Zoo kills healthy lion and then dissects it in front of crowd?!

Posted October 16, 2015 by Kim Johnson

It was like a nightmare brought to life. Children covered their mouths and turned away as a lion cub’s body was cut open and her intestines were laid out on a table before them. No, this wasn’t a Halloween movie—just business as usual at the Odense Zoo in central Denmark.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/denmark-zoo-dissects-lion-cub/#ixzz3on7Wg7YE

Reportedly, the Odense Zoo killed the female lion cub nine months ago after zoo officials decided that she was “surplus” and no other zoos would take her. According to its website, the zoo kills animals to prevent inbreeding and acknowledges that zoo employees have been dissecting animals in front of crowds for 20 years. A spokesperson from the zoo told the BBC’s Newsbeat that this is a “normal process,” and while killing young animals may be normal for the zoos, it certainly isn’t normal for the lions. In the wild, the lion population and breeding would be controlled naturally, without human intervention.

This isn’t the first time that a Danish zoo has come under fire for killing a healthy animal and cutting him or her up in public. Last year, a giraffe named Marius was dissected in front of a crowd at the Copenhagen Zoo and fed to the lions after the zoo killed him with a bolt gunshot to the head. The zoo’s spokesperson said he was actually “proud” that the zoo dissected Marius.

Zoos teach people that it’s OK to interfere with animals’ lives and keep them locked up in captivity so we can gawk at them. And dissection doesn’t teach children ANYTHING. Instead, studies show that it actually fosters callousness toward animals and nature. In the wild, this lion cub would have been free to roam with her family, rather than being made the subject of a gruesome science “lesson.”

What You Can Do

If you are interested in animals, it’s only natural that you would want to be close to them—but animals shouldn’t have to live in misery because of our curiosity! Animals don’t belong to us, and they’re not ours to imprison in zoos or to kill and cut up for dissection. Say no to dissection and never visit any zoo. 

Learn more about how dissection kills and how we can help you say no!

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/denmark-zoo-dissects-lion-cub/#ixzz3on7qAzkU

'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

How Circus Training and Abuse Killed These Baby Elephants

Posted September 22, 2015 by Kim Johnson

The first step in training baby elephants to perform is to destroy the bond between them and their mothers. To do this, Ringling Bros. trainers drag the babies away from their mothers. For up to 23 hours a day, the babies’ legs are tethered so that all they can do is stand in one spot on a concrete floor. They aren’t provided with any mental or physical stimulation, and they can’t lie down, stretch their legs, or even turn around.

After up to six long months of standing in their own waste, these once curious and energetic elephants lose all interest in fighting back. Their spirits are broken. Now, they’re under the control of the trainers, who begin forcing them to do confusing and painful tricks through the use of violence and fear. This type of “training” and abuse is what killed these elephants:

Riccardo

Riccardo’s life began inside Ringling’s misleadingly named breeding facility, the Center for Elephant Conservation. After Riccardo’s mother, Shirley, gave birth—while she was chained by three legs—she made several desperate attempts to reach out and care for her newborn, but instead of allowing mother and baby to bond, Ringling’s trainers pulled Riccardo away.

When Riccardo was only 8 months old, he fell off a pedestal and broke his hind legs. Ringling trainers originally claimed that he had fallen while he was playing, but it was later revealed in court that Riccardo actually fell while he was being trained to get on the pedestal. His trainer admitted that he was holding a bullhook and that a rope was tied around Riccardo’s trunk when the baby elephant toppled over. The damage to Riccardo’s legs could not be treated, and veterinarians euthanized him. 

Kenny

Kenny was just 3 years old when he died. In the wild, he would still be at his mother’s side, but in the circus, Kenny had to spend much of his time traveling around the country inside a cramped boxcar. One day in 1998, Kenny was reportedly very sick, but trainers still forced him to perform in two shows. 

According to the circus’s animal-care log, Kenny was “not eating or drinking.” He also was “bleeding from his rectum … had a hard time standing, was very shaky, walked very slowly,” and “passed a large amount of blood from his rectum.” Later that night, he died alone in his stall. 

Benjamin

Just a year after Kenny’s death, Benjamin died while he was traveling with Ringling. During a stop in Texas, he went swimming in a pond with another young elephant named Shirley (who would later give birth to Riccardo, mentioned above). When the elephants’ trainer commanded them to exit the pond, Shirley obeyed immediately, but being a young and curious elephant, Benjamin continued to splash and play in the water, ignoring the trainer’s commands.

The trainer then grabbed his bullhook and went into the water after Benjamin. Likely out of fear of the trainer and the bullhook, Benjamin moved away into deeper water and drowned. 

Bertha

In 2005, an 11-day-old elephant named Bertha reportedly died. The circus did not announce her birth or death.

What You Can Do

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has announced that it plans to phase out the use of elephants in its performances by 2018. While this is a great victory it is not enough. For the next three years, elephants with Ringling will still be chained, hit with bullhooks,and crammed into tiny boxcars. Many of the elephants suffer from painful arthritis or carry tuberculosis, and their retirement day needs to come now.

Three years is too long for a mother elephant separated from her calf, too long for a baby elephant beaten with bullhooks, and too long for an animal who would roam up to 30 miles a day in the wild but who is instead kept in shackles.

Never go to a circus that uses animals! Continue to speak up for animals abused by Ringling, and urge the circus to retire the elephants NOW.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/ringling-baby-elephant-training-deaths/#ixzz3mVvHRDhO

California State Senate Votes to Ban Bullhooks

Written by PETA | September 1, 2015

The California State Senate voted 28 to eight to ban bullhook use with elephants, making it the first state to enact such a ban. A bullhook is a long rod with a sharp metal hook at the top. It’s one of the weapons used by circuses to beat elephants in the name of “training” in order to coerce them into performing tricks.

California’s bullhook ban is now in the hands of Gov. Jerry Brown, whose signature can turn the bill into law. When this historic ban goes into effect in 2018, no elephant in California will ever again be beaten, hooked, jabbed, or threatened with these weapons, or the wielder will pay a price.

A bullhook being used on a baby elephant.

Some individual cities—including Austin, Texas; Miami Beach, Florida; Oaklandand Los Angeles, California; and Richmond, Virginia—have already banned bullhook use. While this is a step in the right direction, no animal should be forced to perform for our entertainment.

What You Can Do

Never patronize circuses or other shows that use animal acts.

7 Ways to Have a Blast WITHOUT Hurting Animals

Posted August 27, 2015 by Diana Mendoza

There are a few things we need to talk about—like what counts as entertainment and what DOESN’T. While we can spend our summer days being carefree and eating vegan ice cream, animals held captive in zoos, circuses, and marine parks NEVER get a vacation. 

Captive elephants, tigers, orcas, dolphins, bears, and other animals might have been stolen from their homes and families in the wild. They may be beaten with bullhooks or shocked with electric prods. Kept in incompatible groups, some may be bullied by other animals, and some may become so stressed from being confined to tiny cages, tanks, or pits that they attack people. Check out our list of what counts as entertainment and what definitely doesn’t.

ENTERTAINMENT: HIKING

If you’re jonesing to get some one-on-one time with nature, you need to hit the trails ASAP. Spend a day in the woods, hike to a waterfall, or wander through a canyon and listen to the soothing soundtrack of birds chirping, the wind blowing, or the trickle of a flowing stream. Many state parks—some of which also serve as protected habitats for endangered plants and animals—offer a variety of scenic trails for all skill levels that will allow you to observe nature in all its glory. Bonus points if you catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset!

NOT: ZOOS

We Animals | Jo-Anne McArthur

Seeing animals in cages tells you very little about their species and how they behave in the wild, since their needs are rarely met in captivity. Zoos often breed animals primarily because cute babies attract more visitors—not because they’re trying to preserve the species. Most animals born in captivity are never released into the wild.

ENTERTAINMENT: MUSIC FESTIVALS

Our favorite tour ever, Warped Tour, has vendors, a ton of talented bands that WANT to perform for you, and, of course, the peta2 booth—where we give out loads of free stickers, DVDs, and more. Warped Tour not going through your town? Chances are, there are probably about a million other music festivals happening nearby where you can go rock your face off without exploiting animals. It’s a win-win situation!

NOT: CIRCUSES

Buying a ticket to a circus that uses animals directly supports the physical, emotional, and mental abuse of animals. Think about it: Tigers are naturally afraid of fire, yet in circuses, they’re forced to jump through rings of fire. So … how scared must they be of their trainers for them to do that?! Footage has shown that big cats are whipped, smacked, and yelled at during training. Definitely NOT entertainment.

ENTERTAINMENT: MOVIE NIGHT

Popcorn: FreeImages.com/Linnell Esler

Sometimes, we just want to relax on the couch with a giant bowl of popcorn and some delicious accidentally vegan candy and watch all the Harry Potter movies in a row. Get your snack on and enjoy a night in—bonus points if you watch some cool animal documentaries! Here’s a list of our faves.

NOT: BUYING TICKETS TO MOVIES THAT USE ANIMALS

Unlike humans, no great ape ever dreams of becoming a star of the big screen. For chimpanzees and orangutans, performing is stressful and confusing. In order to force young apes to perform on cue, trainers often strike the animals with their fists, clubs, or even broom handles. The presence of American Humane Association representatives on set is no guarantee that the animals weren’t exploited, hurt, or even killed, as inspectors don’t monitor the animals’ living conditions or preproduction training.

ENTERTAINMENT: WHALE WATCHING

Humpback Whales | Photo by: National Marine Sanctuaries | CC by 2.0

You can experience the mind-blowing beauty of marine life up close by taking a boat ride out to sea for some whale watching. Many boating expeditions that take you out on the water to observe marine animals are surprisingly inexpensive. Before booking, ask about the company’s code of conduct to ensure that the operation is responsible and doesn’t put animals at risk. A day on the water might include spotting a variety of animals—like sea lions, otters, whales, curious dolphins (who’ve been known to follow alongside boats), pelicans, bald eagles, and others—as they’re meant to be: free in the wild.

NOT: MARINE PARKS

So … orcas are really smart and can swim, like, 100 miles a day. How’s THAT for a star athlete, eh?! Too bad orcas at SeaWorld and other marine parks are forced to live in concrete bathtubs, where they can only swim in endless circles when they’re not being forced to perform stupid tricks.

ENTERTAINMENT: ANIMAL SANCTUARY

A trip to an animal sanctuary is a definite MUST for true animal lovers. Meet some rescued animals and learn about their stories and what you can do to help them and others like them in the future. Don’t be duped by unscrupulous posers—only support facilities that are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

NOT: ROADSIDE ANIMAL DISPLAYS

The stress that animals living in unnatural environments in roadside zoos endure can cause abnormal and self-destructive behavior such as swaying, pacing, and even self-mutilation. This behavior rarely happens in the wild but is regularly seen in animals who are confined to zoos. This is referred to as “zoochosis,” a disturbing and unnatural psychological condition.

ENTERTAINMENT: THE BEACH

FreeImages.com/Dragan Sasic

Claim your spot on the sand and bust out a good book, because the beach is all about relaxing! Get comfortable and spend some time soaking up the sun with friends or family, paddle out and catch some surf, or just chillax.

NOT: MARINE PARKS

If you’re a dolphin at a marine park, some trainer jerk may treat you like you’re his effing surfboard! And unlike when YOU go surfing, there’s no endless horizon in those small tanks. To get dolphins to perform dumb tricks, trainers isolate these highly intelligent and social animals or deprive them of food .

ENTERTAINMENT: SPORTING EVENTS

FreeImages.com/Aaron Schwab

Round up some friends and head to the ball game—it’ll give you plenty of time to catch up with your pals, and you’ll see some amazing athletes strutting their stuff.

NOT: CIRCUSES

The Ringling Bros. circus tears baby elephants away from their mothers, The young elephants are bound, forced to the ground, threatened with bullhooks, and chained to break their spirit and force them to perform confusing and dangerous tricks. SO HEARTBREAKING!

Animals are not ours to use for entertainment. Pledge never to go to zoos, marine parks, or animal circuses. If we don’t take action, nothing will change.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/cruelty-free-vacation-ideas/#ixzz3kAQHJvNH

These Videos Are No ‘Friend’ to Animals

Written by Jennifer O'Connor | August 5, 2015

The Internet has spawned a wave of videos called “unlikely friends” showing normally incompatible species interacting. The problem isn’t when a dog and a cat cuddle up on the couch. It’s that the videos in question are distributed by seedy roadside zoos in an effort to make their cruel businesses more palatable to the public.

We’re not embedding these videos because ignoring them is the strongest statement you can make.

Here are three of the worst offenders:

• A gross Android ad features animals from a notorious outfit called T.I.G.E.R.S. The operator, a guy named Bhagavan (Kevin) Antle, has been repeatedly cited by federal authorities for failure to provide animals with adequate veterinary care, sufficient cage space, protection from the elements, and clean water and for failure to provide dogs with an exercise plan and primates with a program of environmental enrichment. Antle routinely crossbreeds animals and removes infant animals from their mothers to be used as photo props.
• Dade City’s Wild Things in Florida promotes its awful business by posting “unlikely friends” videos such as a tiger cub swimming with a dog. The roadside zoo, which is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for violating the Animal Welfare Act, churns out cubs and acquires them from other breeders and dealers and then just as quickly relegates them to tiny pens or discards them to other roadside zoos where they’ll spend their lives being denied everything that is natural and important to them. All these vulnerable babies belong with their mothers, not in swimming pools and sitting on people’s laps.
• The Garold Wayne Interactive Zoological Park (G.W.) in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, spins the friendship between a lion and a dachshund as charming, but the living conditions for exotic animals at this hellhole are deplorable. G.W. is currently the subject of four USDA investigations, including one for the deaths of two tiger cubs in May 2013 and another for the deaths of 23 baby tigers over a seven-month period from 2009 to 2010. Last year, the facility was cited for failing to provide four juvenile bears, who had suffered from untreated skin conditions for months, with veterinary care. It was also cited last year by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for a 2013 tiger attack that caused an employee to lose part of her arm and nearly bleed to death.

What You Can Do

Share this blog post on social media and post comments anytime you see an “unlikely friends” video online.

What happens when animals are released from captivity -

Posted July 22, 2015 by Lily Trahan

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware of all the awful things that SeaWorld does to the animals it holds captive. But it isn’t just SeaWorld—other marine parks as well as aquariums and zoos treat animals terribly, too!

NO species exists just to be locked up, whether animals are born into captivity or not, plain and simple. All living beings—human or not—deserve to be left alone so that they can fully enjoy life in their natural habitats with their families. Facilities like zoos and aquariums rob animals of these opportunities and everything that’s natural and important to them, which is why it’s crucial to speak out and call on these businesses to free suffering animals.

Now, people sometimes question what would happen to animals after they’ve been freed and if it’s even possible for them to survive. Well, we have the answers:

Where would these animals go?

If animals were released from these types of facilities, they could be sent to true sanctuaries where they’d be able to live in an appropriate habitat. They’d receive care and support while still being able to enjoy what’s natural and important to them. Most importantly, they’d no longer be treated as nothing more than a way to make money.

After years in captivity, Sunder enjoys the sanctuary life!

Do places like aquariums and zoos help with conservation?

If animals are taken from the wild and placed or bred into captivity, they virtually never return to their natural habitat. Zoos and aquariums help little with funding conservation efforts and have very limited breeding programs designed to release animals back into the natural world. Studies show that keeping animals in captivity actually harms conservation efforts.

What about protecting animals from hunters?

Places like zoos and aquariums serve only as a band-aid for animals at risk because of hunting. We need to get rid of the problem at the source, which is to end sport hunting first.

“Canned hunting” ranches often buy unwanted or surplus animals from zoos.

Are these places educational?

Sadly, no. If we truly want to learn about animals and their abilities, it’s best to view them in their natural habitats. This is the only way to see what they’re fully capable of. There’s nothing natural about watching animals behind bars, in inadequate conditions, or without family members to interact with—which is important for social animals.

Can they survive in the wild if they were born into captivity?

Usually not, but they can thrive in sanctuaries!

Iris the monkey goes from living in filthy isolation, to enjoying an island paradise at a sanctuary

Seventeen bears had been held captive in virtually barren concrete pits at Black Forest Bear Park in Helen, Georgia, but nowthey are living it up at the stunning 60-acre natural habitat at The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.

How can I help animals in the meantime?

Avoid places that use animals for “entertainment,“ and support legit sanctuaries and habitat conservation! Spreading awareness makes a world of difference, too, because it’ll encourage others to vote with their dollars. Together, we can be the voice for animals who are suffering in silence.

Read more: http://www.peta2.com/blog/where-captive-animals-released/#ixzz3iYJ4tWmE

Baby giraffe dies at Dallas Zoo in accident

This is seriously why you should not support zoos in any way. Captivity kills, and this is a really good example.

Baby giraffe dies at Dallas Zoo in accident

Posted: 07/28/2015 11:55 PM

DALLAS (AP) - A baby giraffe whose birth at the Dallas Zoo was viewed live on the Internet worldwide has died in an accident.

A Dallas Zoo statement says Kipenzi (kih-PEHN'-zee), the 3-month-old giraffe, died about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when she ran into a perimeter edge of the barn that's part of the giraffe herd's habitat. According to the statement, zoo keepers were routinely shifting the herd into their night barn when the calf began to scamper about the feeding yard. Zoo officials say she died immediately from three broken neck vertebrae.

Kipenzi's mother, Katie, was allowed to visit the calf's body before veterinarians and zoo keepers removed it.

Kipenzi's birth April 10 was live-streamed on the Animal Planet website. Kipenzi is Swahili for "loved one."Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. .