What some insects are capable of is enough to make the horror film The Fly seem cuddly by comparison. In a study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, researchers collected flies and cockroaches from manure on pig farms and found that the insects carried the same antibiotic-resistant bacteria as the pigs who were fed the drugs. The bacteria samples were resistant to erythromycin, streptomycin, and kanamycin and were highly resistant to tetracycline.

steve_lodefink/cc by 2.0

According to researcher Dr. Ludek Zurek, the insects can travel from farms to nearby residences and spread the antibiotic-resistant bacteria to people through contact with food. If the bacterial strains multiply in large numbers, they have the potential to leave patients immune to the healing effects of antibiotic medications, which could make treatment for infections difficult. The new research mirrors what previous studies have shown about the danger that antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose to people. To quote The Fly, "Be afraid. Be very afraid."

Written by Michelle Sherrow

Jennifer Dickert / CC by 2.0

On Friday, Valley Meat Co. of Modesto, California, recalled approximately 1 million pounds of ground beef because of possible E. coli contamination. Frightening? Yes. Shocking? Not if you take a look at the numbers.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a typical steer will yield about 450 pounds of edible meat. Let's do a little math:

Also according to the USDA, cattle are usually slaughtered when they are around 2 years old. According to a New York Times article from 2008, a cow who is raised for beef can produce about 14.6 tons of manure each year.

Take a minute and process that—64,882 tons of waste! All of it carrying E. coli, a fecal bacteria. It seems inevitable that some of this nastiness would end up in the food supply at some point, doesn't it? Factory farming and the microorganisms it breeds are deadly to humans and animals, so how about reducing the waste by going vegan?

Written by Shawna Flavell

Victory Update: Following a national PETA campaign against Brookstone's sale of Frog-O-Spheres —tiny plastic boxes containing two African dwarf frogs—the retailer has discontinued the sale of these little frog prisons in its stores. Learn more about this victory for frogs.

Want some stomach cramps, fever, and vomiting with that Frog-O-Sphere?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported this Monday that a national salmonella outbreak has afflicted at least 48 people in 25 states—many of whom say they've been in contact with frogs like the ones Brookstone imprisons in its filthy Frog-O-Spheres. Huh, that's strange … the illnesses began in June, the same month Brookstone started selling Frog-O-Spheres, and officials warn that African dwarf frogs are among the believed causes of these infections. Brookstone markets the Frog-O-Spheres as an educational product for kids. Seventy-seven percent of the people infected with this salmonella strain are children under 10, so I'd have to say that it's evident that Brookstone doesn't care about animals or people.

Our recent undercover investigation inside Brookstone's Frog-O-Sphere supplier revealed thousands of frogs trapped in unfiltered water ridden with excrement and molted skin. And many of the plastic tubs that housed frogs shipped to customers contained the bloated, fungus-covered remains of decomposing frogs. That seems like a breeding ground for infectious bacteria to me. Now, I'm not a biologist, but Clifford Warwick—one of the experts who viewed footage of our Wild Creations investigation—is, and here's what he had to say about the bacterial potential of Frog-O-Spheres:

Want to help prevent the spread of potentially lethal diseases? Take a minute to urge Brookstone to stop selling Frog-O-Spheres immediately.

Written by Logan Scherer

Cruelty is sickening—in any language.

Two PETA Europe members who recently fell victim to swine flu set out to show the people of Brussels that no one is immune to the diseases that are bred on factory farms—not even those who wouldn't dream of eating animal flesh.

These two lovely (and now recovered) ladies crammed themselves into tiny "gestation crates" to illustrate the fact that the cramped, filthy conditions on factory farms are breeding grounds for swine flu and other deadly viruses and bacteria.

What's the best way to shut down disease-incubating factory farms? Stop supporting them: Go vegetarian.

Written by Heather Drennan

As if we didn't have enough to worry about during the holiday travel season, now there's a new road hazard: deadly bacteria. And it comes to you courtesy of your pals in the chicken industry.

In case you don't happen to be a regular reader of the Journal of Infection and Public Health, a recent study found that driving behind trucks taking chickens to slaughter could expose the car's occupants to the aforementioned deadly bacteria. And not just any bacteria. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

You see, chickens (like other animals raised and killed for food) spend their short lives living in filth. By which I mean they stand around in sh—um, sheds. Filled with their own feces. This makes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. And to keep the chickens from dying horribly from infections before they can be killed horribly at the slaughterhouse, the poor birds are pumped full of antibiotics, giving rise to—you guessed it!—bacteria that can't be killed by antibiotics.

OK, so the poor chickens are crammed into open crates that are loaded onto a flatbed truck. The wind blows over them (half-freezing them in winter) and also carrying the germ-laden feces into the air. And if you're traveling behind the truck … well, you do the math.

Now, of course, the best way to prevent this health hazard would be to stop using chickens for food—something you can help along by going vegetarian. But, so long as people continue to eat birds, we think they should be aware of the risks. Since the study was done in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia region, we're urging officials in those states to post signs on roads and trucks to warn motorists of the dangers.

Still, even if you live in the balmier parts of the world, you might want to drive with your windows up and no outside air flow until all this, uh … blows over.

Written by Jeff Mackey

Stop! Put down that doggy sweater. For all you folks out there wondering what to give your favorite four-legged family member this holiday season, look no further. The answer is a lot easier and cheaper than you might think.

This year, take a hint from country legend Dolly Parton, comedian Kathy Najimy and the ever-adorable doggums, Daisy! These three femmes star in PETA's awesome PSA, and they know what every pooch wants this year. And no, it's not a tennis ball in every color of the rainbow. Ready for the answer? Check out what the ladies had to say:

Dogs don't care if they aren't sportin' the latest sweater that costs 75 bucks! What they really want is your love and attention as well as the necessities to keep them warm, safe, and healthy. But you know that, right? Does your television set greet you at the door each evening and sleep at the foot of your bed each night? Neither do ours. So this holiday, plan play time and extra walks with your pup. And as an extra treat, a nice warm sweater or stuffed squeaky toy will guarantee you extra wet kisses. Love a dog, and he or she will love you endlessly and unconditionally. It's the perfect present for both of you.

Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Ugh. It's that time of year again. With the mercury dipping and the holidays just around the corner, flurries of cold-hearted fur hags are starting to be seen on the social scene (that famous footage of Bigfoot was actually an opera buffa walking off the effects of her Pomtini). It's also the time of year when people who care about animals must shift into high gear and take fur hags to task for parading about in pelts.

Here's how you can help. No matter who you are, no matter how shy or inhibited you are, always say something, anything to people who wear fur. The fact is that there are Cruellas in this world who simply don't have empathy for animals. They only care about themselves, and the only way to get them to stop wearing fur is to shame them. So, figure out what type of fur foe you are and proceed from there:

A. The Bashful Fur Basher. Love animals but hate conflict? After you politely ask if they're wearing the real deal, lay on the guilt trip by saying something like, "That's a shame that so many animals had to be killed for your coat," and hand them a fur card or leaflet. If you're really, really painfully shy, take a move from the passive-aggressive playbook and start up a conversation within hearing distance about the gruesome fur industry. Even a pretend conversation on your cell phone!

B. The Fierce Fur Foe. Have a hard time hiding your disgust when you see people draped in animal hides? Don't fight it, use it. First, initiate a conversation about fur by asking them if they're wearing a genuine dead animal or a fabulous faux. Or take my favorite approach and make a date with a friend to leaflet where fur wearers may be hanging out (fur salons, shopping malls, symphonies, ballets, operas, and other theatrical events) just to remind them how coldhearted they really are. E-mail ATeam@peta.org to get involved with leafleting events in your hometown.

When leafleting in winter, it's important to wear a warm coat. If you don't have a coat made of babies (to remind people that fur coats are also made of baby animals), then you could try wearing a parka.

C. The "Hell Hath No Fury" Fur Foe. Do you see red when you spy someone wearing fur? Go with it. Heck, don't even bother asking if it's real—what are they doing supporting a look that kills anyway?! Open up that can of "whoop-ass" you've been saving for a special occasion and take out your pent-up aggression on someone who deserves it. We're not recommending the "LiLo flour power" type of action here, but saying something like, "How did you get the blood out of your coat?" or even yelling, "Fur Shame!" won't hurt.

Creative signs can also help shame heartless fur hags.

Need more encouragement? Remember: bros before fur hos. Think about the hungry foxes in a den crying for a mother who will never come home; the snow-covered minks shivering in cramped, exposed wire cages on fur farms; and the rabbits howling like human babies as their skin is ripped from their bodies. Being heartbroken is not enough, so get out there today and let fur-wearers know that they are supporting one of the most violent, bloody industries on the planet. And for the love of all that is furry—please make sure that your sign is facing the right way!

Written by Amy Elizabeth

A Donna Karan Boutique in Manhasset, New York, received some negative attention yesterday, when PETA's "Grim Reapers"—holding signs that read, "Donna, Bring Out Your Dead!"—greeted pedestrians and passing cars. The purpose of the protest was to spotlight DK's continued use of fur in her collections—even after we've made several attempts to educate her on the hideous cruelty of the fur industry. Check out photos from the demonstration below!

Our Grim Reaper didn't take any lives, but as DK's fatal record shows, she can't claim the same. Her refusal to drop fur from her collections only continues to support cruel practices such as anal electrocution and drowning.

Donna Karan needs to take a hint from her compassionate fashion counterparts and go fur-free. Because seriously, DK, how many animals are you going to kill to make your ugly fur coats?

Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky

Whoever said having just one hamburger can't kill you obviously never considered the danger of microscopic spores—you know, those barely visible foreign pollutants that are all over animal products, even when cooked.

The latest attack of the killer meat has already killed at least six people in Ontario and has been blamed for two more illnesses. The culprit? Listeria bacteria, which apparently originated in meat products from a plant in Toronto … which just happens to be Canada's largest meatpacker.

With the total number of known cases at 29—for now—and investigators looking into another nine deaths possibly caused by contraction of listeriosis, it's understandable that eating meat is scary business. But recalling more than 220 meat products will not protect meat-eaters from contracting illnesses related to animal products.

That's where we come in. Intending to roll out our brand-new "Eat Meat and Die" ad in Toronto, we want Canadians to know that you can go veg and live! The choice is simple—really. It's senseless to put your body at risk over a hamburger or a bite of chicken thigh when you can have a veggie burger or a vegetarian "chicken" sandwich (sold in most KFCs in Canada) and avoid spending the night in the bathroom with stomach cramps—or worse, death. Check out our killer ad:

Repeat after me: Listeria, E. coli, campylobacter … if you can't pronounce it, it's probably not good for you. If you have meat in your fridge, the safest way to avoid contamination is to throw the whole fridge away with the meat still in it. We deserve a Nobel Prize or something. Really.

Written by Jennifer Cierlitsky