Kategorie: Animals

2021 was another successful year for PETA’s work to end cruelty in the horse racing industry. To celebrate, here are the top attention-grabbing events of the year. From the Breeders’ Cup activist who crashed the winner’s circle to the Bob Baffert impersonator at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame ceremony, PETA made it a memorable year for helping horses forced to race.

Win: ‘K-Pop Fan’ Crashes Breeders’ Cup Winner’s Circle to Protest Horse Slaughter

When South Korean–owned Thoroughbred Knicks Go won the famed Breeders’ Cup Classic horse race, one activist slyly stole the spotlight—and sent a powerful message to the Korea Racing Authority. Disguised as a fan of K-pop music, she got herself invited into the winner’s circle, where she unfurled a sign with a message that U.S. media—which snapped photos and videos later seen around the globe—couldn’t decipher but that Koreans couldn’t miss: “Korea Racing Authority, how dare you turn racehorses into dog food!”

Knicks Go wins! And South Korean activists invade #BreedersCup. @DelMarRacing President Joe Harper doesn’t know that the sign says ‘Korea Racing Authority, how dare you turn racehorses into dog food!’ pic.twitter.com/HfxGHQjKjo

— PETA (@peta) November 7, 2021

Place: Baffert Impersonator Debuts at the Racing Hall of Fame Ceremony

Disgraced Thoroughbred trainer “Bob Baffert”—actually an impersonator sent by PETA—crashed the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Saratoga Springs, New York, to defend himself against PETA supporters who were there to call for his removal from the museum.

PETA’s impostor carried some of the trainer’s tools of the trade: a poppy seed bagel, because he once claimed that the morphine found in his horse’s system came from a stable employee nibbling on one, and a huge syringe, because he’s racked up more than 30 drug violations in his years as a Thoroughbred trainer.

It’s a Photo Finish for Show Between PETA’s Kentucky Derby Billboard and the Giant ‘Whistle’ That Launched Our Whistleblower Hotline

PETA drove our message home with a mobile billboard circling in front of the entrance to Churchill Downs at the Kentucky Derby in April 2021. While the track urged social distancing to protect against COVID-19, our billboard recommended that racegoers practice moral distancing to protect the horses. Five horses died after sustaining catastrophic injuries on Churchill Downs’ dirt and turf tracks in 2020, and Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit tested positive for illegal amounts of drugs following the race. The 3-year-old horse later collapsed and died during a racetrack workout while in trainer Bob Baffert’s custody.

Also in the photo finish for show was the giant whistle costume that launched our whistleblower hotline for racetrack workers who have witnessed or know about cruelty to animals or other illegal activities involving horses used for racing or other equestrian competitions. The hotline allows whistleblowers to report anything that causes concern, from horses who have been administered prohibited substances to the harsh whipping of the animals or the use of electroshocking devices. Reports can be submitted anonymously to PETA by e-mailing HorseAbuse@peta.org or calling 706-WHISTLE (706-944-7853).

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While these stunts might be funny, they highlight serious issues rampant in the horse racing industry. PETA also had some great victories for horses this year:

• Horse trainer Amber Cobb, who was caught on video striking and terrorizing a young horse, had her owner/trainer license revoked by Delaware officials in October.
• A PETA investigation previously exposed Steve Asmussen for exploiting workers, among other abuse. This investigation was one of the reasons the notorious horse trainer was sued by the U.S. Department of Labor and settled yet another federal lawsuit for wage theft.
• Several racetracks—including Gulfstream Park, Golden Gate Fields, Santa Anita Park, Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course, and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino—have put regulations in place to ban trainers who transport horses on cargo ships, on which horses have died.
• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill prohibiting the slaughter of racehorses or those bred for racing “stock.” The bill also makes it illegal to sell, barter, purchase, possess, transport, or receive a horse for the “intent of slaughtering.”
• New York Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal introduced a bill to cancel $230 million in annual subsidies to racehorse owners, breeders, and trainers.
• New Jersey became the first state to ban whipping Thoroughbreds to make them go faster.
• All three Triple Crown races—the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes—were run without the use of the debilitating diuretic drug Lasix.

Thank you Sen. @zellnor & Assembly Member @LindaBRosenthal for standing up to the horseracing industry & investing in New York’s schools, workers, and other social programs. #EndRacingHandouts

New Yorkers: Speak up for horses now https://t.co/0RhAkUSMko

— PETA (@peta) November 19, 2021

Help us continue this work into 2022 by taking action for horses used in the racing industry:

Take Action—Help Stop the Shipment of Horses via Cargo Ship

The post Photo Finish for PETA’s Top Horse Racing Stunts of 2021 appeared first on PETA.

“Is ‘board and train’ a good idea?” “Can I send my dog away for training?” “Is ‘board and train’ good for aggressive dogs?” Some dog guardians are asking these questions, and the only answer that matters is one PETA’s given before: “Board and train” programs are a terrible idea and tend to exacerbate, not fix, any perceived problems. Take it from these horrified guardians who learned this lesson in the worst way possible.

November 2021

After picking Odie up in November from a three-week stint at In Touch Dog Training & Rehabilitation in Wisconsin, Luke Janssen, Odie’s guardian, said that the dog “had bruising on his chest that was explained to [him] as a result of sleeping on the ground in the kennels.” Forcing a dog to sleep on concrete for even one day is cruel enough, but a witness (apparently Shaunna Herrick, a staff member who’s since resigned from In Touch) also sent the security camera footage below to Janssen:

(Warning: Graphic content)

Janssen described how in the footage, the trainer “picks up Odie by the leash and essentially hangs him for a period of time and also from that position slams him to the ground for sure one occasion, maybe multiple.” The out of touch trainer lifts Odie by the leash so that all four of his paws are off the ground for roughly seven seconds. The dog’s alleged abuser also drops what appears to be a shock collar remote, picking it up from the ground after hanging the dog by the neck and leash again.

“If someone saw something like that happening to my dog I would want to know,” said Herrick, who also spoke with the local sheriff’s office, which on December 21 confirmed that it was actively investigating the incident.

Janssen shared his and Odie’s story, including on Reddit and Facebook, so that other guardians will stay far away from places like In Touch:

I wanted to put it out there and generate some interest because I want to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else’s [canine companion] and obviously no other innocent dogs are harmed.

Odie may not have been this facility’s only alleged victim—since Janssen shared his story, other guardians have come forward alleging abuse, too. “My dog was also injured here,” one said. “[My Lab] came home with fur off her front elbows and to this day growls and attacks if you touch her hind feet,” said another.

A second video is reportedly being reviewed by local law-enforcement officials, too—according to WBAY—an ABC affiliate in Green Bay—a second video showing In Touch’s owner allegedly abusing another dog (6-month-old Ace) has since surfaced.

“Ace was underneath the table and you could see that [the company’s owner] was trying to do something with him,” said Ace’s guardian, Jenni Wright. “Ace was scared, he wouldn’t come out so [the company’s owner] grabbed him by the leash and yanked him across the floor and he probably slid about ten to fifteen feet across the floor.”

July 2021

When a tree crushed Graciela Rodriguez’s New Mexico home during a storm and she had to evacuate, she decided to board her canine companion Thor at April’s K911 Academy—a nearby facility owned by April Nastasi that claims to offer obedience training and apparently boarded dogs, too—for a few days. The decision seemingly almost cost Thor his life.

On the same day that Rodriguez dropped him off, Nastasi reportedly texted her to say that Thor had been in a fight but was unharmed. At Rodriguez’s request, Nastasi apparently texted her photos of Thor as the days went on, and Rodriguez said she grew more concerned. According to Yahoo! News, when Rodriguez tried to picked Thor up (a day early), Nastasi refused to let her take him because he’d sustained “injuries from the fight a few days prior” and was “being treated for a puncture wound and hematoma.” Rodriguez reportedly called local law enforcement, and Nastasi was forced to return Thor to his guardian. He “was covered in bandages and was wincing in pain” and “was transported to an El Paso animal hospital.” Nastasi—who apparently was licensed to train dogs but not to board them—reportedly had shocked Thor with a cattle prong six times.

Deputies: Dog trainer electrocuted Malamute with cattle prong https://t.co/U3mJVnAoDb

— Las Cruces Sun-News (@CrucesSunNews) August 31, 2021

“Once the dog fight ended, Nastasi said she put Thor in a kennel outside for two days while she attended to other matters,” Yahoo! News reported. She said that she later noticed an odor “of rotting flesh from the kennel.” Nastasi—apparently not a licensed veterinary professional of any kind—reportedly then administered antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs to Thor herself. The El Paso animal hospital veterinarian reportedly called Nastasi’s bandage job “makeshift” and described Thor’s wounds as “severely infected,” “neglected for multiple days,” and “‘horrifying.’” Thor apparently required multiple surgeries, but he is “hanging in there.”

Why ‘Board and Train’ Is Bad

We all need time to learn something new, and dogs are no different. The best part about interacting positively with your dog is that it’s a great way to help you understand what your best friend is trying to communicate. But to do so, your participation and dedication are a must. This is why a good dog trainer will be training you—and under no circumstances should your dog be trained unless you are present.

PETA’s own undercover investigation into Inghram’s Sit ’N Stay Dog Academy, which claimed to use “humane and caring methods,” revealed that at the Tampa, Florida, training and boarding kennel, dogs were confined to cages for hours on end, sometimes without water or shade, even as temperatures rose into the mid-90s.

Dogs sometimes escaped from the cages and got into fights. Instead of comforting a dog who was bleeding from a serious wound sustained in an attack by another dog, a manager repeatedly yanked on her collar and roughly attempted to tie her mouth shut with a leash.

To learn more about the reasons why positive reinforcement and force-free training work, why aversive training methods don’t, what to do if your canine friend becomes frustrated or anxious when left alone at home, and why the best person to train your dog is you, check out PETA’s comprehensive “How to Choose a Dog Trainer” guide.

The post Trainer Caught on Camera Choking Dog, Slamming Him to the Ground at ‘Board and Train’ Facility (Video) appeared first on PETA.

The chained dogs PETA fieldworkers meet and help often spend their entire lives isolated and alone. They’re forced to watch as life passes them by without love, companionship, respect, exercise, or even, in many cases, basic necessities like healthy food, clean water, adequate shelter, and veterinary care. All dogs should be treated as a beloved member of the family, not shackled outside and left to languish. This is why, by providing “backyard dogs” with a lightweight tie-out to replace a heavy chain, warm straw bedding, and a toy to brighten their day—or ideally, even securing a new life for them indoors with a loving family—PETA will always keep “breaking the chain” of neglect and abuse.

Meet 21 of the thousands of chained dogs PETA helped in 2021:

1. Pancake

Pancake was abandoned and left chained (along with Sharon, below, and a third dog) after her owner died of COVID-19 in January—but then PETA flipped the script. See her living the sweet life at last:

2. Sharon

Sharon was chained along with Pancake on a property that PETA fieldworkers had been visiting since 2018. If not for our regular visits and care, they surely would have died.

When we finally secured the dogs’ relinquishment in July, a PETA fieldworker who was dedicated to this sad case welcomed Sharon into her home. This sweet pup now enjoys the comforts of life as an indoor dog with a family that includes other PETA adoptees.

3. King

You can be the reason why lonely “backyard dogs” like King wag their tails, when you donate a toy to PETA’s field team. This sweet, goofy boy didn’t seem to mind the straw bedding or much-deserved TLC that our fieldworkers gave him, either.

4. Lady

Lady had been chained amid trash, without any shelter to protect her from the elements …

… until our fieldworkers gave her a new wooden doghouse:

5. Baby Boy

This PETA fieldworker checks on Baby Boy, who is chained outdoors outside 24/7, and gives him as much companionship as possible every chance she gets.

6. Baby Boy

Not to be confused with the dog above, this Baby Boy is also almost always at the end of a tether—except when PETA fieldworkers stop by to check on him and give him lots of love and attention.

7. Midnight

Over the summer, PETA staff and volunteers were busy helping dogs like Midnight during the increasingly hot weather, ensuring that they had shelter, basic necessities, and lots of toys and pats.

8. Snoop

After years of visits and persistence by PETA fieldworkers, Snoop is no longer condemned to a lonely existence tethered outside.

We transferred him to the Virginia Beach SPCA in Virginia, one of our partner shelters, where he was adopted.

9. Psycho

Our determination also paid off when we secured relinquishment of fieldworker favorite Psycho, who couldn’t possibly have been given a less appropriate name. This young dog had been chained his whole life until we transferred him to the Virginia Beach SPCA for a chance at adoption.

10. Brooklyn

As temperatures rose dangerously during spring and early summer, PETA kept helping animals like Brooklyn, ensuring that they had access to fresh water, food, and shade.

11. Blackie

PETA’s field team made sure that Blackie had access to food, water, shelter, and shade, too.

12. Blue

We spayed Blue and even provided her with transport to and from our mobile clinic for free!

13. G

G was kept in an often wet, muddy spot in the backyard, with inadequate shelter …

… but then PETA stepped in. With his owner’s consent, we moved him to a drier spot in the yard and provided him with a free, sturdy doghouse.

14. Bigfoot

Once upon a time, Bigfoot was chained outdoors …

… but thanks to the PETA fieldworkers who rescued him and the Norfolk SPCA in Virginia, he got the “happily ever after” that every dog deserves.

15. Roxy

We also helped find a loving home for Roxy, who was previously kept chained outdoors.

After months of medical treatment, she became heartworm-free—and she now lives the good life with her adoring new family.

16. Buddy

This isn’t how you treat a buddy:

This is how you treat a buddy:

17. DJ

We gave a new wooden doghouse to DJ, who was chained outside without shelter in near-freezing temperatures.

We rushed to provide him with a sturdy, insulated, custom-built doghouse and transported him to and from the clinic for a free neuter surgery.

18. Snowball

After many visits and much persistence, Snowball’s owner agreed to let us have this young dog, who was being kept tied up outside.

We transferred her to the Norfolk SPCA, where she was quickly adopted.

19. Puppies

After spotting these puppies tangled up in chains, our field team persuaded their owners to surrender them and let us transfer them to a local shelter for a chance at adoption into a safe, loving, indoor home.

20. Precious

An elderly woman contacted PETA for a doghouse for her newly acquired pit bull puppy, Precious. We talked to her about dogs’ needs, and she let us help Precious find an indoor home, transferring the sweet girl to the Virginia Beach SPCA for adoption.

21. Pebbles

We transported Pebbles for free to and from her no-cost spay appointment.

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These 21 (technically 22) individuals are only a few of the countless neglected dogs and other animals helped by PETA in 2021. We also helped Samson, Oscar, Oreo, Luna the chinchilla, and others find safe, loving homes—and these rescues were possible because of kind people like you:

With your help, we can make 2022 the kindest year yet for dogs and all other animals! Learn more about the ways PETA fieldworkers make the world a more compassionate place for companion animals by watching Breaking the Chain for free on Prime Video:

Press ‘Play’ on ‘Breaking the Chain’

And discover more about lifesaving tethering bills and bans:

Help PETA ‘Break the Chain’ With an Ordinance

The post 21 Reasons Chaining Should Be Banned: Meet Some Dogs PETA Helped in 2021 appeared first on PETA.

As 2021 comes to a close and 2022 begins, PETA has released its complete list of recent trends and their animal-friendly replacements for the coming year.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

The post ‘Bullpen’ Is Out, ‘Arm Barn’ Is In: PETA Predicts Top Trends for 2022 appeared first on PETA.

2021 was one wild ride. And while we’re thankful for the good times—like how PETA dethroned “Tiger Kings,” increased the demand for new vegan fast-food options, and secured more than a dozen fur bans—we’re also thankful for a few things that clearly are not here for a long time. So to maintain our tradition, we’ve compiled a list of what’s “in” and what’s “out” for 2022.

1981 called—it wants its McRib back.

Out	In
Bullpen	Arm barn
Canada’s seal slaughter	Canada Goose’s fur ban
Cooking with flesh ingredients	Cooking with fresh vegan ingredients
Andrew and Chris Cuomo	Jesse & Joy
#FreeBritney	#FreeLolita
Primate research centers	Primate sanctuaries
Piers Morgan’s career in jeopardy	Mayim Bialik on Jeopardy!
J.Lo and fur	J.Lo and Ben
Restaurants closed for COVID-19	Fur farms closed for good
Apes grimacing on greetings cards	Apes smiling in sanctuaries
Aquafarming	Good Catch fish-free cooking
SeaWorld	Seaside sanctuaries
Beagles in labs	Beagles on laps
Temporary pandemic pups	Permanent adoptions
Xenotransplantation	Organ donation
Animal circuses	Animal-free Ringling Bros. circus
Calf leather	Cactus leather
Goose down	Flower down
Dairy-milk chocolate bars	Oat-milk chocolate bars
McRib	McPlant
Taxing your heart with meat	Taxing meat
Giving leather gifts	Giving pleather gifts
COP26 protests over serving meat	The Oscars’ kudos for vegan eats
Caviar	Cavi-art
Gelatin candy	Dalgona candy
Deep-sea fishing	“Trash fishing”
Horses whipped at Olympic events	Horse events banned at the Olympics
Binging on squid	Binging on Squid Game
Dog-sled races	“Dinosaur” races
Eating insects	Reading Fly!
The milk crate challenge	PETA’s 3-Week Vegan Challenge
“Tiger King” potential pardon	“Doc” Antle finally indicted
Thanksgiving	“ThanksVegan”
Elon Musk, Time’s Person of the Year 2021	Billie Eilish, PETA’s Person of the Year 2021
Global lockdowns	Fur-farm shutdowns
Slut-shaming	Slutty Vegan
Saweetie bragging about fur	Elle banning fur
QAnon conspiracies	Seaspiracy

The best part about these “in’s,” besides their animal-friendliness, is that they’re here to stay.

For animals and the liberation that they all deserve, let’s keep the good times comin’!

Slutty Vegan’s expansion, Ringling Bros. circus’s animal-free return, McDonald’s Beyond Meat partnership, and a 40-hectare seaside sanctuary for rescued orcas and beluga whales in Canada—2022 is going to be lit.

Don’t be left behind—make 2022 the year you get in on the animal liberation movement! PETA’s here to help:

Kick-Start Your Vegan Journey With a Free Kit

Join PETA’s Action Team—Help Us Help Animals

PETA is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide websites with a means to earning advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The post You Heard It Here First: McDonald’s McPlant Is ‘In’! See What Else Made PETA’s What’s ‘In’ and ‘Out’ List for 2022 appeared first on PETA.