an ambulance gets back on the road, and residents get the lifesaving message that a vegan diet can help prevent heart attacks—and even reverse existing heart disease. Everybody wins!
Oil's not the only thing they're changing at L.A. Jiffy Lubes. After learning that Ringling beats and whips animals behind the scenes (among other things), the prez of the chain's SoCal operations has promised us that the Jiffy Lubes in the greater Los Angeles area will no longer give away free Ringling tickets with the purchase of an oil change.
That's one way to stick it to those dip sticks at Ringling!
Written by Amy Elizabeth
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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