Kategorie: Animals

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 Korean horse racing industry. Dressed like a K-pop fan of Korean music, this activist got herself invited right into the winner’s circle, where she unfurled a sign with a message that American 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

The K-pop fan impersonator looked like a party girl, but she was there on a mission: to expose the Korea Racing Authority’s (KRA) disgraceful practice of sending cast-off racehorses—some just 2 or 3 years old—to slaughter. PETA exposed the bloodbath in 2019 with the first-ever video from inside the Nonghyup slaughterhouse. Some of the horses loaded into the slaughter chute were U.S. horses who had been sold to the racing industry in South Korea.

Most in American racing look the other way as they pocket the profit and sell American-born horses to Korea, knowing that they will eventually end up on a dinner plate or in a can of dog food. Only the Stronach Group, which owns a number of racetracks in the U.S., banned sending horses to South Korea after viewing PETA’s video.

To get to the winner’s circle, the activist befriended several high-profile racing officials at the San Diego track’s most famous racing weekend of the year, including Del Mar President and CEO Joe Harper, who reportedly quipped, “I hope that sign doesn’t say, ‘I hate Joe Harper.’”

To make sure the KRA couldn’t miss the message, “Ms. K-Pop” managed to get a picture with the organization’s own U.S. representative—who couldn’t see the sign.

Korea Racing Authority U.S. rep at #BreedersCup couldn’t see the sign held by this South Korean activist: Korea Racing Authority, how dare you turn racehorses into dog food! pic.twitter.com/CHqX1M1WKB

— PETA (@peta) November 7, 2021

PETA’s investigation turned South Korean racing upside down. The slaughterhouse and its workers were prosecuted for killing horses in full view of others, but the KRA must commit to developing a comprehensive retirement program for all horses.

TAKE ACTION NOW

The post ‘K-Pop Fan’ Crashes Breeders’ Cup Winner’s Circle to Protest Horse Slaughter appeared first on PETA.

The post PETA Asia Exposes Live-Export Cruelty: Australian Cattle Butchered Alive appeared first on PETA.

Judit and Juergen Nerger illegally left big cats in cramped, barren crates and ditched six tigers at a roadside zoo in Sarasota, Florida, all after their circus show business failed. They had previously kept tigers in Illinois, but by carting the animals to Florida and failing to alert the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the couple evaded federal inspections for years. So, to prevent them from sneaking around and harming animals again, PETA’s urging the USDA to terminate their federal Animal Welfare Act license.

In PETA’s letter to the agency, we point to a recent report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission indicating that the Nergers lacked authorization to keep tigers in Florida, yet they unlawfully kept six tigers at Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary, where Juergen Nerger told the roadside zoo owner “that he intended to leave the country and leave his cats behind.” While at Big Cat Habitat, five tigers were kept in cramped crates, and the Nergers agreed to relinquish the tigers to the state. The roadside zoo arranged for them to be shipped off to Tennessee-based Tiger Haven—a disreputable facility where an 18-year-old nearly lost her arm during a recent tiger attack.

We estimate that there are fewer than 10 exhibitors routinely displaying big cats in circuses and fairs in the U.S.—a clear sign that the public has no interest in cruel, outdated acts that exploit wild animals.

So while Judit and Juergen’s tiger show business is already on the outs, there’s still something we can do to help big cats like those exploited and neglected by the Nergers: Never visit any animal “attraction,” participate in a cub photo op, or pay to interact with exotic or wild animals. Let your friends and family know that buying tickets to such activities perpetuates cruelty …

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

… and click below to take further action for tigers suffering in tourist traps:

Take Action to Help Tigers

The post Why Does This Tiger-Terrorizing Circus Couple Still Have a License to Exhibit Animals? appeared first on PETA.

Victory! After five years of meetings with and pressure from PETA and after hearing from hundreds of thousands of PETA supporters, Expedia has stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld and to shady “swim with dolphins” encounters! The travel brand has updated its wildlife policy to “prohibit activities that feature interactions with or performances by dolphins, whales, and other cetaceans.” The change comes just after PETA encouraged its supporters to flood Expedia Brands’ president, Jon Gieselman, with calls and messages.

In making this conscientious decision, Expedia joins dozens of other companies—including Tripadvisor and Southwest Airlines—that have stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld and other places that keep whales and dolphins in tanks after hearing from PETA. Other companies—such as Mastercard and Savings.com—ended “swim with dolphins” promotions long ago after learning about the cruelty inherent in keeping sensitive, intelligent cetaceans captive.

“PETA congratulates Expedia for officially rejecting cruel ‘swim with dolphins’ encounters and SeaWorld prisons,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges people to take note and do their part by refusing to support such animal-exploiting operations.”

Here’s Why You Should Never Go to SeaWorld or Buy Tickets to ‘Swim With Dolphins’ Encounters

Tourists unwittingly contribute to a cruel industry by taking part in “swim with dolphins” excursions. In these programs, intelligent and sensitive animals are confined to barren tanks or makeshift lagoons, with no choice but to swim in endless circles. Some suffer from ulcers and other health ailments, and many die prematurely because of the stressful conditions of extreme captivity.

And then there’s SeaWorld, which has a well-known history of abducting and breeding marine mammals, imprisoning them, and subjecting them to a lifetime of deprivation. More than 40 orcas have died at SeaWorld, and not one has come close to the maximum life expectancy of the species in nature. Other dolphins are still being forcibly bred, sometimes after being drugged, and forced to perform meaningless tricks.

Orcas, other dolphins, and every animal at SeaWorld deserves a life free from exploitation for tourism and entertainment.

Many of the businesses that still promote SeaWorld listen to feedback from their patrons and the public, which means that we need your help to let them know that what they’re doing is wrong.

In addition to boycotting SeaWorld and calling on the marine park to empty its tanks, tell the companies that still support it that animal abuse is a very serious issue and urge them to end all affiliations with the abusement park chain. PETA makes it quick and easy, using your phone or computer, so what are you waiting for?

Take Action for Animals at SeaWorld

The post Expedia Drops SeaWorld and ‘Swim With Dolphins’ Tickets After PETA Pressure appeared first on PETA.

After five years of meetings with and pressure from PETA and after hearing from hundreds of thousands of PETA supporters, locally based travel company Expedia has stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld and to “swim with dolphins” encounters, updating its wildlife policy to “prohibit activities that feature interactions with or performances by dolphins, whales, and other cetaceans.” The change comes just after PETA encouraged its supporters to flood Expedia Brands’ president, Jon Gieselman, with calls and messages.

“PETA congratulates Expedia for officially rejecting cruel ‘swim with dolphins’ encounters and SeaWorld prisons,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges people to take note and do their part by refusing to support such animal-exploiting operations.”

In “swim with” programs, dolphins are confined to barren tanks or makeshift lagoons with no choice but to swim in endless circles. Many die prematurely because of the stressful conditions of captivity. At SeaWorld prisons, orcas are subjected to a lifetime of deprivation, while other dolphins and whales are forcibly bred, sometimes after being drugged.

Dozens of companies—including Tripadvisor and Southwest Airlines—have stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld and other marine mammal parks. Other companies—such as Mastercard and Savings.com—ended “swim with dolphins” promotions long ago after learning about the cruelty inherent in keeping sensitive, intelligent cetaceans captive.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit SeaWorldOfHurt.com or follow PETA on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

#

 

The post Expedia Dumps SeaWorld, ‘Swim With Dolphins’ Ticket Sales After PETA Campaign appeared first on PETA.