Heart 4 Animals

The holiday season is upon us, but for turkeys on factory farms, there is nothing to be thankful for. We have just released footage from an undercover investigation that reveals a rarely seen side of the turkey industry. I must warn you that the cruelty to turkeys that we found is horrifying and heart-wrenching.

Men shoved feces and feed in turkeys’ mouths and held turkeys’ heads under water. One worker bragged about jamming a broom stick 2 feet down a turkey’s throat because the turkey had pecked at the worker’s back. The same man mimicked raping a turkey hen whom he had pinned against a shed floor.

Others told PETA’s investigator that they had killed turkeys, including by hitting them with pieces of lumber and pipes. Workers broke turkeys’ necks, sometimes leaving them to suffer for several minutes before trying again or stomping on their heads. A supervisor said that he saw workers kill 450 turkeys with 2-by-4s. Many of the workers kicked and violently threw turkeys, and hens’ beaks were cut with dull pliers. You can watch video footage from the investigation here.

Now that our undercover investigator has exposed what the turkey industry does not want America to see, we need you to help turkeys on factory farms by writing to the National Turkey Federation (NTF) and asking it to support PETA’s seven-point animal welfare plan, which will help reduce the suffering of turkeys.

After writing to the NTF, please consider other ways that you can help birds during this holiday season. You can keep them off your plate this holiday season by choosing mouthwatering vegan options instead, and you can support PETA’s work so that we can continue to investigate and stop animal abuse worldwide.

Thank you for your compassion for animals.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

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The following websites offer more information on adopting an ‘animal-friendly’ shopping guide by allowing consumers to search for cruelty-free companies and products.

www.leapingbunny.org

search.caringconsumer.com

www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/list.html

spca.org.sg.

> Write a Letter to the Editor Urging Your Community to Boycott Circus Cruelty

> URGENT: Starving Deer Dying, Abused on Sacred Island

> Help Animals in 5 MINUTES FLAT

> When an Animal needs your Help

> Podcast : The Story of a Downed Cow

> Join the Revolution : Make a Difference Today

> Win a Tofurky for Thanksgiving

> Celebrity feature : Joan Jett testimonial

> Julie Benz Speaks Out Against Violence

> Win a Vegan Body-Care Pack From Jason Natural!

> CANADIANs : You can Stop Puppy Mills .

Sears Canada has a selection of faux furs, but for some reason they’ve decided to sell real fur too.  Since real fur is the cause of animal cruelty , you’d think that faux fur would be an obvious choice.

Email Sears or give them a call, and let them know that real fur is just plain cruel!

Email: home@sears.ca
Phone: 1-800-895-6685

Iams has been advertising heavily on TV and the media. More info here .

Last month, we told you about our new undercover investigation on an Iowa pig farm that breeds piglets to supply Hormel. Our investigation revealed that pregnant pigs were confined to barren gestation crates, beaten with metal gate rods, and kicked by farm workers. Workers were documented shocking pigs and spraying toxic paint around their eyes and up their noses, and one supervisor even raped a pig with a cane.

We are pleased to announce that the Greene County Sheriff stated in a news release yesterday that six individuals employed by the farm at the time of PETA’s investigation now face a total of 22 counts of livestock neglect and abuse.

Those charged include a former farm manager and a supervisor. Fourteen of the counts are aggravated misdemeanors—the stiffest possible charges under Iowa state law for crimes committed against farmed animals—and each carry up to two years behind bars. Such charges are unprecedented.

PETA is on the front lines, fighting as hard as ever to expose and end cruelty to animals. We can’t and won’t let animal suffering and abuse be ignored or forgotten. Please take heart in the results of this investigation and the fact that your help and support makes this victory and everything that we do to help animals possible. And please know that we will continue to expose and end these abuses until the day comes when we bring an end to factory farming.

You can still help! Please forward the video to everyone you know and urge them not to eat pigs or any animals. And if you haven’t already written to Hormel to demand that the company follow PETA’s eight-point policy to govern future pig-farming operations, please do so now.

Thank you for all that you do for animals!

With kind regards,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

Source: People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals

Tell Les Amis du Fromage That Lying is Wrong…

…but selling foie gras is worse!

Recently, les Amis du Fromage told us that they had removed all foie gras from their shelves and had no plans to bring it back.  It is back, however, and it’s the same stuff as before–the product of the infamously cruel Elevages Perigord.  Undercover investigations performed by the Montreal-based Global Action Network revealed such gratuitous cruelties as workers tearing the heads of live ducks off, kicking, throwing, and punching the birds, and the suffocation and crushing of live ducklings, among other abuses.  (See the undercover video here on Youtube.)

Please contact les Amis du Fromage and politely let them know that you don’t approve of their selling foie gras!

Les Amis du Fromage, Vancouver
Telephone: 604-732-4218
Fax: 604-736-0460
Toll Free Telephone: 1-877-676-1166
Email: secondavenue@buycheese.com

and

Les Amis du Fromage, West Vancouver
Telephone: 604-925-4218
Fax: 604-736-0460

Source: Liberation BC

Just one month after launching an online campaign against Zappos, PETA is happy to announce that the company has agreed to go fur-free!

Thanks to everyone who helped win this important victory for animals!

By making this commitment, Zappos is joining Target, QVC, the Home Shopping Network, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gap, Forever 21, Wet Seal, and dozens of other companies and designers that have gone fur-free. Unfortunately, many other big-name retailers have yet to step up to the plate for animals.

Please take just a few seconds to write to Amazon.com and ask that the company follow in Zappos’ footsteps by dropping fur for good! The online megastore is currently selling a variety of fur products, including fur from rabbits and foxes.

Thanks again for standing up for animals killed for their fur by helping to win our campaign against Zappos. Please also send an e-mail to Zappos at cs@zappos.com thanking the company for going fur-free.

Sincerely,

Danielle Katz
Special Projects Coordinator

>  details > What happens to Raccoon dogs .

PETA has had a cooperative relationship with Liz Claiborne Inc. for many years. Through our work together, the company has made—and continues to make—many great strides to reduce the suffering of animals who are used and abused in the clothing industry.

We would like to share an exciting development that has resulted from our discussions with Liz Claiborne Inc.: Juicy Couture—a high-end clothing company owned by Liz Claiborne Inc.—has now adopted a permanent fur-free policy. While Juicy Couture is still selling some fur items that were stocked before this policy was adopted, it has assured us that no new fur items will be procured and that as soon as the current stock of items has gone, the company will be completely fur-free.

We applaud Liz Claiborne and Juicy Couture for making this move, which will spare animals from suffering all the torment and abuse inherent in fur production.

Unfortunately, some companies continue to sell fur despite the fact that new evidence of horrific cruelty is exposed year after year. PETA Asia-Pacific’s recent undercover investigation in the Shandong region of China, for instance, produced video footage of rabbits who kicked and screamed as they were slaughtered. Another investigation into rabbit fur farms in France showed similar cruelty.

We need you to speak out and let the world know that it is never OK for any company to sell fur. Please let your voice be heard by urging these holdouts to go fur-free once and for all!

Armani
After watching PETA’s shocking new exposé of the rabbit-fur industry you’ll understand how urgent your voice is needed! Please contact Armani immediately and forward the video on to everyone you know!

Donna Karan
Donna Karan’s top competitors have made fur-free commitments, and it’s past time for her to do the same. Please urge Donna Karan to discontinue the sale of all fur items immediately.

Zappos.com
Online shoe retailer Zappos.com prides itself on good customer service, but no compassionate shopper wants to buy from a company that promotes the awful cruelty of the fur industry. Please demand that Zappos institutes a permanent fur-free policy today.

Canada Goose
Canada Goose, an outerwear retailer, knows about the suffering that goes into every fur-trimmed garment, but the company continues to contribute to it by using fur. Please ask Canada Goose to remove fur from their collections permanently!

Please also add PETA’s recent exposé of rabbit fur farms to your social networking pages or personal Web site to show friends and family why they should never wear fur.

With constant vigilance and your continued support, we will see a completely fur-free shopping season. Thank you for contacting the companies above and for helping make the world safer for fur-bearing animals.

Sincerely,

Erin Edwards
Activist Liaison