Thanks to our supporters, PETA just brought home the trophy for Favorite Nonprofit Animal Organization in the 2012 Veggie Awards! The annual awards, presented by VegNews Magazine, celebrate "the very best of all things vegan."

What sets PETA supporters apart is that you are determined and committed in the quest for animal rights. When we let you know that someone is abusing animals, you e-mail the perps, demonstrate, and write and call the abuser demanding an end to the cruelty. You speak up, march with us, put on costumes, and even strip down—whatever it takes to make people pay attention to animal welfare issues. You proudly sport our shirts and bumper stickers, proclaiming to everyone that animals are not ours to use and abuse. You drive out in the middle of the night—or in the middle of a hurricane—to rescue animals in peril. And you donate your money to fund undercover investigations, literature, doghouses, spay-and-neuter surgeries, emergency animal rescues, and everything else that we do.

You are the reason that PETA can save as many animals as we do, so we thank VegNews and you. We are honored to share the award for Favorite Nonprofit Animal Organization with every one of you.

This past weekend's weather may have snowed in New Yorkers and sent Hawaiians running for the hills, but pouring rain in both Orlando and San Diego didn't slow down PETA demonstrators outside SeaWorld amusement parks. Armed with wellies and warnings, they delivered urgent messages about SeaWorld's ticking time bombs.

She's determined to reveal SeaWorld's checkered past.

Experts agree: Whales like Tilly, who grabbed and killed his trainer in front of horrified SeaWorld patrons last week, should not be crammed into tiny tanks and trained to perform tricks for their dinner. These marine mammals are 6 tons of frustration and misery, and it's really only a matter of time before tragedy strikes again. SeaWorld's cruelty to Tilly and other captive orcas is bad enough, but the corporation's refusal to stop cashing in on the whales is also irresponsible and dangerous.

As for me, I've only seen orcas once, and that was from deck of a ferry boat in Seattle. They were leaping out of the Puget Sound, and the whole scene took my breath away. Like anyone else who's ever spotted these magnificent animals living as nature intended, I know that their sad lives at SeaWorld is nothing like it.

Written by Karin Bennett

Thanksgiving is over and everyone is getting in the wintery, "Christmassy" spirit … but hey, don't forget about my favorite holiday of the year! Fur-Free Friday! While most people are hittin' the shops at 4 a.m. to dig through bargain bins and trample their neighbors to grab those $5 iPods, animal activists are going out of their way to remind holiday sale shoppers not to include fur on their shopping lists this year (or any year, for that matter).

We're working hard today to tell mallgoers that cruel, furry designers like Donna Karan are so out and that awesome, fur-free designers like Stella McCartney are so in.

Since I'm feeling extra faux happy today, I'd like to share with you some pictures of anti-fur street demonstrations from around the globe to get you in the Fur-Free Friday spirit. Enjoy and have a wonderful, safe, and cruelty-free holiday:

Written by Christine Doré

They've both been featured in killer PETA street demonstrations this month! Now, we're known for being clever, sexy, and interesting when it comes to our eye-catching demos, but in my opinion, the last few weeks have really taken the cake. Check it:

These hottie-boom-botties have teamed up at San Francisco's annual leather-fetish festival to remind people that you can still have the fetish without the flesh.

This devoted peta2 crowd got in the Halloween spirit this year by donning fake blood and zombie makeup to remind the rest of New York City that they'd rather be dead than eat at KFC.

This awesome activist removed her clothes and slapped on the tiger stripes to remind circusgoers that wild animals don't belong behind bars.

PETA Germany activists staged a naked die-in to draw public attention (as well as tons of German media attention) to their frustration with the European Union's support for the cruel bullfighting industry.

Our good pal Frieda the Sea Kitten laid out our ever-popular (not to mention massive) sea kitten quilt for aquarium attendees in Tampa to remind them that sea kittens are wonderful animals who shouldn't be held in captivity.

Written by Christine Doré

We've all heard the old saying "A picture is worth 1,000 words." But a picture of a zany, street-theater style demonstration is worth a zillion words (don't worry, I verified that figure on Wikipedia). PETA members, staff, interns, and activists have been hard at work as always, and I've collected a few snapshots of our peeps "takin' it to the streets." Seeing as how I'm pressed for time, I can't crank out the zillion words each of these photos deserves, but hopefully you'll be happy with the next 100 or so. Enjoy!

Here's PETA Senior VP Dan Mathews as one of our "Tax Meat" pigs at the Democratic National Convention this year. The officer next to him seems to be taking aim at a potential threat to public safety.

Outside the Smithfield shareholder meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia, we did a very eye-catching slaughter demo. No fake blood was used here—the "turkey" got a nosebleed from hanging upside-down for too long.

PETA India is turning heads and slowly (but surely!) bringing back full-body one-piece bathing suits.

Because of a last-minute cancelation by Tony the Tiger, we had to settle for a beautiful naked woman to help with our recent Seattle demonstration against Ringling.

Written by Sean Conner