Leona Lewis and James Cameron are the latest compassionate celebrities to embrace vegan eating. Not surprising on either count, since James, who won a PETA Proggy Award for the animal-friendly film Avatar, said he planned to grow crops on his 2,500-acre rural New Zealand property, and Leona, a Sexiest Vegetarian alum, won't wear animal skins and unceasingly advocates for animal rights. Of the choice to eat vegan, James said, "It's not a requirement to eat animals, we just choose to do it, so it becomes a moral choice and one that is having a huge impact on the planet, using up resources and destroying the biosphere."

A very eloquent case for vegan eating, indeed.

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Adoption advocate Lance Bass spoke about his healthy eating convictions as well, saying of veganism that he is "getting close." He said the work he has been doing planting gardens with schoolchildren has inspired him: "I was eating way too much more protein and not enough veggies, and now I've completely changed that in my diet. … It's amazing, and I feel so much better, completely much better."

PETA UK's disturbing new undercover footage of foie gras farms is enough to make anyone go vegan. Celebrities were fired up on Twitter about British retailer Fortnum & Mason's cruel sale of foie gras and about other animal issues:

While these celebs rocked Twitter, another animal advocate was getting a rocking honor: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and for the first time, voting is open to the public. Cast your vote for Joan, who never misses an opportunity to raise her powerful voice against cruelty to animals.

To keep up with what all the stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter. 

Get ready to tap your feet—the two-hour season premiere of Dancing With the Stars airs tonight on ABC, and as usual, PETA pals are strutting their animal-friendly stuff.

Just a week after she unveiled her "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad, Elisabetta Canalis will make her Dancing debut, and she's rumored to be the early favorite. When asked if Elisabetta's PETA ad would help in the competition, her partner Val Chmerkovskiy said, "I don't know if it will help us, but I do hope it helps PETA. Before I found out that Elisabetta was involved with PETA, I was astounded how conscious she was about animal cruelty and how passionate she was about helping animals involved in any sort of mistreatment."

Fellow animal advocate Ricki Lake could be a serious contender too. She proved she has determination when she was arrested after storming Karl Lagerfeld's showroom to demand that the designer stop using fur. And spay-and-neuter advocate Metta World Peace (aka: "Ron Artest") might put his fancy footwork to good use off the court and pull off an upset.

Elisabetta, Ricki, and Metta World Peace are in good company. Previous DWTS rosters read like the guest list at a PETA fundraiser. Pamela Anderson, Cloris Leachman, Steve-O, Joanna Krupa, Kelly Osbourne, Lance Bass, Jennie Garth, Audrina Patridge, Belinda Carlisle, Holly Madison, Mario, Shanna Moakler, Karina Smirnoff, and even judge Carrie Ann Inaba all know that the most important steps you take are those that help animals.

Good luck, Elisabetta, Ricki, and Ron! We'll be rooting (and voting) for you.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

This coming Sunday, July 31, has been dubbed "Mutts Day," and I can say from personal experience that nothing beats an adorable one-of-a-kind mutt. When you adopt a homeless mutt from a shelter, you not only gain a best buddy, you also save a life. But don't just take it from me—take it from these famous shelter-dog fans:

Of course, mutts aren't the only ones who are abandoned at shelters—it's estimated that a quarter of shelter dogs are purebreds who were dropped off after being purchased from a pet shop, puppy mill, or breeder. No matter what kind of dog you're looking for, you can find one at a shelter.

Maybe you can't buy love, but you can certainly adopt it.  

Written by Michelle Sherrow

After reading the last few posts about animal homelessness, euthanasia, and hoarding, some people might be wondering what they can do to help. Perhaps a few of you have even considered starting your own animal rescue group. If so, thank you for caring so deeply, but please—help us focus attention on stemming the flow.

Think of it this way: The animal overpopulation crisis is like water flooding into a sinking ship. We don't need more people bailing; we need to fix the gaping hole in the bottom of the boat! When it comes to ending animal homelessness, the most humane and sustainable solution is to pour our time, money, and effort into having animals spayed and neutered. Preventing more animals from being born stops the problem at its source. Here are some creative ways that we can work toward a no-birth nation: 

• Consider starting a program like the one run by Michigan's Heaven Can Wait Animal Haven, which transports animals to and from local low-cost spay-and-neuter clinics.
• Start a group to raise money for free spay-and-neuter surgeries for animals in your community.
• Hold fundraisers for local spay-and-neuter clinics so that they can waive the costs for low-income individuals and at-risk animals.
• Raise funds for PETA's "Spay and Neuter Immediately, Please" (SNIP) mobile clinic. 
• Take a hands-on approach in your community by volunteering for PETA's Animal Birth Control (ABC) program.   

Another crucial component of ending animal homelessness is educating the public about why it's so important to adopt animals instead of buying them from pet shops or breeders. If you are considering adding a cat or dog to your family, your decision will literally mean life or death for an animal waiting in an animal shelter. If you choose to buy from a breeder or a pet store, an animal at the local shelter must be euthanized. Please, always choose to save a life by adopting your animal companions from animal shelters or reputable adoption groups.

PETA has teamed up with dozens of celebrities—including Justin Bieber, Yvonne Strahovski, Lance Bass, Kellan Lutz, Joanna Krupa, Audrina Patridge, Patricia Arquette, and others—for pro-adoption public service announcements (PSAs). You can help encourage people to adopt animals, never buy, by sponsoring or obtaining free placement for one of these PSAs in a newspaper or magazine.

Thank you for caring. Animals like these are counting on compassionate people like you:

Like so many other rabbits, Bobbi was acquired on a whim and surrendered after her owners discovered how much time and effort are required to care for a rabbit. PETA found Bobbi a loving home, and she now enjoys playing with three other rabbits and sleeping in a bed with her new family.

One freezing day, PETA's straw-delivery volunteers found Sunday living in filth and mud, tethered by a chain that was only a few feet long. Sunday perked up immediately after PETA's volunteers gave him a doghouse and replaced the short chain with a new, lightweight tie-out.

Julie was once trapped at the end of a chain—one of the worst punishments possible for a dog, especially a collie—but PETA's fieldworkers convinced her owners to surrender her and helped place her in a wonderful home with a family who adores her.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

We know that you love to talk about how much you love PETA (we love you too!), but if some jealous type ever responds, "Dude, PETA's soooo gay," don't get offended, 'cause it's totally true! Here are a half-dozen reasons why: 

1.      Cruelty is a drag. Long before the current flock of RuPaul wannabes ruled the airwaves, PETA enlisted drag divas—including Lady Bunny, Lypsinka, and Flotilla DeBarge—to shed some light (and throw some shade) on animal abuse.

2.      Give a gal a break. PETA has always been a lesbian haven—from Ellen DeGeneres to k.d. lang to Sara Gilbert—even before they come out!

3.      Can you make out our message? PETA's famous make-out tours have not only been girl-on-girl but also guy-on-guy, because all vegetarians make better lovers—no matter whom you love.

4.      Pride in our work. PETA's Oakland office is a fixture in San Francisco's legendary annual Pride Parade, but instead of tossing beads (which wouldn't go with what you're wearing, anyway), they toss literature about the benefits of a vegan diet.

5.      You can hear a name drop. With apologies to Logo, our famous friends include the crème de la crème of the real gay A-list. (Reichen and Rodiney? Girl, please.) Perez Hilton, Martina Navratilova, Lance Bass, and Tim Gunn are just a few of the celebs whose love—of justice for animals—dare speak its name.

6.      Closets are for clothes—as long as they're not made from fur, leather, or wool. The staffs of PETA and the PETA Foundation include plenty of out-and-proud LGBT folks, from yours truly to PETA's senior (but eternally young) V.P. of campaigns, Dan Mathews, who was named one of Out magazine's "Power 50" and whose exploits—including an attempt to turn leather men into pleather men—are detailed in his witty memoir, Committed.

Let's face it: Animals don't care whether people are GLBTQ or none of the above—they just need us to help them. To learn how, take a look at this.

Written by Jeff Mackey

evilbeetgossip / CC

Not content with the reams of newsprint that have already been dedicated to our Save the Sea Kittens campaign, we're going for a little more face time for our finned friends by asking Lance Bass, the former 'N Sync singer and "Dancing With the Stars" alum, to change his last name from "Bass" to "Sea Kitten." We hope Lance goes for it hook, line, 'N Sync-er. (Badump-bump.)

Yes, we know that "bass" can also refer to a long-necked guitar or a really big violin-like instrument, and it can also refer to a certain shoe company, but when most people hear the word "bass," they might think "large mouth." And while that’s nice on fish … we love you, Lance, and we have your back!

Lance, if you're reading this, please know that it was your friends at PETA who got most upset when judge Len Goodman called you "pigeon-toed." Don't even get us started on the disrespect that pigeons are forced to endure.

And bear in mind that prepubescent girls just love kittens. Can you say, "'N Sync reunion"?

Written by Alisa Mullins