The U.S. banned “finning“—a practice in which fishers cut the fins off sharks and dump the still-living animals overboard to die a slow, agonizing death—back in 2000, but the ban only extended to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Now, a decade later, the Senate has finally voted to extend the ban to … Read more »
OK, maybe not, but leave it to the sellers of tortured cows to try to grab attention by claiming that it’s “National Hamburger Day.”(Déjà vu, anyone?) How about we hijack this “holiday” and replace it with one called “National Free-of-Rotting-Flesh Burger Day?” OK, so that might be a little wordy, but no worries: The most … Read more »
This is a first: An investigation by a PETA entity has actually brought down a government official! The Lower Saxony minister of agriculture, Astrid Grotelüschen, has resigned after a PETA Germany investigation revealed filthy, abusive conditions on poultry farms in Mecklenburg–West Pomerania —farms that are in a business relationship with Grotelüschen’s husband. PETA Germany investigators … Read more »
Picking the top 10 PETA Files blog posts of the past year was harder than figuring out the plot of Inception, but we’ve narrowed it down to these posts, which cover everything from Lady Gaga’s meat dress to our “Pope Condom” campaign: PETA’s investigation of international animal dealer U.S. Global Exotics leads to the record-setting … Read more »
When I read that Joan Jett jumped on a car hood to join PETA’s protest outside the Waldorf Astoria, where McDonald’s Jim Skinner was to receive a “Distinguished CEO” award (?!) last night, I started applauding. Sure, Jim Skinner is “distinguished”—from anyone with an ounce of compassion and a kernel of common sense, that is. … Read more »
Why I don’t eat chicken—let me count the reasons: There’s cruelty and callousness, blood and pus, pain and suffering, and sickness and death, not to mention feces, vomit, parasites, pollution, plaque build-up, and other disturbing and disgusting things that I just can’t stomach. PETA has created a compelling 30-second clip called “Why I Don’t Eat … Read more »
I’m such a map geek that I study the road atlas for fun. But I was equal parts intrigued and disturbed by the latest map that I laid eyes on: Food & Water Watch’s Factory Farm Map. This interactive online map shows which areas of the U.S. have the most animal factories, and it also … Read more »
sneakerdog/CC by 2.0 Here’s some free financial advice from MoneyWatch: If you want to save money, go vegan. Beef and dairy prices are expected to rise by 5 percent in 2011. Pig meat—or “pork” to those who like to pretend that they’re eating something other than the flesh of a dead, dismembered pig—will likely cost … Read more »
GollyGforce/CC by 2.0 It’s been more than 20 years since I read about the “downed cow” in a PETA newsletter and became a vegetarian on the spot. Now, out of Texas comes another veggie-maker of a story. A whistleblower at the JBS Swift slaughterhouse in Cactus, Texas, told PETA that he went to investigate after … Read more »
First, can we just address the fact that the yearly presidential pardon of two turkeys for Thanksgiving makes no sense? Presidential pardons are meant to forgive the questionable—or criminal—activities of people. Turkeys don’t cheat, lie, or kill (OK, sure—their flesh can kill, but that’s not the birds’ fault). Every turkey is innocent—and inquisitive and smart. … Read more »
It’s the time of year for giving thanks and sharing. And by “sharing,” I mean “throwing” virtual pies at Butterball on Twitter. Help us give this turkey-tormenting corporation a tasty surprise by tweeting some tart-tongued treats at them. Click on one (or all) of these scrumptious holiday flavors, and a tweet with a virtual pie in … Read more »