Update: Thanks to all of you who responded to PETA's action alert, New Hampshire House Bill (H.B.) 110 has stalled in committee, meaning that investigators can continue to uncover cruelty on factory farms in the state. H.B. 110 is likely to come up again this fall, so please keep checking back here to learn how you can help PETA continue to defeat this and other attempts to shield abusers from exposure!

Originally posted on January 31st, 2013:

How badly do corporate animal abusers want to keep the public from knowing what happens on factory farms and in slaughterhouses? Bad enough to enlist accomplices in government to try to stop any efforts to document their cruelty. But after a New Hampshire state legislator reportedly made a false allegation about PETA in support of his bill to block undercover investigations, we're more determined than ever to make sure that animal suffering can be documented and the abusers are held accountable.

New Hampshire—You Can Handle the Truth

PETA has written Rep. Robert Haefner, the sponsor of House Bill (H.B.) 110, New Hampshire's "ag gag" bill (which would require evidence of abuse to be turned over to authorities in 24 hours, shutting down long-term undercover investigations), asking him to retract a false statement that he reportedly made about our Aviagen Turkeys, Inc., investigation. PETA turned over evidence of animal abuse from its investigation of Aviagen's West Virginia turkey factory farms two business days after the end of the investigation—not 13 months, as Haefner allegedly claimed at a public hearing on the bill last week. Within three months of receiving the video footage, grand jurors issued the first-ever felony indictments for cruelty to turkeys on factory farms. All three former Aviagen workers were later convicted. At the hearing, Haefner used this false claim to justify to New Hampshire citizens his proposed bill to stop long-term undercover investigations on factory farms, according to witnesses.

Investigations conducted by PETA and other organizations on factory farms have been instrumental in opening people's eyes to the cruelty inherent in intensive animal agriculture and have led to successful prosecutions of the perpetrators, but Haefner's bill would make it practically impossible for whistleblowers and undercover investigators to secure sufficient evidence to show a pattern of cruelty, as preferred by police and prosecutors.

After learning that the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County in Connecticut had put out an urgent call for Thanksgiving food donations following Hurricane Sandy, PETA has sent the hunger-relief organization 20 delicious vegan Tofurky roasts.

© MeetTheShannons.net

Vegan Food: The Taste of Kindness

PETA's donation should make the season brighter (and healthier) for the region's hungry as well as for animals. PETA also hopes the Tofurky will offer food for thought, showing that compassion knows no species barriers.

More than 250 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. every year—45 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone. Yet turkeys are sensitive, smart, social, and resourceful birds, who deserve to be treated as living beings, not centerpieces.

Tofurky and other vegan faux turkey provide great alternatives, savory taste, and plentiful protein, with none of the cruelty or cholesterol that comes from eating real birds.

What You Can Do

Delicious, healthy vegan foods offer both hungry humans and exploited animals reason to give thanks. Enjoy fine vegan holiday dining with PETA's free recipes. 

Thanksgiving is hell for turkeys. To make sure as many folks get this message as possible, here are three of our best holiday ads. Pick your favorite and share with friends to let them know why they should give turkeys a reason to be thankful, too:

 "Would You Eat Your Dog?"

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"Turkey Terror"

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 "Grace"

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Give everyone—including animals—something to be thankful for this holiday season by celebrating with a vegan feast. 

We've all read the horror stories about people finding fingertips in fast food, bloody bandages in pizza, and a condom in a bag of French fries. But the grossest things in our food rarely make headlines—and chances are good that consumers of meat and dairy products have ingested at least one of them:

1. Arsenic. Farms feed chickens and pigs arsenic to help ward off infections in the filthy living conditions and to turn their flesh the pink shade that is considered appetizing. Because nothing says "appetizing" like poison.
2. Poop. When animals' intestines are torn open during slaughter, feces spill out onto their flesh. So when people buy the meat, they're getting, well, sorry, crappy food.
3. Industrial runoff. Who would head down to the local river, whip out a glass, and gulp down some river water? No one? Well, then people might want to avoid eating fish, who are contaminated with the pollutants that run into waterways from our tanneries, factories, and industrial plants, as well as manure runoff from pastures.
4. Calf stomach lining. Many cheeses are made with rennet, an enzyme taken from calves' stomach lining. Does eating baby stomachs make you sick to yours?
5. DDT. Even though the U.S. banned DDT, it remains in the environment and particularly accumulates in animal fats. Think, "Double-Decker of Toxins."
6. Pus. Cows on dairy farms often suffer from mastitis, a painful inflammation of the udders caused by bacteria. Their bodies try to fight off the infection by producing pus, and guess where the pus goes. Into the milk and into the milk-drinker's mouth.
7. Pink slime. The now famous picture of what looks like the result of a kid smashing all his Play-Doh together is actually mechanically separated meat, a main ingredient in many processed meats such as chicken nuggets and hot dogs. It's made by sending animals' bones through a machine that scrapes off the last bits of flesh and blood, forming the bits into a paste, and then treating the mass with ammonia, dyeing it, and adding flavor to it.

Makes me crave … broccoli.

Washington, D.C., today was, well, sporktacular. The "Spork sisters," Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg, authors of the vegan cookbook Spork-Fed, whipped up some of the culinary creations from their cooking school, Spork Foods, at PETA's D.C. office. 

Diners scarfed down dishes made with vegan products donated by award-winning Galaxy Nutritional Foods, such as Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Galaxy's new vegan mozzarella shreds, Spinach and Artichoke Heart Dip featuring vegan cream and Parmesan cheeses, and Amazing Caesar Salad. And when the sisters demonstrated how to prepare savory Strawberry Cream Cheese–Stuffed French Toast, everyone agreed that Galaxy's strawberry vegan cream cheese was out of this world.

Of course, everyone seized the opportunity to ask the pros their cooking questions, such as how to veganize recipes that call for eggs (they recommend using Ener-G Egg Replacer but mixing it with the dry ingredients).

Residents of Norfolk, Virginia, and Oakland and Los Angeles, California, stay tuned: PETA is hoping to book the Spork sisters for a galactic tour of all our offices.

Two recent studies prove what most of us vegetarians already knew: vegetarian diets are cheaper and more nutritious than meat-based ones.

Two Oklahoma State University professors studying costs and benefits of vegetarian diets found that vegetarian foods cost less to both produce and consume than animal products. For example, the researchers determined that obtaining a gram of protein from the cheapest meat source studied (chicken flesh) costs more than triple the price of obtaining a gram of protein from the most expensive plant-based source studied (peanuts).

And it's only going to get costlier for carnivores. Cattle futures economists predict that beef prices will skyrocket to record highs in 2012. The U.S. Department of Agriculture concludes that the price of beef will rise more than any other major food group. Meatpackers, retailers, and restaurants all face higher costs, which—you guessed it—get passed on to the consumer.

© Steve Lee

Another study published in Food, Nutrition & Science and The Journal of the American Dietetic Association compared nutrient intakes of vegetarians and nonvegetarians. Researchers found that the vegetarian group had higher intakes of nutrients, including fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E, and that vegetarian diets in general were very healthy. The American Dietetic Association reports that vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are. So not only do vegetarians save animal’s lives, they also save at the register—and at the doctor's office too. We'll eat to that.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

With so many smart folks going veg, the number of restaurants and other business catering (often literally) to our appetites is booming, which makes our task of compiling lists of vegetarian-friendly cities tougher each time. But we never shrink from a challenge—or from the chance to discover totally delish new veggie eateries—so we're proud to present our list of the top 10 large and small North American cities for vegans and vegetarians.

Large Cities

1. Washington, D.C.
   Although Congress may be populated by purveyors of "pork," Washington is making a bid to become the nation's capital of veggie dining. Folks on both sides of the aisle could surely reach a bipartisan consensus on the faux turkey club sandwich from Java Green, ratify the vegan pepperoni and mozzarella pizza at Busboys and Poets, and put an end to the gridlock for a trip to Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant in nearby Falls Church, Virginia, to enjoy Popeye's Favorite—a potato pie mixed with spinach, soy protein, and veggie bacon in a black-pepper sauce—followed by egg-free and milk-free organic pumpkin pie or almond-blueberry pie.
2. Portland, Oregon
   Portland's volcanoes may be extinct, but the city's vegan scene has erupted—enough to propel Portland into our number two position. From the luscious lasagne at Papa G's Vegan Organic Deli to the sizzling TLP (tempeh bacon, lettuce, and peppers) at Red and Black Café, to the barbecue tempeh platter at the Blossoming Lotus, vegan Portlanders have plenty of reasons to be happy with their hometown.
3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
   Going vegan in Albuquerque is easier than learning how to spell the city's name! You'll find vegan options aplenty, such as the veggie chicken nuggets and boba tea at the Fei Health Café and the tofu scramble at Flying Star Café. Also check out both locations of Annapurna's World Vegetarian Café, offering a selection of vegan bakery items and ayurvedic cooking classes.
4. Atlanta, Georgia
   Life for Georgia's vegans is increasingly peachy, with restaurants such as Café Sunflower (offering stuffed mushroom caps in a miso mushroom sauce), Green Sprout (presenting veggie pork with tofu and Szechuan sauce), and Ria's Bluebird (serving up Southwest tofu scramble with veggies). The South will rise again—and ask for seconds.
5. Seattle, Washington
   Seattle has a reputation for being rainy, but even when it's overcast, Seattle is a sunny place for vegans. For instance, Araya's Place curries favor with a Thai red curry with tofu, Thrive tops its fiery Chili con Marvelous with onion cashew cream, and Wayward Vegan Café dazzles with the Warlock, a faux-chicken sandwich spiced up with a savory chipotle-tahini sauce.
6. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
   While we had our differences with the recent Olympic Games held there, we can't hold that against this beautiful city. Especially not while they're serving up almond masala cakes at Organic Lives, spicy falafel wraps at Gorilla Food, and a golden rice bowl with marinated Gardein strips, mock shrimp, and sautéed tofu at Loving Hut.
7. San Francisco, California
   The City by the Bay has opened its Golden Gate to a wide variety of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and cafés. While celebrated spots such as Millenium and Greens are well worth a visit, don't miss out on the "Neatloaf" at Ananda Fuara, the Broccoli Beef & Black Mushroom entrée at Golden Era, or the grilled portobello mushroom over creamy polenta, sautéed spinach, and crostini at the all-vegan Herbivore.
8. Los Angeles, California
   The City of Angels offers a wide range of heavenly delights for residents and visitors alike. Start with Flore Vegan Cuisine, where you can indulge in vegan Griddle Cakes (with strawberries), or perhaps you'd prefer the signature "TV dinner"—with veggie loaf, mashed potatoes, golden gravy, and vegetables—from Real Food Daily. Better yet, try both, and then have a Santa Fe Crispy Chickin'—made with crispy fried chillin' chickin', lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and a southwestern-spiced vegan mayo—made by Veggie Grill.
9. New York, New York
   They may live in the city that never sleeps, but Big Apple residents are clearly using those extra waking hours to think up more great vegan stuff to eat. With choices like the pumpkin noodles with sautéed vegetables at HanGawi, a marinated and grilled Bamburger or spaghetti and "meatballs" at Red Bamboo, and spinach omelets, pesto noodles, or Unchicken Nachos at the all-vegan Caravan of Dreams, no wonder Gothamites are staying up nights!
10. Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Canada's largest city comes through for the hungry vegetarians of the Great White North. No one who's had the raw vegan Pasta Bolognese at Rawlicious, the eggplant in ginger sauce at Commensal, or the beer-battered deep-fried tofu with cornmeal at Fressen would be surprised to find Toronto rounding out our list in style.

Small Cities  

1. Olympia, Washington
   Blue Heron Bakery: Vegan spelt muffins, brownies, walnut–chocolate-chip cookies, and peanut-butter cookies
   Tofu Hut: Tofu Sweet and Sour (deep-fried tofu with pineapples, bell peppers, onions, cucumbers, wild mushrooms, and carrots in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce)
   Vic's Pizzeria: Vic's Vegan Calzone (stuffed with black olives, mushrooms, white onions, spinach, fried sweet peppers, red sauce, and a choice of yellow or white sauce
2. Burlington, Vermont
   Magnolia Bistro: The Incredible Mr. Limpett: (vegan tuna-salad sandwich with pickles); Garbanzo Burger (garbanzo beans, oregano, and scallions); Magnolia French Toast (organic bread with walnuts in a wash of soy, rice, vanilla, and cinnamon)
   Bueno Y Sano: East/West Burrito (Asian stir-fried veggies, basmati rice, and grilled tofu topped with an Asian plum sauce)
   Bite Me Organic Pizza: Vermont Intervale Ghosts Pizza (cheese-free pizza with marinated tofu, baby spinach, a variety of squash, roasted peppers, red beets, caramelized onions, yellow and red tomatoes, and lemon-oil drizzle)
3. Iowa City, Iowa
   The Red Avocado: College Green Sunset (layered herbed white-bean pâté, tempeh sausage, tofu ricotta, and caramelized onions wrapped in a flaky filo pastry purse on spinach polenta with horseradish-root vegetable–sweet-corn relish, roasted-red-pepper sauce, and a fine drizzle of sweet balsamic reduction)
   Fair Grounds Coffeehouse: Grilled Vegan Panini Cheeseburger (Boca burger with your choice of vegan cheese and veggies served on panini bread)
   Thai Flavors: Massaman Curry (coconut milk with onions, potatoes, and peanuts, served with a cucumber salad and your choice of tofu or gluten-based meat substitute)
4. Bloomington, Indiana
   Siam House: Gang Garee (yellow curry with coconut milk, sweet potatoes, onions, and white, yellow, or fried tofu, served with jasmine rice). All dishes can be prepared without fish sauce on request.
   Bloomingfoods Market and Deli: Meatless Mondays at the Deli (menu varies)
   Laughing Planet: Cuban Burrito (organic brown rice, black beans, salsa fresca, sweet potatoes, plantains, housemade barbecue sauce, and your choice of tofu or seitan, served with tropical fruit salsa on the side)
5. Syracuse, New York
   Strong Hearts (all-vegan restaurant): Supreme Vegan Pizza (four vegan meats and soy cheese with a tasty tomato sauce), Tofurky sandwich, grilled "cheese" sandwich, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, cakes, pies, and milkshakes
   Alto Cinco: BBQ Tofu Burrito (rice, black beans, salsa, and crispy tofu with a chipotle barbecue sauce), Vegan Quesadilla (grilled tortilla with roasted-tomato pesto, sautéed spinach, roasted eggplant, guacamole, and salsa)
   Sparky Town: The Jocko Sandwich (grilled tempeh, lettuce, tomato, artichoke, red pepper, red onion, black-bean paste, sun-dried tomato spread, and avocado spread)
6. Topeka, Kansas
   Blackbird Espresso Bar and Bistro: Hummus and veggie wraps and vegan bakery items such as chocolate-chip cookies and banana-nut bread.
   Globe: Baingan Bartha (fresh eggplant baked over an open flame, served with green peas and gently tempered with aromatic herbs and spices), Chana Masala (whole chickpeas cooked with onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, herbs, and spices)
   Tup Tim Thai: Thai Curry Triangles (golden wontons filled with veggies such as sweet potatoes and celery, flavored with turmeric and served with chili-garlic sauce), Massaman Tofu Curry (with peanuts, potatoes, and vegetables). Any curry can be made with tofu and without fish sauce.
7. Worcester, Massachusetts
   Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant: Spaghetti and veggie balls, macaroni and soy cheese, barbeque "chicken" and rice (all items rotate)
   Nancy Chang: Sesame Vegan Chicken, Mango Vegan Chicken, Sizzling Vegan Shrimp With Japanese Tepanyaki Sauce, and more than 50 vegan items on the menu
   Loving Hut: Kung Pao Wow (soy chicken, baby corn, carrots, snow peas, bamboo, water chestnuts, onions, bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, and cashews)
8. Lincoln, Nebraska
   Maggie's Veggie Café: Baked Tofu Wrap (oven-baked organic tofu, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and sweet mustard sauce), Curried Tofu Wrap (organic tofu marinated in mild coconut curry with red onions, tomatoes, and lettuce, served cold)
   Taj Mahal: Aloo Matar Tofu (potatoes, fresh garden peas, and tofu chunks in a sauce with exotic spices), Mushroom Matar (green peas and mushrooms in a sauce with exotic herbs and spices)
   Grateful Bread/Freakbeat Vegetarian: Different vegetarian soups every day, plus at least one vegan soup every day, including African Peanut, Moroccan Tomato, Cuban Black Bean, Egyptian Red Lentil, Irish Stew, and Thai Carrot
9. Providence, Rhode Island
   AS220: Pulled-Pork Sandwich ("pulled" tofu, spicy tomato spread, and vegan cheddar on a sourdough baguette), Spicy Chorizo Sandwich (vegan housemade chorizo, crumbled tofu, vegan cheddar, and R1 hot sauce), Vegan Reuben (corned seitan, housemade sauerkraut, vegan Swiss, and Thousand Island dressing on rye bread)
   Garden Grille Café: Chipotle seared seitan with wasabi mustard dipping sauce, "crab" cakes with Veracruz sauce and saffron aioli over millet polenta and sautéed greens, eggplant rollatini grilled and stuffed with herb tofu-nut cheese, crispy polenta, garlic sautéed spinach with housemade pomodoro sauce
   Julian's: Vegan Steak & Cheese Wrap (house seitan, onions, mushrooms, peppers, and soy cheese in a tortilla)
10. Boise, Idaho
    Shangri-La Tea Room and Vegetarian Café: Corn Chowder (corn, potatoes, and a bit of onion in a veggie broth seasoned to perfection), Mock Toona and Crackers (housemade Mock Toona spread and raw housemade crackers made with sprouted almonds and flaxseed), Curry Wrap (tofu, potatoes, and red peppers in a scrumptious red curry sauce, wrapped in a warm tortilla)
    Boise Fry Company: Vegan Burger and Fries (made with your choice of russet, white, gold, sweet, yam, purple, or Okinawa potatoes)
    Mai Thai: Black Pepper Steak (veggie black-pepper steak sautéed with mixed veggies in vegetarian sauce), vegan orange chicken sautéed with mandarin oranges and mixed with veggies in a special sauce), Veggie Citrus Spareribs (sautéed in a special sauce and served on a bed of fresh lettuce with fresh pineapple chunks)

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:

• Warning! Seals can literally cute you to death.
• Kiddies catch E. coli from petting zoo. Animals unnaturally held captive. Why is this still appealing?
• "Clucking" mad at KFC? I bet that's why this chicken wanders through its drive-through.
• The real Scorpion King creatively atones for his sins. Love this!
• Sesame Street reps tofu! The revolution is here!
• Lacking imagination and compassion, yet another "Elmer Fudd" accidentally shoots himself.
• Hug a Vegetarian Day is right around the corner. Show some love, y'all!
• This is both creepy and thought-provoking.

Thanks for stopping by! Catch you next time, and don't forget to hug all your vegetarian friends.

Written by Missy Lane

Here's what Jeff says about this week's masterpiece: "The strip is based on the sad measures that officials have to take in order to protect rhinos from poachers. And a little depravity thrown in for good measure."

He also let me know that, in honor of Earth Week, he sprayed this strip with 50 percent less pesticides. Which was very noble of him, I thought. Anyway, this one's a zinger—enjoy!

Click for a larger version

To check out the archives of past strips, click here.

It’s a new dawn, people. A fresh, vibrant world full of hope. The storm clouds have dispersed and the sun is shining on a happier future, where anything is possible…

On a trial basis, in the fine city of Philadelphia, 7-Eleven is offering vegan sandwiches.

To celebrate this glorious news, and to help make sure this trial is a big success, PETA dispatched our lovely lettuce ladies to the city last week to offer samples of the tasty meatless sandwiches (varieties include "chicken," "steak," and mock egg salad) to passersby. ‘Cuz that’s just how we roll. Check out the pics, and if you live in Philadelphia, be sure to give the sandwiches a try. Word on the street is that they’re pretty damn good.

Oh, brave new world that hath such people in it.