Written by PETA
Many people just don't realize how horrible glue traps are for mice, rats, and unintended victims such as birds and kittens—or that Lowe's refuses to stop selling these cruel devices. Well, PETA's "mouse" enlightened shoppers outside a Lowe's in Charlotte, North Carolina, yesterday—just in time for the company's annual meeting, which takes place today.
I bet the gal with phone in the photo above is tapping out an e-mail to Lowe's bigwigs. Or she could be reminding her Facebook friends to be nice to mice. Please cover all the bases by doing both. Small, sensitive animals thank you in advance.
Written by Karin Bennett
It's true: Dollar General cares—about its customers' concerns and about animals.
After we received complaints that Dollar General, which has thousands of stores across the U.S., was selling hideously cruel glue traps, we wrote to the bargain retailer. In our letter, we described how animals who get stuck on glue traps can suffer for days before finally dying of starvation or dehydration. Many victims of glue traps rip their skin from their own faces and bodies as they try to escape, and some resort to chewing off their own limbs while trying to free themselves. We also let the company know that there are plenty of humane ways to deal with mice and rats.
Dollar General responded to our letter by announcing that it will stop selling glue traps. Just like that. The company didn't hem and haw—officials simply made a compassionate decision.
Dollar General joins other large retailers, including Albertsons, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and Safeway, that have stopped selling glue traps after discussions with PETA. Please thank the company for its decision—and then ask home-improvement biggie baddie Lowe's to follow suit.
It's a hazy day here on the Right Coast. As I watch leaves fall and steam rise from my soy mocha, the mood is set for a lazy (yet highly skilled) meander through gossip rags for fun stuff. Here are my faves:
Thanks for stopping by! Catch you next time, and don't forget to hug all your vegetarian friends.
Written by Missy Lane
I bet it made your Monday to read how one determined woman helped countless small animals by convincing Gelson's to pull glue traps from its stores' shelves. (Really, how dang adorable is the mouse in that post? I could stare at her all day.)
Let us make your Friday too. Check out this year's ever-growing list of companies, businesses, and agencies that have pledged to not use gruesome glue traps ever again, all because of the hard work of PETA and our supporters:
And we're waiting for the final word from the following:
I'm sure there are many more establishments that we haven't heard about. Make PETA Files readers' week by leaving a comment below about any businesses you know that have sworn off glue traps.
First, it swore off Australian wool from lambs who have endured the cruel mulesing mutilation. Now, American Eagle Outfitters has taken another compassionate step that is sure to have mice pumping their tiny clenched paws in victory.
After learning that animals caught in glue traps die a slow, agonizing death by starvation—often after trying to gnaw off their own limbs in a vain attempt to free themselves—the ever-trendy, animal-friendly clothing chain has joined JPMorgan Chase in swearing off the use of glue traps in its stores.
Leave a comment below to congratulate American Eagle, then head on over to our Get Active page and let Lowe's know that it should follow AE's example and stop selling glue traps in its stores.
Written by Shawna Flavell
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winner of the shower radio is Corey Robben. Congratulations!
OK, I'll admit it: I sing in the shower. It's safer than dancing, and everyone knows that lathering up just isn't as much fun without a soundtrack.
Belting it out is much easier when you have accompaniment, so we're giving away one of these super-cute Bug Shower & Bath Radios for this week's "Win It" Wednesday. It's water-resistant, and more importantly (at least to your dog's sensitive ears), it will help you hit those high notes.
How do you win? What's your favorite animal-friendly band? Let us know in a comment below, and we'll pick the most rockin' answer to win the Bug Shower & Bath Radio. (Hint: You can find a bunch of PETA-friendly bands at peta2.com.)
The contest ends on June 17, 2009, and we'll choose the best comment as the winner on June 19, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!
Written by Lianne Turner
Phew! We have so many great protest pictures to share that we decided to hit you with them all at once. Brace yourselves:
Written by Alisa Mullins
A record-breaking 200,000 votes poured in for this year's Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door contest, and after four rounds of weeding out the hot from the super hot, we've finally selected the winners. As soon as we found out that Amber, the sexy photographer from Minnesota, and Monty, the globe-trotting filmmaker and artist from L.A., had won our contest, we just had to get their reactions. So here they are: The Sexiest Vegetarians of 2009, uncensored and off the hook.
Monty
So you've just been crowned Sexiest Vegetarian Boy Next Door. How does it feel?It feels GREAT! This campaign was such a wonderful experience for me because it created a unique way for me to engage my friends and family on animal rights/vegetarian issues. I am very grateful for the support, encouragement, and new vegetarians in the making!
Any big plans now that you have won this award? Yes, I plan to use this platform to reach out to people of color and help educate them on healthy eating, animal rights, and their personal roles in changing misconceptions within their communities.
Hufu, CloFu, or just plain tofu? I am going to stick with the tofu! It absorbs flavor very well and, though George Clooney's sweat may be desirable to some, I am fine with my tasty garlic-spinach-and-tofu dish that has my mouth salivating just thinking about it!
Fur-Hag of the Year versus Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door. Who wins and why? That is no contest! I do not have to wear fur to make myself look better or to feel better about myself. My hard work, dedication, and compassion drape me like a suit of armor and I cannot be touched by those who choose to wear fur.
What's the wildest thing you've ever done in the name of animal rights or vegetarianism?After being raised in a Southern Baptist home centered around the "soul food" tradition, one day, I stood up and announced to my family that I could no longer eat animals. I talked about the animal abuse, I explained the effects on the environment, I discussed the health benefits, and I played PETA's "Meet Your Meat" video. My culture is deeply rooted in meat consumption and to go against that is the wildest thing that I have done in the name of animal rights/vegetarianism. It was also the most rewarding.
Do you have a favorite cookbook or recipe?At the moment, my favorite recipe comes from my favorite restaurant here in Los Angeles—Cafe MUSE. Most of the menu is vegan options. Every meat-eater that I have taken there is in awe of how good and healthy their meal was. As a matter of fact, all of them have been back!
My favorite recipe is tofu grilled with garlic, soy sauce, and red onion, with fresh tomatoes, avocado, and mixed greens in a spinach wrap. YUM.
As a traveler, what's one place in the world you'd like to visit? Thailand. I was supposed to go last December, but my flight was cancelled for an extended period of time due to civil unrest. I am hoping to get there before the end of the year. I have plans to spend time at the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand, where I will shoot and produce a multi-media piece on the plight of the Asian elephant. Ultimately, one of my goals is to be able to travel all around the world doing this type of work.
Amber
So you've just been crowned Sexiest Vegetarian Girl Next Door. How does it feel?It feels amazing to be crowned The Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door! I am so happy and honored to be able to represent the vegetarian ladies this year.
Your husband was also a finalist in the competition. What was his reaction when he found out you'd won? He was thrilled! He knows how much I love being a vegetarian and love to spread the word about vegetarianism and animal compassion.
If you designed a vegetarian starter kit, what would you put in it? I would start with putting everything in a reusable cloth grocery bag, including the Real Food Daily cookbook, since they have so many amazing vegan recipes. I would also include statistics pertaining to animals, factory farming, and health for people to educate themselves with and use when others ask why they are trying this diet. I would put in samples or coupons of fake meat products, as well as a list of all the brands that make meat-replica foods. I would put in a quote or statistic from the Sexiest Celebrity Vegetarian and the Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door, and perhaps a helpful tip, to show them we all started somewhere.
How have you gotten sexier since going vegetarian? My body is slimmer and more toned, thanks to not eating any animal fats. I feel sexier and show off my physique more now. I also feel sexier knowing there is no guilt on my conscience or on my plate.
What's the wildest thing you've ever done in the name of animal rights or vegetarianism?The wildest thing I have done so far is protest at a Petland. I also made a shirt to wear to a 5K run on Thanksgiving morning that read on the front, with a photo of a turkey, "No animals died for my meal," and on the back, "Nice girls fake it: Wearing leather and fur kills animals." I got many looks that day and was proud!
Have your vegetarian ways influenced your friends and family? Yes! I have helped educate three friends on the vegetarian lifestyle. My friends are always asking how I stay in such good shape, and I tell them to cut the meat and dairy out of their diet and the weight will start coming off fast!
Did you know that the male winner of the contest this year is also a photographer? Bizarre. Why do you think that is? How cool! I did not know the male winner was also a photographer. Perhaps since we both see things with a closer, more critical eye, and know that taking 100 animals' lives a year isn't necessary to live and look good. Perhaps we both know how beautiful and amazing animals are, by being able to capture them on film.
Thanks for all of your wonderful comments on this Win It Wednesday. The winners of the humane mousetrap are Christina Eckhart, Ipstenu, and Jennifer Short. Congratulations!
It's almost spring, the time when a young mouse's fancy turns to thoughts of love. Next thing you know, you may start hearing the pitter-patter of little mouse feet on your attic floorboards. Now, we know you would never want to hurt one of these cute little guys, but we can understand if some of you don't want them setting up a love nest in your box of old LPs. That's why we're offering up three of our popular humane mousetraps for "Win It" Wednesday.
PETA's mousetraps are great because mice can be caught alive and unharmed and released outdoors. The same can't be said of glue traps, which we've been begging Lowe's for months to stop selling. It's like they don't care that animals caught in these traps can suffer for days before finally succumbing to starvation, dehydration, or suffocation.
How do you win? Post a comment with your thoughts on why Lowe's should stop selling glue traps. The three people who post the most persuasive answers will each win a humane mousetrap.
The contest ends on April 1, 2009, and we'll choose the three most persuasive comments as the winners on April 3, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Check back every Wednesday for new prizes. Good luck!
Lately, we've been stepping up our campaign to convince Lowe's to stop selling glue traps. In addition to our notorious "sexy mice" demos, we've designed a brand-new billboard, and today we're contacting officials in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Charlotte, North Carolina, to request prominent placement of the ad in their cities. We all know that the real villain here is Lowe's, but we hope that these billboards will educate the public about the cruelty of glue traps and convince people to use only humane methods of managing mice. Check out the billboard below:
Oh, and if you have any creative ideas about how we can target Lowe's next, leave a comment and let us know!
Written by Liz Graffeo
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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