The PETA Files

USDA Slams Bristol-Myers Squibb With Fine Over Monkey Deaths

Jeff Mackey — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:00 GMT

Following a complaint from PETA alleging the painful and horrific deaths of two monkeys at the hands of pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not only confirmed the allegations and cited the company for egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act but also took the additional rare step of fining the facility $2,625 for the violations.

PETA submitted the complaint to the USDA after a whistleblower reported that a monkey and a rat had been scalded to death at a Bristol-Myers Squibb laboratory in New Jersey when their cages were run through the high-pressure cage washer with the animals still inside. The trapped animals endured intense agony and terror as the blistering-hot water burned their flesh.

The whistleblower also reported that another monkey strangled to death after she was attached to the front of her cage—apparently by some sort of tether—then left unattended. PETA's complaint asked the agency to investigate these deaths and to hit the corporation where it hurts—in its bank account.

We hope the fine has gotten Bristol-Myers Squibb's attention, and PETA—which holds stock in the company so that it can raise these issues with the board and stockholders—will continue to push for an end to relying on cruel and unreliable animal tests by switching to superior, modern non-animal methods. Please ask Bristol-Myers Squibb to make sure that these recommendations are implemented.

Kids Put the 'Rad' in Colorado

Alisa Mullins — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:30:00 GMT

Accompanied by his own former "shelter dog", Sky, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill into law last week naming animals adopted from shelters Colorado's official "state pet." Colorado is the first state to distinguish—and promote the adoption of—animals from shelters in this way.

The law was spearheaded by students at Peakview School in Walsenburg and Rooney Ranch Elementary school in Lakewood as part of a school project to learn about the legislative process. Kids attended a Senate committee hearing to testify in favor of the bill. One legislator's rescued dog, Angus, also took part.

At the hearing, 14-year-old Peakview student Roger Arellano reminded legislators that raising awareness about the need to adopt animals from shelters is "a matter of life and death."

In recognition of their achievement, PETA Kids has honored students at both schools with Compassionate Kids awards, and we've also sent thank-you notes and vegan chocolates to the bill's sponsors as well as the governor.

IRS Harassed PETA, Too

Alisa Mullins — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:45:00 GMT

"Tea partiers" aren't the only ones who've been fixed with the gimlet stare of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Social-action groups such as Greenpeace, the NAACP, and PETA have also been targeted by the agency, and PETA is calling on the U.S. Department of the Treasury to expand the recently announced criminal probe into the IRS' activity to include several audits that targeted PETA's tax-exempt status.

PETA has been subjected to three lengthy, expensive, and disruptive IRS audits, including a 20-month one during the George W. Bush administration, which IRS agents conducting the audit admitted was the result of the agency's bowing to pressure from members of Congress with ties to the meat, the experimentation, and other industries being targeted by PETA campaigns and/or seeing their workers forced to answer to cruelty-to-animals charges as a result of PETA investigations.

PETA came through each IRS audit with a clean bill of health, but it doesn't say a lot for our democratic process when Congress, at the behest of powerful industries, uses tactics worthy of the East German Stasi to harass and intimidate social-change advocates. For years, PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk could not re-enter the U.S. without being escorted into a back room, having her bags rummaged through, and being detained—sometimes for hours—resulting in missed flight connections.

It doesn't stop there—ever more repressive state laws are being proposed, the latest of which are arguably unconstitutional "ag-gag" bills designed to prevent undercover investigations on factory farms and in slaughterhouses as well as bills to prevent "interference" with or new regulations regarding hunting and fishing.

What You Can Do

Please visit our action alerts page for opportunities to combat cruelty on factory farms, in laboratories, and wherever else animals are being abused.

Hot Cars, Supermodels, Cute Dogs, the Cute Beatle, and Vegan Cookies—What More Could You Ask For?

Michelle Kretzer — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

PETA recently grabbed Telly Awards for our raucous "Boyfriend Went Vegan and Knocked the Bottom out of Me" cautionary tale, narrated by Kevin Nealon, and Elisabetta Canalis' edgy public service announcement about leaving dogs in hot cars.

Even though IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud has a hot car and a dog, he won't be mixing the two. He is fostering Hufflepuff, a dog from an Indianapolis animal shelter who is looking for a home. And the pup likely won't be Pagenaud's last—he says that he intends to continue fostering for the shelter. PETA sent the pair some congratulatory toys and treats.

Speaking of treats, joining model Jourdan Dunn on a recent segment of her popular Internet cooking series, Well Dunn, was fellow model Karlie Kloss. Together, they whipped up a delectable-looking veggie curry and Karlie's famous vegan cookies (she sells them to raise money for school lunches).

Still hungry? Some lucky person will get to dine on Jared Leto's favorite vegan pancakes after catching some z's in the vegan Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman's bed. The band is hosting a contest called "The Sleepover," in which fans can win a trip to see the "lab" where the guys create their music, and one fan will even get to cuddle up under Leto's comforter and break some cruelty-free bread.

In other music news, Paul McCartney kicks off the North American leg of his "Out There" tour on Saturday in Orlando, Florida, complete with a PETA information table and animal-friendly concert rider.

Like Paul, Constance Marie loves to be animal-friendly in everything that she does. So of course, she's raising her daughter, Luna, to be a healthy vegetarian and an animal advocate, just like Mom.

Paul, Constance, and oodles of other celebrities have been keeping their fans up to date on all their animal-friendly fabulousness on Twitter:

The Twitterverse is also abuzz with the news that Arrested Development will be back on May 26 on Netflix. To tide us over, here's some David Cross hilarity:

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

Canine Murder Mystery on the James River

Alisa Mullins — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:30:00 GMT

It was a horrifying sight. The dog's bloated body was spotted off a pier behind a Newport News, Virginia, boatyard. The young black-and-white female pit bull had apparently drowned, as indicated by her clenched teeth and protruding tongue. But most chilling was that she likely hadn't wound up in the water by accident: Tied to her red-and-black harness was an 11-pound weight that looked like the head of a sledgehammer. This dog was almost certainly thrown into the water and left to struggle for air until she could struggle no more.

Since the dog's body was found in the hometown of Michael Vick's "Bad Newz Kennels," where dogfighting and pit bull abuse are still serious problems, we can't help but fear the worst: that she was bred, trained, and/or used for fighting; either wasn't "game," lost a fight, or got sick; and was meant to "retire" at the bottom of the James River.

As we learned from the Michael Vick case, unwanted "fighting dogs" are often killed in the most horrific ways. Vick and his cohorts admitted to hanging, shooting, electrocuting, drowning, and slamming to the ground dogs who didn't "perform" well.

While we may never know if this dog was used for fighting, we do know that someone did not want her body to be found. A necropsy report indicates that she suffered a shattered rib, probably inflicted by the heavy weight when she was thrown into the water. She had recently given birth and may have experienced complications.

We are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this heinous crime.

What You Can Do

If you ever suspect anyone of participating in dogfighting, alert authorities immediately. Dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states and is often associated with other serious crimes, including domestic violence, gang activity, and illegal drugs, firearms, and gambling. Signs of dogfighting include the presence of multiple pit bulls chained up in a backyard and paraphernalia such as treadmills and heavy logging chains.

India Ministry Rejects Cruel Dolphin Parks

Michelle Kretzer — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:40:00 GMT

Dolphins don't belong in tiny glass tanks, and India wants to make sure that they won't be put there.

iStockphoto.com/joe32780

When PETA India learned that state governments were planning to put dolphin parks in several parts of the country, it immediately contacted Minister of Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan. The group reminded her that the Animal Welfare Board of India, which must give its permission before animals may be used in performances, said that it has not granted and will not grant permission for companies to keep dolphins in captivity, as tearing dolphins away from their families, confining them to tiny tanks, and forcing them to perform likely constitutes cruelty and violates India's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Natarajan was in complete agreement with PETA India and the board and announced that the ministry would deny all proposals for dolphin parks.

In the U.S. and Canada, dolphins aren't so lucky. Animal advocates must continue to speak out against aquariums and swim-with-dolphins programs.

Victory! Travelzoo Sends Ringling Packing

Michelle Kretzer — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

The week isn't going so well for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The company had been benefiting from online promotions through Travelzoo, a site that offers discounts and deals on travel and entertainment. But that was before PETA and its supporters stepped in.

PETA sent Travelzoo information about Ringling's long history of animal abuse. We detailed how Ringling was handed the largest fine in circus history—$270,000—by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for dozens of violations of the Animal Welfare Act. We revealed how former circus employees admitted that Ringling trainers routinely beat elephants and jabbed them with sharp metal bullhooks in order to force them to perform.

We are pleased that Travelzoo listened and made the compassionate decision to stop offering Ringling ticket deals. Travelzoo joins Lucky Brand, Denny's, Lukoil, MasterCard, Visa, and Sears, all of which have terminated Ringling sponsorships and promotions. Let's keep going after Ringling until its trainers stop going after animals. Ask the USDA to seize the ailing elephants used by Ringling and transfer them to a reputable sanctuary.

It Takes a Village: N.J. Residents Pull Together to Save Dog

Michelle Kretzer — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:30:00 GMT

For a dog, being forced to spend every night alone in the dark, locked inside a grimy auto-repair shop, would be bad enough. But Coco's situation was far worse. The tiny poodle was also almost constantly confined to a crate that was so full of dust, dirt, and feces that anyone looking at her would think that her fur was gray or brown—even though it had once been white.

When two patrons of the New Jersey garage spotted Coco on a frigid winter day, the shop was so cold that the water in her bowl had frozen solid. They asked for permission to give her a bath and fresh water and to take her for a walk. The owner agreed, and Coco relished every second of her freedom, sniffing everything in sight, playing with other dogs, and bounding about. The pair begged her owner to surrender her, but he refused, claiming that the crated, 15-pound dog "guarded" his shop.

Undeterred, one of Coco's advocates contacted PETA. The owner wasn't willing to cooperate with us, either, so we tried a different tactic. We recruited several PETA supporters in the area to drop by the shop to check on Coco and suggest to her owner that she would be happier in a home. We also alerted the local police department, and officers helped by stopping by and talking to Coco's owner about her situation and whether it met legal standards.

Soon, tired of people "bothering" him, the owner turned Coco over to the police. Now she has a loving home, and her filthy crate is a distant memory.

Would you like to help dogs like Coco? Join PETA's Action Team to volunteer to assist animals in your area.

Take Action for Animals: Steer the Conversation

PETA — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:30:00 GMT

Animal activist Michelle Doers was reading Animal Times when she first learned about actor James Cromwell's arrest at the University of Wisconsin (UW) for protesting its heinous experiments on cats. That's when she remembered reading about something else in the PETA publication: a woman who wrapped her car in an ad to raise awareness about animal issues. So Michelle decided to turn her own car into a moving billboard for animals.

For the next two months, Michelle will be using her car to speak up for animals in laboratories and encouraging others to buy only cruelty-free home and beauty products. After that, she plans to change the wrap on her car seasonally. Her next message will encourage people to boycott Ringling Bros. for its abuse of elephants.

Another stellar activist and PETA supporter, Anne Feingold, helped coordinate a joint letter through her cat rescue organization that was signed by more than 150 cat advocacy and rescue organizations from nearly all 50 states. The letter, which unequivocally condemns UW's cruel experiments on cats, was sent to the leadership of the university as well as to the federal funding agency that enables this abuse. Anne also showed impressive initiative and dedication by contacting local media in Madison, Wisconsin, to alert them to her efforts.

Are you inspired by Michelle and Anne? Want to help animals from your computer and in your community? Join our Action Team! And if you're an activist younger than 21, check out peta2's Street Team!

Billy Corgan to CPK: Stop Mutilating Calves

Alisa Mullins — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:50:00 GMT

Smashing Pumpkins founder and frontman Billy Corgan is the latest star to speak out against the cruel practice of dehorning cattle. Billy is calling on California Pizza Kitchen to make the responsible and ethical decision to demand that its cheese suppliers stop this barbaric mutilation.

I have viewed the photos and watched PETA's investigative video of these procedures, and I was appalled to see young calves who struggled and writhed in pain as searing hot irons burned their heads. The industry has noted that the burns are so severe that they may damage the underlying bone. Other practices, which include using caustic chemicals to eat away at the horn-bud flesh via a chemical burn, are no better. … I strongly urge you to take immediate action to stop this unspeakable barbarism by requiring your suppliers to phase out dehorning.

Instead of using these excruciating dehorning methods, farmers can instead breed for naturally hornless, or "polled," cattle. Just as farmers select for traits such as coat color, they can select for the hornless gene. And since a single gene determines whether a cow will have horns and the polled gene is dominant over the horned gene, with selective breeding new generations of cows can be born without the gene for horns.

Several other companies have taken steps to eliminate dehorning, and Billy urges California Pizza Kitchen to follow suit. He is one of several celebrities, including Ryan Gosling and Casey Affleck, who want to see an end to this painful, and unnecessary mutilation immediately.

Billy is no stranger to raising his voice to protect animals. He's been a staunch supporter of PETA's Kentucky Fried Cruelty campaign and PETA Asia's campaign to free Mali.

What You Can Do

Please join Billy Corgan in writing to California Pizza Kitchen and urging the company to require its cheese suppliers to stop dehorning.

The PETA Files

USDA Slams Bristol-Myers Squibb With Fine Over Monkey Deaths

Playing Fast and Loose With Animals' Lives

How You Can Help

Kids Put the 'Rad' in Colorado

IRS Harassed PETA, Too

Hot Cars, Supermodels, Cute Dogs, the Cute Beatle, and Vegan Cookies—What More Could You Ask For?

Canine Murder Mystery on the James River

India Ministry Rejects Cruel Dolphin Parks

Victory! Travelzoo Sends Ringling Packing

It Takes a Village: N.J. Residents Pull Together to Save Dog

Take Action for Animals: Steer the Conversation

Billy Corgan to CPK: Stop Mutilating Calves