In just one week, we could require the Obama administration to address the fact that animals are still being killed in gas chambers. It's up to us.

Currently posted to the White House's "We the People" petition site is an appeal asking for federal attention to the suffering that animals endure when they are gassed. It can take as long as 45 minutes for a dog or cat to die in a gas chamber. He or she may convulse, vomit, gasp for breath, attempt to claw through the walls, void his or her bowels, howl in panic, and even be bitten by other frightened animals. And some animals do not die, like Daniel, the Alabama dog who has become the face of the movement to ban gas chambers.

Compare this to an intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital, administered by trained professionals, that assures that the animal "falls asleep," the same quick, painless loss of consciousness that we feel when we are given anesthetics before surgery.

But despite the cruelty of gas chambers and the affordability of humane injections, it is still legal to gas animals in 31 states. Let's change that. We have until February 18 to collect 100,000 signatures.

I'm going to add my name to the petition right now. Will you please join me?

When a young couple on vacation in Florida decided to take a leisurely afternoon stroll through a park, they had no idea that they were about to save a life. But that's exactly what happened.

The pair came upon a duck sitting in the grass who didn't attempt to waddle away or even stand up as they neared. On closer inspection, they saw why. The duck's left leg was broken and was dangling limply from his body. Unable to move, he stared helplessly up at them.

The couple called PETA for help, and we quickly contacted a reputable wildlife rehabilitator nearby. The rehabilitator rushed to the park while the couple waited with the duck. Within an hour of the couple's worried phone call, the injured duck was out of harm's way and headed to get help.

Often, saving an animal's life is just that easy.

Torrey DeVitto has been part of some of Hollywood's best onscreen teams, starring in One Tree Hill, Pretty Little Liars, and Vampire Diaries. But now she's joining Team PETA to help animals in animal shelters find a happy Hollywood ending and to speak out against the cruel fur industry. 

Torrey's tips for star-like style? Anyone not wearing fur automatically looks better than anyone who is.

And her best advice on being a star for animals? Never be silent. Speak up for animals today by simply tweeting a link to PETA's "Never Be Silent" video. 

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Library of Congress, LC-DIG-ppmsc-01269

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent message is as relevant today as it was during his lifetime. Although this is the day officially set aside each year to pay tribute to his legacy, we can pay tribute to Dr. King every day by opposing discrimination against anyone, including animals. Whenever we speak up against the oppression of animals who are suffering in circuses, in backyards, in laboratories, and on factory farms, we honor his commitment to social justice.

The animal rights movement draws inspiration from—and is an obvious successor to—the civil rights movement. In fact, Dr. King's inspiration for nonviolent action was Mohandas Gandhi, who was an animal advocate and ethical vegetarian, and animal rights issues have been important to Dr. King's family members, including his widow, the late Coretta Scott King, who adopted a vegan diet, as has their son, Dexter Scott King.

Today, and every day, countless opportunities exist to bring about a more just world, whether by volunteering at a local animal shelter or helping underprivileged or elderly neighbors care for their animal companions. But the underlying principle behind Dr. King's teachings about the proper response to injustice is never to be silent.