Pitbulls Need Protection Now!

Posted October 22, 2015 by Kim Johnson

Millions of dogs enter animal shelters each year in the U.S., and because there aren’t enough homes for all of them, many will never find a “forever” family. But pit bulls, more than any other dog breed, are in crisis and need help right now. Urgently. They often face relentless abuse and neglect, and they are the breed that is most often abandoned. As a result, tens of thousands of them are euthanized (“put down”) in shelters every year.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/pit-bulls/#ixzz3pXoEE3co

Besides being the most abandoned, pit bulls are also the most common victims of the heartbreaking cruelty and severe neglect that PETA fieldworkers encounter every day. These dogs are often seen as macho status symbols or cheap burglar alarms. They’re taunted, abused, and treated like inanimate objects. 

PETA’s fieldworkers have helped and won justice for hundreds of pit bulls in Virginia and North Carolina, but countless others languish in backyards and back alleys across the country. They don’t receive any affection or exercise, and they’re often beaten to make them “mean.” Pit bulls are also used in dogfights, in which they’re thrown into a ring and encouraged to tear each other apart. The ones who lose the fights are then electrocuted, drowned, hanged, or even worse. 

If you care about pit bulls, help them! 

Millions of dogs (of all breeds) end up euthanized each year because too many people buy dogs from breeders and pet stores instead of saving lives by adopting from animal shelters and too many people fail to get them spayed or neutered. Support a ban on breeding dogs of ANY breed—including pit bulls and pit bull mixes—and support strict regulations on their care, including a ban on chaining. Breed-specific laws can protect pit bulls and prevent more from being born into a world of exploitation, abandonment, and abuse.

With the overpopulation crisis, there’s simply no justification for bringing more dogs of any breed into the world while so many in animal shelters are in need of homes. Urge people who keep their dogs chained to let them live indoors as members of the family. And always report abuse and neglect. Pit bulls need all the friends they can get.

Spread the word!

The Vamps' James McVey Teams Up With Rescued Cats to Save Animals

Posted October 21, 2015 by Matt Kilbourne

James McVey from the pop band The Vamps has teamed up with rescued cats Bap and Bagel to urge everyone to adopt, don’t shop. James and these adorable kittens remind us that millions of animals are waiting in animal shelters for a loving home.

Despite the fact that more than 6 million homeless animals enter shelters every year, breeders and pet stores continue to crank out more litters of puppies and kittens. Buying from a pet store or a breeder means that you’re rejecting an equally deserving shelter animal who’s hoping and waiting for a home. But when you adopt from a shelter, you save a life!

What You Should Know About Pet Stores

• Most puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills, facilities with massive rows of outdoor cages that force mother dogs to have litter after litter of puppies at an exhausting rate in cramped, filthy conditions.
• Many animals sold in pet stores suffer from chronic health and behavior problems because they haven’t received adequate veterinary care or socialization.
• The pet trade encourages people to see animals as impulse purchases instead of complex beings who require a lifetime of care. Pet shops sell animals to anyone who can pay, often sending them home with unprepared, incompetent, or even abusive guardians. 

How You Can Help

• Adopt from a shelter! Because so many adoptable dogs, cats, and other animals are waiting in shelters for a good home, there’s no reason to purchase an animal from a pet store or a breeder.
• Spay and neuter your animals. Once you’ve adopted your new best friend, always have him or her sterilized. The only way to end the homeless-animal crisis is by spaying or neutering to prevent new litters from being born.
• Be proud of your rescued friends and show them off on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to use #AdoptDontShop and #Rescued to spread the love. ♥

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/the-vamps-james-mcvey-adoption-ad/#ixzz3pJML6FkB

Taco Bell has WHAT??

Made by: Hannah Easley

That's right, folks! Taco Bell has came out with a vegetarian menu! I know what you're thinking,
'Could Taco Bell get any better?' Yes, yes it can.

Here's what they got:

1. Biscuit Burrito

$1.99

So good for breakfast and it's only 310 calories!

Check it out here!

2.  7 Layer-Burrito

 $2.69

As if a 7 layered burrito didn't sound good enough, it's only 430 calories!

Check it out here!

3. Bean Burrito

 $1.19

Let's see, not only is this delicious, it is only 370 calories!

Check it out here!

4. Black Bean Burrito

 $1.99

If this picture is gonna make not drool enough, it is only 390 calories!

Check it out here!

5. Cheesy Roll Up

 $1.00

When you look at this, what do you think? That it must be so good? Yep! And it's

only 180 calories!

Check it out here!

6. Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito

 $1.00

This thing is so good, and the best part is that it's only 420 calories!

Check it out here!

8. Cantina Power Bowl

 $4.99

Can you say "Hashtag, NEED!" I know I can, because it's only 460 calories! 

Check it out here!

9. Cantina Power Burrito

$3.79

What else can be so yummy, and 430 calories?!
Check it out here!

And guess what??

You can find everything on the vegetarian menu here! And if you're vegan, even better! 

You can simply find something that could be made without dairy or eggs (or meat) and ask for that! 

Being a vegetarian is not that hard! If you have any questions about help,   Please comment below.

Thanks for reading!

What's wrong with McDonald's?

Posted by: True Activist

1.) Ammonium Sulfate

Dong Ming

Nothing helps mass-produce bread like ammonium sulfate. Unfortunately, nothing fertilizers soil or kills bugs like it either. Read more about ammonium sulfate and other nasty bread additives here: 5 Dangerous Additives Hidden In Packaged Bread

2.) Silicone Oil

redrc

Chicken McNuggets are full of dimethylpolysiloxane, a silicone oil that is often used for making contact lenses and other medical items. Learn more about your beloved McNuggets here: The Chicken That Should Be Banned

3.) Cysteine-L

continentalfeathers

Fast food restaurants use Cysteine-L, an amino acid synthesized from human hair or duck feathers, to flavor their meat and soften their breads and pastries.

4.) TBHQ

J.smith

This additive can be found in 18 McDonald’s menu items. It’s potentially lethal, but don’t worry, the FDA says it’s generally regarded as safe (GRAS). Learn more about TBHQ here: The Petroleum Byproduct You Are Most Likely Eating

5.) Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is a chemical compound that can be found in anti-freeze, e-cigarettes, and that’s right! Fast food!

6.) Prescription Drugs

rudoilaw

By testing feathers, researchers from Johns Hopkins University found some very interesting characteristics of factory-farm-raised poultry. And you thought the pink slime scandal was bad? Anti-depressants as well as other prescription drugs are added to chicken feed for fast food “poultry” items. That’s right, those McChicken sandwiches and McNuggets come from chickens that were raised on a steady diet of prescription, over-the-counter, and even banned drugs. Learn more about it here: 3 Dirty Chicken Facts Exposed

7.) Dimethylpolysiloxane

Shuttershock

You’ll find this in almost any fried fast food menu item and also in silly putty, contact lenses, caulking, shampoo and conditioners, cosmetics, polishes, heat resistant tiles, and the list goes on… Learn more about Dimethylpolysiloxane by following this link.

8.) Carminic Acid

Wikimedia Commons

Synthesized by Cochineal beetles, Carminic acid is used to dye foods, especially meats, red. You can learn more about the beetles in your food HERE.

9.) Cellulose

w8themes

You’ll find this organic compound, which is produced from wood pulp, in nearly every fast food menu item. Learn more about cellulose by following this link.

10.) Silicon Dioxide

Wikimedia Commons

This industrial sand is used in things like Wendy’s chili to keep it from clumping together. Mmm… industrial sand. Learn more about silicon dioxide HERE.

Cooking your own food has never sounded more appealing. If you think you can’t afford it, follow this link to learn how to grow your own organic produce. What’s that all you have is an apartment? Check out these tips for apartment gardening!

Have you heard enough about this discusting place called "McDonald's?"  Good.

Where do animals from dissection come from?

Made by: Hannah Easley

Imagine being ripped away from your home, put in very small cages, and being killed for dissection. That's what happens when you used animals for dissection.
This happens to frogs, mice, rabbits, fetal pigs, cats, and more.
Let's look more into this.

Cats

  Cats are taken away from the streets, shelters, or even cats that could have been very loved by a family. 

Once they take them, they put them in a horribly small cage and are abused.

 PETA investigators documented cases in which animals were removed from gas chambers and injected with formaldehyde without first being checked for vital signs, a violation of the Animal Welfare Act. Formaldehyde is a severely irritating caustic substance that causes a painful death. Investigators’ video footage documents incidences in which cats and rats were struggling during injection and employees were spitting on them. 

 Rabbits

Reality for these rabbits used for dissection very painful, (like all of the poor animals used to dissection.)  One rabbit, still alive after being gassed, tried to crawl out of a wheelbarrow full of water and dead rabbits. Employees laughed as a coworker held the rabbit’s head underwater and pulled him out just as death seemed near, repeating the process again and again until, bored with the “game,” the employee held the animal’s head underwater long enough to drown him. Rabbits aren't toys.

   Frogs

Sadly, frogs are the most commonly dissected animals in classes below the university level, although other species, like cats, mice, rats, dogs, rabbits, fetal pigs, and fish, are also sometimes used. Frogs are also among the first species to succumb to environmental pollution and habitat destruction, and their deaths are often the first indicators of environmental problems because they’re so sensitive to their surroundings. 

All species of frogs are disappearing from the Earth at an alarming rate, with a devastating and not yet fully understood environmental impact. As a result, some frog populations have crashed, wiping out entire species. Populations of grass frogs and bullfrogs, the most common victims of high school dissection, are threatened by both mass collection and environmental hazards. Some are even performed on alive during dissection.

 Pigs

 Many students object to using fetal pigs because of their concern for the treatment of animals raised for human consumption. Almost all of the 97 million pigs slaughtered annually for human consumption in the United States are raised in crowded, confined conditions, where they are deprived of space, fresh air, and fresh forage for the duration of their shortened lives. 

Many also have their tails cut off and their teeth excised as piglets. The fetuses that end up in dissection trays are taken from pregnant sows at the slaughterhouse. Some biological supply houses breed animals such as mice,: obtain fetal pigs from slaughterhouses that cut them from their mothers' are killed: and trap or take other types of animals from a variety of locations.

 Mice

Mice, or other small animals used for dissection are nothing but dollar signs for breeders who kill them and sell their  corpses. Millions of animals are killed every year, in high schools alone, including the unknown number of animals used for college or middle school grades. Many mice, or rats are even embalmed. 

Alternatives to Dissection
Numerous studies have shown that students using humane alternatives learn as well, if not better, than students who dissect.

• Observation of animals in their natural habitat
• Anatomical models such as the “Great American Bullfrog” 
• Computer programs such as Visifrog and The Rat Stack
• CD-ROMS such as the Cat Dissection Library CD-ROM, Bio-Lab Invertebrate D-ROM, and the Biology Dissection CD-ROM
• Non-animal projects such as the Bio-Feedback Micro-lab
• Videotapes 
• Videodiscs 
• Charts
• Transparencies
• Slides 
• Books and manuals
• Online virtual dissection kits such as the Whole Frog Project.

The Expense
In the long run, dissection alternatives are less expensive than dissecting live animals. Unlike the former, alternatives such as CD ROMS can be used time and time again, therein permitting students to practice the techniques as many times as they need to truly learn the material. In addition, they are typically accompanied by a manual and do not require supplementary tools such as scalpels or dissections pans.

States that Have Dissection Choice Laws

States with informed student consent laws (K-12):

• California, 1988, Cal. Education Code Section 32255.1-32255.6
• Florida, 2003, Fla. Stat. ch. 233.0674 (2001) 1003.47
• Illinois, 2000, 105 ILCS 5/27-13.1
• New Jersey, 2005, 18A:35-4.24 and 18A:35-4.25
• New York, 1994, N.Y. Educ. Law Section 809
• Oregon, 2005, OR REV. STAT. § 337.300
• Pennsylvania, 1992, 24 P.S. § 15-1523
• Rhode Island, 1997, Gen.Laws 1956, § 16-22-20
• Vermont, 2008, 16 V.S.A. § 912
• Virginia, 2004, Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-200.01 (2004)

States with student choice policies:

• Maine, 1989 (State Dept. of Ed policy)
• Maryland, 1997 (majority of individual county policies)

States with legislation proposing student choice:

• Michigan, HB 4218
• Tennessee, HJR 1077

Read each state’s individual law.

Passing a Student Choice Policy
Ask your school to adopt a student dissection choice policy.

Ask your school district or state Department of Education to adopt a student dissection choice policy. More information

Read more: http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/other-issues/dissection

Maybe dissecting isn't that good after all.

People vote NO for Seaworld adding more tanks!

Posted October 9, 2015 by Kim Johnson

The California Coastal Commission just voted to approve SeaWorld’s “Blue World Project” –a plan to build more orca prisons at the San Diego park, but only under one condition: no more breeding and no transportation of new orcas into the park. This amendment could ultimately end captivity for orcas in California!

SeaWorld officials had admitted that they intended to breed even more orcas to fill the new tanks as part of their “Blue World Project”, but the commission’s ruling ensured that if SeaWorld goes through with their project, no more orcas will be condemned to a lonely existence of deprivation, and misery. PETA wants SeaWorld to stop building tanks and start emptying the ones they’ve got by sending the orcas to coastal sanctuaries (sea pens), where they’d finally have some semblance of a natural life.

SeaWorld San Diego 2010 | Martin Wippel | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

In nature, orcas choose their own mates. But at SeaWorld, orcas are forced to breed. Male orcas are trained to float on their backs, and their trainers masturbate them to collect their sperm. Females are artificially inseminated and forced to breed at a much younger age than they would in nature.

SeaWorld tried to defend its breeding program by saying, “Breeding is a natural, fundamental, and important part of an animal’s life.” But does this look natural to you? 

The commission received more than 120,000 e-mails and letters from concerned supporters of PETA and peta2, and hundreds of protesters turned out at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.

During the hearing, PETA representatives recounted incidences of calves being torn from their mothers, forced pregnancies, and premature deaths. One orca was force-fed Valium to curb his aggression—which was triggered by his confinement.

SeaWorld has been cited for violating the Animal Welfare Act and fined for failing to protect its employees properly. The park’s attendance and revenue are nosediving, and its shares are losing value.

Thanks to compassionate people like YOU who spoke out for orcas, SeaWorld and the California Coastal Commission know that we’re tired of seeing animals in captivity, and SeaWorld’s plan to build more orca prisons didn’t fool anyone! Keep the pressure on SeaWorld and urge them to retire all orcas!

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/seaworld-san-diego-no-breeding/#ixzz3oNAq2lF0

Download Peta2's Orca Wallpaper here!

5 Vegan Energy Drinks

The following article was written by Megan Bedard.

Luckily for vegans, some of the most popular energy boosters are naturally vegan—think coffee, tea, and orange juice.

But sometimes, whether you’re hitting the books or attending an awesome PETA demonstration, you need a little extra jolt. But navigating the ingredient lists on cans of liquid energy can be tricky (taurine, for example, comes from animals, but there is a synthetic version that many companies use).

Here are five energy drinks that you can count on being vegan. Prepare for take-off!

 

***

Have any other favorites? Let us know in the comments section below!

'Once Upon A Time Cast' Speaks Up For Animals!

Posted September 25, 2015 by Matt Kilbourne

The new season of Once Upon a Time debuts this Sunday, and we couldn’t be more excited! The series returns viewers to the quiet, made-up town of Storybrooke, whose residents are fairytale characters stuck in the real world, thanks to a powerful curse. An awesome show AND a cast that is SUPER-supportive of animal rights? Swoon! We’ve compiled a list of cast members who share our compassion for animals:

See what Jared Gilmore (aka “Henry Mills”) has to say about being a responsible companion to his animals.

Emilie de Ravin (aka “Belle”) is a true champion for animals, always standing up for them on Twitter. We ♥ her.

When Lana Parrilla isn’t busy playing the Evil Queen and Regina, she’s a voice for animals like her adorable pup, Lola.

Whether sharing her favorite vegan cheese or posing with her adopted canine, Asher, Kristin Bauer van Straten (aka “Maleficent”) is one of our favorite people on Twitter and Instagram. As a bonus, check out the rad “Say No to Ivory” tee that she designed!

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/once-upon-a-time-show/#ixzz3n3LEMOGT

Grab your favorite snack, and check out OUAT when it returns on Sunday, September 27. We can’t wait to see what twists and turns this season has in store!

While you’re waiting for the next episode of Once Upon a Time, check out these movies on Netflix.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/once-upon-a-time-show/#ixzz3n3JN2VOG

How This Selfie Might Change Everything

Posted September 24, 2015 by Kim Johnson

A few years ago in Indonesia, a photographer left his camera unattended. That was tempting for a curious crested black macaque named Naruto, who grabbed the camera and began taking photographs—some of the forest floor, some of other macaques, and several of himself, one of which resulted in the now-famous “monkey selfie.”

Acting as Naruto’s legal representative (aka “next friend”), PETA has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. federal court in San Francisco against the owner of the camera, photographer David J. Slater, and his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., both of which claim copyright ownership of the photos that Naruto took. Also named as a defendant is the San Francisco–based publishing company Blurb, Inc., which published a collection of Slater’s photographs, including two selfies taken by Naruto.

The lawsuit seeks to have Naruto declared the “author” and owner of his photograph. U.S. copyright law doesn’t prohibit an animal from owning a copyright, and since Naruto took the photo, he should own the copyright, as any human would.

If this lawsuit succeeds, it would be the first time that, instead of being considered a piece of property, a nonhuman animal is declared the owner of property (in this case, the copyright of the “monkey selfie”). It would also be the first time that a right is extended to a nonhuman animal beyond just the mere basic necessities of food, shelter, water, and veterinary care. It’s about time!

PETA is also asking the court to allow us to donate all the proceeds from sales of the “monkey selfie” for the benefit of Naruto and his community, without compensation to PETA.

Animals deserve to have appropriate rights of their own and should not be exploited by humans. 

We think Naruto should have the rights to his photo. What do you think? Share this story, and let us know in the comments! 

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/monkey-selfie-lawsuit/#ixzz3mlTIGYB6

10 Reasons to Not Eat Oysters, Mussels, and Clams

Posted September 21, 2015 by Lily Trahan

© DOLLARPHOTOCLUB/AMILLI

 Plenty of “vegetarians” still eat oysters, reasoning that it’s OK to do so because they believe that shellfish don’t feel pain. But is that really true? And more importantly, what right do we, as humans, have to interfere with the lives of others? Well, these fun facts may just help you see bivalves (mollusks such as oysters, scallops, clams, and mussels) in a whole new light:

1. Scallops’ eye-game is on point! They have eyes all over their bodies to help them see and escape from predators.

2. Similar to turtles, when oysters sense danger, they hide inside their shells, which snap tightly shut. Fear much?

3. Fight or flight: Like most animals, scallops flee when they’re threatened. They swim away from predators by flapping their shells.

4. They like to show off. Mussels have been known to flex their muscles and move around to find a better location. 

Mussels, Towan Beach, Newquay, Cornwall | Vicki Burton | CC BY-SA 2.0

5. We don’t know yet if they can feel pain, but if they do, an order of oysters by the dozen means a lot of suffering on one plate. Why risk it?

6. Dredging is a drag. Messin’ with oysters means messin’ with the ecosystem! Dredging oceans (dragging a device across the sea floor) to harvest oysters damages the reefs that provide other animals with habitats and disrupts the ecosystem.

7. Clams can live to be 35 years old, but most are harvested at just 2 years of age. So young …

Clam burrowing back into the sand | Ruth Hartnup | CC BY 2.0

8. Hurting oysters means possibly hurting turtles, too! Sea turtles can be injured or killed by the dredges and trawl nets (large fishing nets) that are used to harvest scallops.

9. Mussel farms are ocean litterbugs. They produce “marine litter” that includes broken shells, rope, floats, and other debris that are often ingested by marine animals.

Mussel farm, Primorsko, Bulgaria | Vasil Raev | CC BY 2.0

10. All we are saying is give seas a chance. As oysters, clams, and mussels suck in ocean water to feed on bacteria and phytoplankton, they also ingest pollutants and other harmful chemicals and send the clean, filtered water back into the sea. One oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day!

Just like any other animal, oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops play a crucial role in the ecosystem, and by eating them, we risk causing major damage to the environment. So how about we leave ‘em alone and avoid messing with Mother Nature, eh?

Love seafood? Check out all the meals you can make with Gardein Fishless Filets!

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/oyster-mussel-clam-scallop-facts/#ixzz3mVwqQRlu