Kategorie: Animals

Below, please find a statement from PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman in response to New Hampshire lawmakers’ decision to table HB 1102-FN, a first-of-its-kind bill proposed by Rep. Ellen Read that would have banned the breeding and sale of brachycephalic dogs and cats—those with intentionally deformed skulls and unnaturally flattened faces:

Thanks to Rep. Ellen Read’s proposal of New Hampshire’s HB 1102 and the many veterinarians, dog guardians, and other animal advocates who supported it, the suffering of pugs, French bulldogs, and other breathing-impaired breeds is now on the national radar. PETA will continue to campaign for this “torture breeding” to be banned and for these animals, who spend every day of their lives gasping for air through their deliberately malformed airways.

PETA points out that breathing-impaired breeds (BIB)—including English bulldogs, boxers, and Boston terriers as well as Persian cats—are intentionally bred with distorted and restricted airways, solely for the sake of appearance, and, as a result, endure a lifetime of constant pain and discomfort as well as a multitude of chronic health conditions. A number of countries—including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway—have banned or restricted the breeding of some or all BIBs.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

The post PETA Statement re New Hampshire House’s Tabling of Bill to Ban Breeding of Deformed Dogs and Cats appeared first on PETA.

Update (April 3, 2024): The mayor’s office has confirmed that the abuser has been sanctioned and the dog has been removed from his custody. The dog has reportedly been adopted by a loving family. Thank you to all who spoke out in behalf of this animal!

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Original text:

PETA has been alerted to a viral video reportedly captured in February in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, depicting a man striking a dog forcefully and repeatedly with an unidentified object. The dog, who appears to have no means of escape, yelps and howls desperately as the abuser rains blows upon the animal. PETA caseworkers have implored local authorities to act but have been met with silence. Now it’s your turn to speak up!

The Honduran Animal Welfare Protection Law No.115-201 prohibits behaviors that cause unnecessary pain or stress to animals. Please politely contact the officials below, urging them to immediately confiscate this dog and open an investigation into the apparent abuse. Then please share this alert with everyone you know.

The post Urge Officials in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to Rescue Apparently Abused Dog appeared first on PETA.

The post Thank you for taking action to stop the abuse and neglect of cats, dogs and other animals! appeared first on PETA.

Broadway’s newest sensation, Water for Elephants, takes center stage not only for its wonderful performances but also for its exceptional portrayals of animals through the use of lifelike puppets and captivating special effects. As the curtains rise on this innovative musical, PETA is proud to present its prestigious Pony Award—the organization’s play on the Tony Awards—honoring the most animal-friendly theater productions.

Featuring Rosie the elephant, a dog, a camel, a peacock, llamas, and big cats, the show comes alive with stunning visuals that captivate audiences without exploiting a single live animal. The production also incorporates powerful messaging about how animals suffer in circuses—including a showman’s admission that “Humane doesn’t sell seats!”—and showcases dazzling human performances, such as acrobatics, aerial dancing, and ropedancing.

“The Water for Elephants production team’s vision and artistry take center stage with beautiful animal renderings that spare vulnerable sentient beings exploitation. PETA encourages everyone in the entertainment industry to follow its example by bringing animals to the stage and screen through creativity, not cruelty.”
—PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange

Animals used in the entertainment industry are taken from their mothers as babies and beaten in order to force them to learn to obey out of fear of punishment. The 2011 film version of Water for Elephants featured an elephant named Tai, who, as this video shows, was beaten and electroshocked after being abducted from her home in nature and sold to notorious Hollywood exhibitors Kari and Gary Johnson. Handlers typically use bullhooks—heavy fireplace poker–like weapons with a sharp metal hook on one end—to “break,” beat, and terrorize elephants, prompting the musical’s protagonist to proclaim that they should be illegal.

As the curtain rises on Water for Elephants, let’s applaud not only its artistic brilliance but also its commitment to compassion. In a world in which entertainment often comes at the expense of animals, Water for Elephants stands as a shining example of what can be achieved through creativity, empathy, and innovation.

See Something? Say Something

If you witness animal abuse or neglect during the making of a film, a television show, or a Broadway production or at an animal-training facility, please contact us right away here.

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Note: “Tony” and “Tony Awards” are registered trademarks of American Theatre Wing Inc., which is not affiliated or associated with PETA, nor does it endorse, sponsor, or otherwise approve of PETA or PETA’s Pony Awards.

The post Broadway Brilliance: PETA Honors ‘Water for Elephants’ With Prestigious Award appeared first on PETA.

Armed with damning U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports revealing that dogs were denied veterinary care at a puppy mill near Grovespring operated by Marjorie Walker, PETA rushed a letter today to Wright County Prosecuting Attorney John Tyrrell asking him to investigate the facility—which recently confined over 100 dogs—and file applicable charges against those responsible for the animals’ neglect.

According to the latest just-released report, on February 20 a USDA inspector found a “very thin” dog whose “spine, ribs, shoulder blades, [and] hips [were] easily felt” and another dog with scabby bumps on her body and very red skin on her throat and chest at the facility. Walker hadn’t bothered to seek veterinary care for either dog. Since 2020, Walker has been cited for seven violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act , including for excessive rust covering stacked metal dog cages, green algae coating parts of the wooden posts on each dog run, not knowing where the dogs’ exercise plan was, and missing identification for 26 puppies.

“Miserable mills like this one treat dogs as nothing but commodities to be churned out as cheaply as possible, housing them in filthy conditions and denying them proper care,” says PETA Vice President of Evidence Analysis Daniel Paden. “PETA is calling on Wright County authorities to prosecute those responsible and urges everyone never to buy an animal from a breeder or a pet store.”

PETA is pursuing charges under state law because the USDA doesn’t render relief or aid to animals during its inspections and these violations carry no federal criminal or civil penalties. While several states have recently banned the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores, Missouri legislators have introduced bills—backed by Petland, a notorious purveyor of dogs from puppy mills—that prohibit city and county governments from banning or restricting pet stores. Missouri has repeatedly been ranked as the worst state for puppy mill abuse and neglect.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Tyrrell follows.

March 27, 2024

The Honorable John A. Tyrrell
Wright County Prosecuting Attorney

Dear Mr. Tyrrell:

I hope this letter finds you well. I’m writing to request that your agency (and the proper law-enforcement agency, as you deem appropriate) investigate and, as suitable, file criminal charges against those responsible for neglecting dogs at Price’s Pets, a breeding facility operated by Marjorie Walker at 1651 Hwy. M near Grovespring. PETA urges investigators to visit the facility with a veterinarian who has expertise in dog health and welfare so that he or she can identify any animals in need of care and opine on the conditions of and for the approximately 100 animals there.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector documented neglect at the facility in the attached report. On February 20, she found a dog who was “very thin” and had “an abdominal tuck.” The inspector noted that “[h]er spine, ribs, shoulder blades, [and] hips [were] easily felt.” The same day, the inspector found another dog who had “scabby bumps on her neck, back, hips and ears” and whose “skin was very red on her throat and chest.” Walker had not had a veterinarian examine or evaluate either dog for these conditions.

These findings appear to violate Missouri’s prohibition against animal neglect, RSMo § 578.009(1). The USDA’s action renders no aid or relief whatsoever to animals on site, carries no criminal or civil penalties, and doesn’t preempt criminal liability under state law for animal neglect. If you’d like to learn more about the USDA’s findings, please see the contact information for the office in Riverdale, Maryland, here. Thank you for your time and consideration. Please let us know if we can assist you.

Sincerely,

Elise Fisher
Evidence Analyst
Cruelty Investigations Department
PETA

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