These 8 Victories Are Proof That PETA’s Online Action Alerts Really Work—Join In!
PETA is known for changing hearts and minds on the streets, and today, thanks to our online activism, anyone can take a stand against cruelty to animals 24/7. Whether we’re taking on giant corporations and television networks or working to free animals trapped in cages across the country, our online activism is vital to animal liberation. Making a difference via PETA’s online action alerts is easy and effective, and anyone can do it.
Thanks to people like you, real change is being made every day. Here’s a look at just eight examples of the many times PETA supporters saved lives through online actions:
1. Kikkoman ended torturous animal tests.
Why we took action: For more than 15 years, Kikkoman—the most popular soy sauce company in the U.S. and Japan—conducted experiments in which animals were cut open, force-fed soy and other food products, blasted with radiation, and decapitated, just to make dubious and irrelevant health claims.
How we won: Kikkoman stopped its cruel and archaic tests on animals following a vigorous PETA campaign that included more than 100,000 protest e-mails, countless critical social media posts, and an array of scathing media stories.
2. The Mobile Zoo retired Joe to an accredited sanctuary.
Why we took action: Joe the chimpanzee lived most of his life as a prop. He was used for entertainment as a juvenile and eventually moved to a notorious roadside zoo in Alabama, where his entire world consisted of a horse stall and a barren enclosure no larger than a dog run.
How we won: Over 84,500 supporters spoke up for Joe through online action. He’s now happily living out his years at the Save the Chimps sanctuary in Florida.
3. Torture festival was banned in Mexico.
Why we took action: At the Kots Kaal Pato, or “Strangle the Duck,” festival in Citilcum (a small town near Izamal, Yucatán), animals were viciously tortured and beaten and their heads were torn off for the sadistic enjoyment of participants and attendees.
How we won: Over 48,000 online actions were quickly taken, which helped persuade government officials finally to ban this horrific spectacle.
4. Paul White Chevrolet pulled ads featuring Popi the orangutan.
Why we took action: The footage in the ads was taken when Popi was being exploited as a “performer” by notorious Las Vegas showman Bobby Berosini—who was exposed for beating the orangutans in his care and confining them to tiny, windowless lockers for nearly two decades.
How we won: Over 24,000 of you e-mailed Paul White Chevrolet, and the West Virginia dealership pulled its ads off the air.
5. Church in the Son vowed not to use live animals in future sermons.
Why we took action: Footage showing that an obviously distressed caged lion was used as a prop during a recent sermon caused an uproar after it went viral.
How we won: Over 35,000 of you e-mailed the Orlando, Florida, church, and hundreds of you took over its social media pages, making this victory possible.
6. Rhode Island banned bullhooks.
Why we took action: Bullhooks—a heavy baton with a sharp metal hook on one end—are weapons that are designed to inflict pain and used to punish and control elephants.
How we won: Almost 9,000 PETA supporters e-mailed the governor in behalf of elephants, bringing about this groundbreaking victory. Rhode Island was the first state in the U.S. to ban the use of bullhooks, marking yet another historic win, thanks to online activism. But even with this unprecedented victory, animals in circuses still need your help. Take action now!
7. Uber dropped its leather-interior requirement.
Why we took action: We wanted Uber to know that today’s socially conscious millennials—who helped drive Uber to the top of the market—are opposed to killing and skinning cows for environmentally unfriendly leather car interiors.
How we won: Uber decided to drop its leather requirement after 44,500 supporters took action by demanding an end to the requisite.
8. Minor League Baseball issued a statement speaking out against “monkey rodeos.”
Why we took action: Terrified capuchin monkeys are tied to the backs of dogs who “race” around a track, reaching speeds of up to 30 mph.
How we won: Over 18,500 of you contacted Minor League Baseball (MiLB) management and brought about this victory for monkeys and dogs. However, even though MiLB denounced cruel monkey rodeos, individual teams continue to host these events.
