PETA just obtained a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection report of SeaQuest’s local aquarium and petting zoo revealing that a sugar glider named Luna had to have half of her tail amputated after it became entangled in a piece of chain in her enclosure, resulting in a critical citation from the federal agency.
SeaQuest Littleton’s advertisement of glider encounters. Credit: PETA
“This sugar glider’s ordeal is yet more proof that vulnerable animals are in danger of being maimed or worse every minute they spend confined at SeaQuest,” says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Michelle Sinnott. “PETA urges everyone to avoid these shady operations, which churn out animal welfare violations like they’re competing for the title of ‘most notorious.’”
Luna’s ordeal is the latest in a string of failings at SeaQuest Littleton. The facility was cited earlier this year after workers missed a dose of three medications they were supposed to administer to another sugar glider. It was also cited for failing to maintain a rabbit enclosure, which had exposed mesh and other potentially hazardous materials. In 2021, the USDA cited the facility after a wallaby held there was unable to escape an aquarium tank and drowned, and in 2018, a sloth was burned by a heat lamp—twice.
The chain’s operation in Trumbull, Connecticut, closed permanently earlier this month following numerous PETA complaints and after it racked up multiple USDA citations, including for incidents in which a staffer hit an otter with a metal bowl, rabbits were left without food or water, an otter bit a child, and enclosures were filled with feces and debris. The group wants the chain’s other locations—including the one in Littleton—to follow suit.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information about PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA scientists are slated to figure prominently at the 12th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, trumpeting the future of cutting-edge, animal-free science during numerous presentations at the five-day event, which kicks off on August 27 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
PETA scientists will chair eight sessions and deliver nine oral and six poster presentations at the World Congress, the premier conference on non-animal research and testing methods.
Attendees will hear about groundbreaking developments in non-animal research and testing methods firsthand from PETA scientists, who have expertise in toxicology, neuroscience, physiology, biophysics, and primatology. Such developments include modern approaches to assess chemicals for their potential to cause cancer or effects on the human lung, which have the capacity to protect human health and prevent animals from being forced to consume or inhale chemicals in experiments before being killed.
Presentations will further delve into the effects of laboratory confinement on primate mental and physical health and whether the costs of invasive primate research outweigh potential benefits. Every year, thousands of sensitive and intelligent primates are imprisoned in laboratories, where they’re subjected to painful and deadly procedures for curiosity-based experiments or the development of pharmaceuticals. Yet 95% of drugs shown to be safe and effective in animals fail to predict safety and/or effectiveness in humans, and decades of experiments on primates have failed to produce viable vaccines for our species.
PETA scientists will also report on their international work championing the European citizens’ initiative to end animal testing, promoting a roadmap for implementing animal-free science and education, transitioning to non-animal methods for chemical safety tests, and ultimately phasing out all experiments on animals.
Other highlights will include PETA’s work to both expose the lack of oversight and accountability in U.S. animal laboratories and reduce bias toward the use of animals in research.
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Following a rally of PETA supporters outside Lake Station City Hall on Wednesday and a barrage of demands for action posted on the Lake Station Police Department’s Facebook page, that page has suddenly become “unavailable” as of Wednesday evening. The actions were part of PETA’s demand for an independent investigation into a July 27 incident in which nearly 20 dogs endured heat exhaustion in the back of an unventilated box truck—and at least eight of them died. The group had also sent a letter to City Attorney Frank J. Koprcina and Police Chief James Richardson on August 10 warning them that the department’s practice of deleting, hiding, and restricting negative social media comments about the incident is a violation of the First Amendment.
“The Lake Station PD is placing itself above the law, and instead of facing its critics and taking responsibility for its role in these dogs’ suffering, it decided to get out of Dodge,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “The department can try to hide from the public, but PETA won’t stop the pressure until it agrees to an independent investigation and guilty parties and conspirators are charged with a crime.”
Local PD’s K-9 Deaths Scandal to Draw PETA Rally, Demand for Independent Investigation, Prosecutions
Carrying signs reading, “Dogs Left for DEAD in Extreme HEAT” and “Independent Investigation NOW!” PETA supporters will converge outside City Hall on Wednesday to demand an investigation into what appears to be a conflict of interest surrounding responsibility for the nearly 20 dogs who experienced heat exhaustion while being transported inside an unventilated box truck on July 27. At least eight of the dogs died in agony, while others were denied emergency treatment.
The dogs were reportedly headed to a K-9 training facility in Berrien Center, Michigan, and the driver sat in traffic in 91-degree heat for hours. According to reports, when he finally pulled over, several dogs were already dead—and although representatives of the Humane Society of Hobart were on the scene almost immediately, the Lake Station Police Department blocked them from assisting the distressed dogs, forcing rescuers who had access to multiple air-conditioned vehicles to stand byas more dogs died. The police then allowed the driver to leave the scene with both deceased and live dogs unsecured in the open back of the truck. PETA has discovered that Lake Station Police Chief James Richardson apparently had an existing relationship with the owner and operator of the company that was transporting the dogs, Mike McHenry of FMK9.
“Authorities prevented rescuers from providing urgent care because they were apparently more concerned about a personal relationship than these dogs’ suffering,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is calling for the Lake Station Police Department, which failed dogs who relied on it for help, to step aside and allow an unbiased third party to investigate this incident.”
Where: Outside Lake Station City Hall, 1969 Central Ave., Lake Station
When: Wednesday, August 23, 12 noon
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.
When PETA Latino was launched in 2013, it hit the ground running to advocate for animal rights in the Latino community and to help our fellow animals around the world. The group’s relentless work has greatly advanced animal rights in Latin America and the U.S.—and its colorful, showstopping demonstrations are a vital part of that work.
Over the last 10 years, PETA Latino has held countless passionate protests to speak up for all animals. Take a look at 10 iconic demonstrations throughout PETA Latino’s history.
PETA Latino Fervently Calls For Lolita’s Release
PETA Latino held numerous protests in behalf of Lolita the orca, who was imprisoned in a tiny tank at the Miami Seaquarium for more than 50 years. At one of these demos, protestors caused a stir on the streets of Miami—alongside Instagram sensation Natasha Araos De Miranda and former Miss Universe Alicia Machado—equipped with eye-catching signs and a giant, blow-up orca.
At another demo, a bodypainted “orca” plopped into a tiny bathtub in downtown Miami. The arresting visual display reminded passersby that Lolita had spent more than five decades in the smallest orca tank in the world—an experience akin to being confined to a bathtub for 50 years.
Protestors even marched on the side of a freeway in the city to display a massive banner that read, “Free Lolita”—proving to the Miami Seaquarium that they would never stop speaking up for the long-suffering orca.
In March 2023, after years of vigorous campaigning, The Dolphin Company—the Miami Seaquarium’s owner—announced plans to release Lolita to a seaside sanctuary. But on August 18, 2023, Lolita died—just months before her return to native waters. Honor her memory by refusing to buy a ticket to any marine park and by continuing to call for the development of coastal sanctuaries.
PETA Latino Arrives at the Latin Grammys in Style
At the 2019 and 2022 Latin Grammy Awards, PETA Latino went backstage in animal-friendly style. The group gave out faux-fur handbags and vegan leather wallets to endorse compassionate fashion, reminding movers and shakers in the Latin music scene that clothes and accessories shouldn’t be made from skin, fur, or any other material stolen from animals.
PETA Latino Feeds Communities With Vegan Feasts for Nochebuena
PETA Latino brought vegan feasts to major cities in Latin America and the U.S. in celebration of Nochebuena. The group spread holiday cheer across multiple cities with delicious vegan roasts, encouraging everyone to show empathy to animals by keeping them off their plates.
PETA Latino took over Wynwood Walls in Miami with a provocative performance that featured a nearly nude protester lying on a giant plate to urge passersby to think twice about the millions of pigs who suffer when they’re killed and served as a holiday meal. Protestors also took this Nochebuena demonstration to Bogotá, Chicago, Guadalajara, Medellín, Colombia, and Mexico City.
Nearly Nude Protesters Call On Forever 21 to Drop Wool
To urge Forever 21 to stop selling wool, PETA Latino’s nearly nude protesters took to the streets in Bogotá holding signs and bloody, sheared “sheep.” The shocking demonstration in the Colombian capital sent a message to the company and to consumers that the wool industry profits from the abuse and exploitation of gentle, sensitive sheep.
And at one of the busiest Forever 21 stores in a popular area of Mexico City, actor and activist Sofía Sisniega joined PETA Latino to protest the company’s use of wool, prompting many members of the media to witness the commotion.
PETA Latino’s ‘Bulls’ Tell the Peruvian Government to Ban Bullfighting
PETA Latino and its Peruvian partners at Acho Sin Toros have been fiercely protesting against bullfighting, a violent and cruel spectacle, for years—including at some of the country’s most prominent landmarks. In 2021, the groups demanded that the government not enshrine bullfighters as “artists” under Peruvian legislation. In 2022, protestors brought red smoke grenades, live music, and lively speeches to defend bulls at the Plaza de Toros de Acho, Lima’s most famous bullfighting ring.
PETA Latino’s massive campaigns against bullfighting have helped pave the way for groundbreaking victories: In Mexico, the states of Coahuila, Guerrero, Quintana Roo, and Sonora have banned bullfighting and Mexico City banned it “indefinitely” in 2022.
Additionally, PETA Latino’s joint push with over 800 animal protection groups from around the world resulted in an announcement by Movistar Plus+—a major streaming platform in Latin America and Spain—that it would no longer air bullfights on its Toros channel.
PETA Latino Mourns Animals Who Died at SeaWorld to Mark Día de los Muertos
In Orlando, Florida; San Antonio; and San Diego, PETA Latino held striking vigils in honor of the more than 500 dolphins and whales who have died at SeaWorld locations.
Protesters donning traditional face paint called for SeaWorld to release the animals still imprisoned at its marine parks to seaside sanctuaries.
PETA Latino Stages a Crime Scene for Victims of the Meat Industry
PETA Latino’s nearly nude, bloody protesters turned heads in the busy streets of Bogotá, Mexico City, and Miami to confront passersby with the cruelty of the meat industry. Supporters staged a realistic crime scene to represent how the meat industry slaughters billions of sensitive living beings every day.
Cancún Spay-a-Thon Clinics Help Sterilize More Than 2,800 Dogs and Cats
Since April 2021, PETA Latino has sponsored 11 spay/neuter clinics in the vicinity of Cancún, Mexico, to help combat the deadly companion-animal overpopulation crisis. During the latest event, the group helped to spay or neuter more than 600 dogs and cats, bringing the total number of animals who have been sterilized to more than 2,800—all at no cost to their guardians.
Alejandro Olivares Villanueva
Attendees whose animals were sterilized received complimentary vegan meals, goodies, and vegan starter kits. The compassionate spay-a-thon clinics were also brought to Peru and Puerto Rico.
PETA Latino Confronts MSG Flavor Giant in Behalf of Mice
PETA Latino supporters in latex “mouse” masks gathered in Mexico City to condemn Ajinomoto Co. Inc.—the world’s largest manufacturer of monosodium glutamate (MSG)—for its deadly testing on mice, dogs, pigs, and other animals.
Protesters Paint the Streets With Anti-Speciesist Art
PETA Latino teamed up with Colombian street artist Praxis to paint the streets in protest of speciesism—the misguided belief that some sentient beings are more important than others. One of these massive campaigns targeted major designers such as Hermès, Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton for their use of exotic skins. With the bold street art, PETA Latino reminded these companies that there’s nothing luxurious about the abuse and slaughter of reptiles in the exotic-skins industry.
Stay up to date on PETA Latino’s compelling demonstrations by following the group on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok. Help PETA Latino continue its vital work by offering a donation:
Please see the following statement from PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo regarding the death today of Burning Bright, the 12th horse to die at Saratoga Race Course during this season:
It’s sickening that NYRA announced a new safety protocol on the very day when yet another horse has died at Saratoga Race Course, bringing the fatality count to 42 on NYRA tracks so far this year. Now that the heat’s on, NYRA—which did little to protect the horses—is trying to placate the public with a “safety” measure that won’t even be in place until the last week of the Saratoga season, after the Travers Stakes weekend. PETA denounces the new protocol as public relations drivel and renews its call for Saratoga to suspend racing until NYRA puts a serious safety plan in place.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
