Results tagged “peta”

A pigeon in Brooklyn was recently rescued by some animal lovers after being "dangled upside down from a piece of string that was caught around her leg and tangled on a tree branch two stories above a busy sidewalk."

Following the Junior's mousecake incident, PETA has sent an urgent open letter to owner Alan Rosen, asking that he only use humane, non-lethal rodent control (like this cute house). Yet there's no word of a letter to Delta after the airline was infiltrated by a furry friend earlier this week!

If only seal sightings were reserved for vast seascapes. PETA sent one of their "seals of disapproval" to the Grand Hyatt Hotel this past week "to protest Canada's seal slaughter while the country's prime minister, Stephen Harper" was attending a meeting inside. The organization notes that tens of thousands of harp seals are slaughtered in Canada each year, and even baby seal's skulls are bashed in during slaughter season.

The bride said, "Knowing that someday soon horse-drawn carriages in New York will be a thing of the past would be the most wonderful wedding present I can imagine. We're asking other couples who are getting married to steer clear of horse-drawn carriages and avoid turning their joyous wedding day into a day of misery for an abused horse."

Now that Ringling Bros. have been caught in the act beating their animals, the Coney Island sideshows are on the PETA agenda. The NY Post reports that the organization is concerned about a capybara, the world's largest rodent, being "victim of a daily assault of noise, cramped conditions and inhumane treatment."

Since the crystal clear footage of Ringling Bros. workers beating animals isn't going to be brushed under the circus tent anytime soon—and since the Feds are now investigating—the company has released their second statement. In it, they call the PETA footage "deceptively edited," but unless the animal rights organization got their hands on some of George Lucas's CGI experts, that seems a ridiculous accusation.

Following a press conference PETA held yesterday at which time they released footage of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus employees beating animals, the feds have now said they will investigate the matter. The Daily News reports they will try to find out if the circus has violated the Animal Welfare Act. With crystal clear footage of trainers beating on animals, one even punching an elephant in the face, you would think this investigation would be a short one. In response to all the unwanted attention, a spokesman for the circus sent us along this canned comment packed full of denial:

It is no surprise that PETA would once again release misinformation about Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Ringling Bros. believes that the recent video produced and distributed by PETA is questionable in its context regarding the portrayal of the animal handlers at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Ringling Bros. is a fully licensed traveling exhibitor and from January through June of this year, the alleged time covered in the video, this particular Unit was found to be in compliance with federal, state and local regulations.

Continue reading "Feds Investigate, Ringling Releases Statement On Animal Abuse"

It's unsurprising that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has been called out in the past for abusing their animals, but it's another thing to see it all on tape. PETA went undercover this year and captured Ringling workers on video beating and whipping elephants. The organization announced their findings today at a press conference (NY1 has footage), calling upon Madison Square Garden to ban the circus, or at least the use of animals in their show.

Everyone loves a good PETA ad campaign, and the latest stars a carrot-clad Lydia Guevara. Yes, Che's granddaughter. She talked about her vegetarian revolution, saying, "PETA's fight for animals was one of the reasons why I went vegetarian. Moreover, this lifestyle has become a true revolution that is attracting more people and is an alternative that is healthier for the planet and for humankind."

    

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Last night, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus opened its new one-ring circus in Coney Island. Mayor Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz were on hand to welcome the show, The Coney Island Boom-A-Ring—Mayor Mike even checked out the Monster Trucks.

Mayor Bloomberg offered up a priceless quote on the clip that has been circulating the internet, cable news and late night talk shows of President Obama stopping to kill a fly mid-interview. The mayor said to the Daily News, “I don’t know why he did it. I had pickets outside my house for geese last night. We are sending some of these geese for well-deserved rest up in the sky, wherever geese go. But the bottom line is, we can make fun of the geese but they’re a danger to human beings flying. And we’re doing what's appropriate, and I’m sure what the president thought about was that particular fly might be spreading something like the H1N1 flu and he was going to risk his own life with hands - bare hands, without Purell - and he protected the public by hitting that fly, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude. I'm sure he’s laughing about it right now." Meanwhile PETA has sent the president a fly-catching device, asking him to think a little longer next time before he commits another "execution."

Has PETA gone too far? Word is that last week the animal rights activists showed up unannounced and uninvited at a Hempstead elementary school, chosen for its proximity to the Nassau Coliseum, where Ringling Bros. Circus sets up shop starting tomorrow. Their plan was to school the children in circus cruelty, handing out stickers and coloring books that declared, "Circuses are no fun for animals." While this may be true, many are criticizing the organization for their tactics, saying their method is inappropriate—a psychologist noted that the children "might go home and be very anxious" because they "are less mature in their cognitive process."

Animal lovers everywhere can consider themselves victorious. One small step was made for the anti-fur set, as the Humane Society of the US's president announced that, "JCPenney, with more than 1,000 stores in 49 states, has become fur-free, making it the first multiple location, traditional department store to be fur-free in stores and on its website. The company is currently fur-free and has no plans for fur items in the future." Racked is skeptical however, and thinks that the store's motives "can't be completely golden; we're sure the current economy's effects on both shopper's budgets and store bottom lines played major parts in the decision." Earlier this year the HSUS called out some other NYC department stores for mislabeling their fur products. JCPenney will be opening their Manhattan Mall store this summer, and maybe the PETA strippers will be doing their shopping there.

Today PETA released its newest ads in the long campaign where famous figures such as Pamela Anderson and Dennis Rodman profess that they'd rather "Go Naked" than wear fur. Who's joining those illustrious ranks? It's the strippers from Rick's Cabaret! PETA says, "Nowadays, savvy investors are looking for safe bets." Those bets probably wouldn't include investing in the establishment that the animal rights organization highlights as "the only strip joint on NASDAQ." Shares of Rick's currently sell for $2.54, a year after they went for over $25.

What does the Westminster dog show have in common with the KKK? According to PETA: plenty. The organization donned white robes and pointy hats as they protested the show outside of Madison Square Garden yesterday, declaring "the American Kennel Club promotes pure-breeding of dogs that is harmful to their health." Last year they explained this on their blog, and this year they took it to the masses with materials that read: "The KKK and the AKC: BFF?'' Such accusatory acronyms!

Of all the ads to be blocked from running during the Superbowl, who would have thought it would be PETA's? The organization submitted the below commercial, "which features a bevy of beauties who are powerless to resist the temptation of veggie love"—but NBC came up with a laundry list of edits that would need to be made before they considered airing it. Some of their cuts included: "touching her breast with her hand while eating broccoli, rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin, asparagus on her lap appearing as if it is ready to be inserted into vagina"...PETA is making us redder than a rare steak! Here's the commercial that was deeemed too hot for TV:

Hey pescatarians (that means you too, "vegetarians" who eat fish), you are officially on PETA's radar. Newsday is reporting that "in attempt to pressure consumers with guilt, the group wants fish to be rebranded as 'sea kittens'." They've launched a website and set up a fact sheet about sea kittens, saying they feel pain and affection.

City Crab and Seafood on Park Avenue scored a big find a couple weeks ago when they were able to purchase a 20 pound lobster caught off the coast of Canada for $100. A lobster at that weight (rarely caught so big because baskets generally can't contain them) means that it was probably around 140 years old. Manager Keith Valenti said, "I've been here for 12 years, and that's the biggest lobster I've ever seen." The restaurant named the lobster George and had him acting as an unofficial mascot, posing for pictures with children.

As part of their long-running campaign to ban foie gras, PETA has launched their "Fine Faux Foie Gras Challenge." The animal rights group hopes top chefs will join their effort to ban the force-feeding of geese, and to sweeten the deal, they're offering a $10,000 prize for the best vegetarian faux foie gras that's "comparable in taste and texture to the real glob of prized bird fat." Sarah DiGregorio at the Voice nominates the portobello mousse at chef Amanda Cohen's Dirt Candy (friend of Gothamist). The critic cautions that while Cohen's mousse is not as delicious as actual livers from force-fed ducks, "it's awfully tasty, and inventive too." But what to call the stuff? Grub Street fears "Tofoie," or "Champignon Gras" lack the cachet demanded by a delicacy derived from ducks and geese with painfully engorged livers. (Detect any bias on this one?)

The Humane Society writes in to alert us of the latest act of cruelty against NYC's carriage horses. "While airplanes were grounded on last Friday, Dec 19th during the snowstorm, the city’s horse carriages continued operation. Forcing animals to work in such oppressive weather conditions is cruel and this is just the tip of the abuse associated with the carriage horse industry." The footage was posted by filmmaker Donny Moss, who directed Blinders.

Earlier today Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen appeared at a Barnes & Noble book signing, only to be met by PETA's Trollsen Twins, a two-some against the Olsens' use of fur in their wardrobe.

Ah, Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. What better way to spend the eve of the holiday than by slaughtering an animal? The NY Times reports that the tradition of kaparot--"Orthodox Jews take live chickens, swing them over their heads as a means of symbolically transferring sins to the chickens, and then slaughter them"-- is attracting protest. Rabbi Hecht (whose father revived the tradition) says he received threats via email, phone and letters. His number one suspect, PETA, denied the accusation, met with Hecht, and says, “If anyone is really sending threatening or anti-Semitic e-mails, that is both immoral and counterproductive. It’s unfortunate when someone hands an animal abuser cause for self-righteousness.” How much does it cost to slaughter a chicken? Just $2 for Hecht's Crown Heights congregation (he bought in bulk). After slaughtered, they go uneaten and, in the past, have actually been shoved in to traffic cones once killed (video here).

An author of a twenty-year-old book that drew parallels between modern day animal cruelty and the treatment of slaves is suing PETA over their tasteless demonstration of the same concepts. Marjorie Spiegel, author of "The Dreaded Comparison: Human and Animal Slavery," says that the animal rights group used materials from her book without permission in a 2005 traveling exhibit that drew significant criticism from civil rights groups. The exhibit juxtaposed images of oppression against black Americans with images of dead, dying, or captive animals. Spiegel’s lawsuit that says PETA’s exhibit has “degraded and impaired public discourse” and that readers of her book are now “forced to view it through the distorted prism that PETA has created.”

Lady Bunny is the latest to join the ranks of Team PETA, and has unveiled the organization's newest billboard, which features the drag queen (image here). Located at the intersection of Varick and Spring Streets, it encourages people to "kick the bucket" and states that "sometimes big bright packages contain dirty little secrets."

Clearly not satisfied with just $10,000 for the unwitting "borrowing" of her fur coat, a Columbia student has sued starlet Lindsay Lohan for "unspecified damages," citing Lohan's "intentional, oppressive and malicious" actions.

A video showing Mets star pitcher Pedro Martinez at a cockfight in the Dominican Republican briefly surfaced online, outraging some people. Cockfighting is a popular - and legal - sport in the Dominican Republic, but it's illegal in almost all of the United States.

There's been a lot of noise lately about the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York. In early September it was announced that the city comptroller audited how well the city polices the carriage horse industry (surprise: not well!). This was almost immediately followed by the death of a horse who was apparently spooked by the drums of a nearby street musician. Now all eyes are the industry, and PETA is bringing the message to a Times Square billboard, for all carriage-riding tourists to see.