Fall Out Boy's drummer Andy thinks that factory farming is just plain wrong. Earth Crisis, who are widely known for advocating animal rights to their fans, helped Andy realize that animals are not ours to eat. Thanks to some PETA literature, and a video showing captive-bolt pistols being used on live pigs, Andy now says that vegetarianism is "just a good, peaceful, moral thing to do." Click here to check out Andy's interview now.

For a while now, people had been telling us that the girls in Kittie had a lot to say about animal abuse. With this in mind, you can imagine how excited everyone at PETA2 was when we got a chance to sit the band down for an interview. All four of the girls had something to say - Mercedes is opposed to animal testing, Jen had some harsh words for Iams and KFC, Morgan finds the Canadian seal hunt disgusting, and last but certainly not least, Lisa Marx has been vegan for four years, and was vegetarian for three years before that! Take a look at peta2.com/ot/o-kittie.asp and read it all for yourself.

Though our "Supersize This" letter to the editor mission is about 6 months old, we're still receiving word from Street Teamers that their letters have been published. When it comes to speaking up for animals, there's never a deadline. Andrew MacKenzie of Bay City Michigan sent his this letter that was published on December 19:

Though I had planned to see "Super Size Me" when it was first released during the summer, I didn't get around to doing so until recently.

Childhood is a time when eating habits are being formed. Parents and schools should start us off right by teaching us to make smart, ethical eating choices that will serve us throughout our lives.

Well, I'm off for the New Year. Have a great holiday, and be sure to send the "I'm Not a Nugget" Happy New Year e-card at peta2.com/feat/newyearscard to all of your friends and family.

As part of the PETA2 "Jesus Loves Me Too" Christmas mission, Street Teamer Claire Rice of College Park, Georgia had this article printed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Instead of turkey, roast some tofu

Christmas should be about peace and compassion. Please consider going vegetarian this year and sharing your Christmas spirit.

For her efforts Claire will be receiving one of the new "Jesus Loves Me Too" hoodies available at cafepress.com/petastore. Congrats Claire!

If you read AP magazine, you probably noticed the awesome feature story on PETA2's own Angela Modzelewski, not to mention the all new PETA2 ad featuring our buddies in Midtown. More to come on that! In the meantime, go out and pick up a copy of AP and give it a look see.

Punchline's drummer PJ stopped eating meat at the age of 16. In his interview with peta2.com, PJ says that he just couldn't stand eating the carcass of a tortured animal. PJ never wears dead animals either - he often sports a pink non-leather belt. Check out PJ's interview with PETA2 here, and take a look at punchlineaction.com for more info on the band.

I received this photo today, and I just had to share it with you all. If you'd like to receive some of PETA's "If You Wear Fur Watch Your Back" and other anti-fur stickers, e-mail PETA2@peta.org and we'll gladly send some to you free of charge. I've heard some of these stickers have shown up on products at Wet Seal too.

Street Teamer Eileen Botti was one of many young activists who held a demonstration outside of Wet Seal for the international day of action this past Saturday, December 18. Thanks to a giant rabbit costume, and the graphic images showing the truth behind every bit of fur and fur-trim, Eileen was able to get this article published in the Times-Herald Record:

PETA protests fur sales at local clothing store
Holding anti-fur signs and waving at motorists, three animal rights activists, one donning a white rabbit costume, greeted hordes of holiday shoppers at the Galleria at Crystal Run in the Town of Wallkill yesterday.

As motorists passed by the mall entrance yesterday, the giant rabbit waved at them and flashed a sign that read: "Wet Seal Butchers Bunnies."

We have some exciting news - we now have Wet Seal stickers available for you to plaster all over town. E-mail PETA2@peta.org with your full mailing address and we'll send some to you free of charge.

The blog is being a little more user friendly today, and I'm now able to upload a few photos for your viewing pleasure. Check out these great shots from Pulin Modi's "Wet Seal Kills" tour as it made it's way through Texas.

A Milestone!

As of today, the PETA2 Street Team is 50,000 members strong. Our numbers continue to climb at an extraordinary rate. We couldn't do it without your help. The next time you're doing something that seems like it is insignificant, like linking to an interview on peta2.com on your blog or sending a PETA e-card to your friends and family, remember that each small action adds up, and your efforts make all the difference in the world. Onward and upward!

Pete from Remembering Never is always working hard for animals. Yesterday, Pete called PETA out of concern for a baby macaw he saw while at the Mercer Mall in Bluefield, WV. Pete informed us that the macaw was being housed in a 10 gallon fish tank, missing a lot of his feathers, and that he can't stand up, lay down or spread his wings. Pete complained to a store employee, but he was totally rude and unconcerned about the bird and kicked Pete and his friends out of the store. PETA reported this poor animal's situation to the Mercer Humane Society, and they have sent one of their officers to the store to see waht they can do. Hopefully this story has a happy ending - we'll keep you posted. Take a look at RememberingNever.net for more info on the band.

Win PETA's Anti-Fur "Baby Coat."

Now on the "Win Free Swag" page on peta2.com, you'll find a link to PETA's latest contest. Click here to see what you have to do to win the "baby coat" that has been used by PETA in many anti-fur demonstrations.

When PETA2 recently interviewed Only Crime, a band featuring members of Good Riddance and Gwar, they were more than eager eager to talk about their animal-friendly lifestyles. Members Russ and Zach challenge everyone to get out and educate themselves about animal cruelty and what each individual can do to help make a difference. Like many other people, the book Diet for a New America had a huge impact on Russ. Take a look at peta2.com/ot/o-onlycrime.asp for more info, and then head over to OnlyCrime.com for more info on the band.

We're currently having some problems with uploading pictures to the blog, but it should be fixed soon enough. I had some great photos to show you all too. Oh well, another day!

PETA was recently contacted by a whistleblower at the Providence, Rhode Island PETCO store about the plight of Suzy, a sweet, inquisitive rat who was stocked as a "feeder" (to be sold as food for reptiles). Because PETCO allows rats and mice to breed, Suzy delivered babies on the sales floor. After she gave birth, Suzy and her babies were kept in an overcrowded shoebox-sized tank. Suzy's fate only got worse from there. Click here to read more, and please, if you haven't already, take a look at PETCOCruelty.com to see how you can help Suzy and countless other animals suffering in PETCO stores.

A Weekend of Action Against Wet Seal.

On Friday evening, two vehicles set out from the PETA headquarters in Norfolk, VA for a weekend of Wet Seal demonstrations. Two co-workers, a dedicated intern and I made stops in Lexington and Paducah, Kentucky, and finally in Charleston, West Virginia. Two staffers and two interns went further south, holding protests in Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, Tennessee. We decided that if we wanted Street Teamers to get out there and take action against Wet Seal, we needed to do the same. All of the demos went extremely well. Local media came out to see why our giant rabbit was "hopping mad," we gave out stacks upon stacks of leaflets, and ate yummy vegan food with local activists.

Here are some photos from the weekend. If you haven't already, be sure to send your photos and stories to PETA2@peta.org

Also, be sure to take a look at this story from CBS in Chattanooga.

Vote for Dillinger Escape Plan!

The Dillinger Escape Plan has been nominated for "best live act" and "best metal album" in the 2004 edition of the plug awards, which is basically like the Independent Grammys. Vote for DEP here because they always let PETA2 table for them, Liam is veg, and they're just great guys! Also, be sure to give their new video, "Setting Fire to Sleeping Giants," a watch at mtv.com/onair/advance_warning/. If you haven't already, check out Liam's interview with PETA2 here.

Hot Topic

The "Love Me, Don't Eat Me" stickers sold by Hot Topic are now available online. Click here to order some as a Christmas present for yourself.

It's that time of year again - time to celebrate with family, sip warm apple cider, and enjoy some long-awaited time off. This Christmas, peta2.com wants you to encourage others to choose compassion in observance of the holiday season. How? By asking them to adopt a vegetarian diet, or to not support the cruel fur industry. What better way to get the word out than letters to the editor. We've even come up with two sample letters for you to adapt and make your own. Even if you don't write a letter to the editor, you should definitely order some of the adorable new "Jesus Loves Me Too" stickers. Click here for all the info.

Oh my goodness, have you all looked at the "Tasty Treats for New Year's Eve Bashes" feature at peta2.com/stuff/s-nytreats.html? Just thinking about those Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes makes my mouth water. Someone make me some!

The "Wet Seal Kills" Tour is Coming to an End.

PETA's Pulin Modi has been doing a fantastic job out on the road letting people know that Wet Seal Butchers Bunnies. After meeting a ton of really dedicated Street Teamers in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana, Pulin and his giant rabbit friend have been spending the past few days in Texas. All of the protests have been getting outstanding media coverage, and more and more customers are joining the Wet Seal boycott each day. Tomorrow, Pulin will be at River Center in San Antonio at 11:00AM and then at the Highland Mall in Austin at 3:00PM. On Saturday, for the international day of action, the tour will make its final stop at 11:00AM at the Hulen Mall in Fort Worth. This little guy couldn't believe it when someone told him that a "little fur trim never hurt anyone." He certainly doesn't want his skull bashed in or his skin ripped off his back, but Wet Seal just can't seem to get that through their heads.

Emanuel Stops by to Pay a Visit in Norfolk.

The boys from the band Emanuel dropped in for a tour of the PETA office today. Already, Emanuel has done great things for animals by linking to peta2 on their Site and handing out stickers and leaflets at their shows. You can expect more from them on peta2.com in the future. If you're not up-to-date with the hipness that is Emanuel, check out thisisemanuel.com and be sure to catch the band on tour with Emery and From Autumn to Ashes.

Do You Have What it Takes to be Crowned America’s Sexiest Vegetarian?

Enter PETA’s online contest and you could win amazing cruelty-free prizes, plus you may even be featured in PETA’s Animal Times! Visit peta.org/feat/sexiestvegvote/index12-04.html to enter.

This Saturday, December 18th is the international day of action against Wet Seal. Wet Seal’s only stores are in the United States and Puerto Rico, but now, activists in New Zealand have an opportunity to lend a hand with the campaign.

During a recent phone conversation, Helen Rotherham, Wet Seal’s Vice President of Investor Relations and Communications told PETA that Wet Seal "has no intention at this time or any time in the future of removing fur from our stores." Ms. Rotherham is currently on holiday with her in-laws in New Zealand, and therefore hasn’t been able to answer her phone at Wet Seal’s corporate office in California. We’d hate for Helen not to get the messages that thousands of concerned customers have been leaving for her. While she is enjoying the holidays in New Zealand, animals raised for their flesh are suffering miserably in filthy metal cages — rabbits and other animals "farmed" for their fur have their necks broken, their skulls bashed in and their heads cut off.

Please consider contacting Helen Rotherham at her home telephone number at 0-9-524 9385, or at her office at 0-9-309 6663, to politely let her know that animal cruelty is not fashionable. In the US, dial 011-64-9-524 9385 or 011-64-9-309 6663. Also, please be sure to send an e-mail to Helen.Rotherham@wetseal.com and include a high resolution image showing what happens to animals on fur farms, such as the one found here.

If you would like to stop by and politely voice your disgust to Helen in person, she is staying with relatives at the following address:
19 Ngaiwi St.
Orakei, Auckland

She can also be found at her office at:
Level 15
16 Kingston St.
Auckland City

If you’d like to bring some Wet Seal posters and leaflets with you when you visit Helen, send an e-mail to PETA2@peta.org and we’ll gladly have some printed for you. Please use this information yourself and do not pass it along to others.

Pulin Modi and the "Wet Seal Kills" tour were in Houston, TX today. Dozens of young people came out to lend Pulin and his giant furry friend their support.

Here's an excerpt from bloghouston.net:

"PETA staged a protest today at the Galleria to draw attention to retailer Wet Seal's use of rabbit fur. Several earnest young people and one tall bunny were handing out literature next to a casket and some small, bloody, pink bunnies."

Take a look at this picture from Pulin's recent demo in Baton Rouge, LA. Thanks to Street Teamer Sarah Hoyt for sending us this photo.

PETA2 Hearts Le Tigre.

PETA2.com recently had the honor of interviewing Le Tigre's Johanna Fateman about why she went vegetarian, her favorite spots to eat at in NYC, and her love for rabbits. After the interview, PETA2 was able to score some Le Tigre T-shirts and autographed promo copies of Le Tigre's "New Kicks" and "TKO" singles on vinyl. Due to that whole "spirit of giving" thing, PETA2 decided to give them away at peta2.com/ot/o-leTigre.asp. Enter to win, and read Johanna's interview for yourself.

Last Friday, PETA2 asked for a "call-in day" against Wet Seal. We were very pleased to hear that so many of you called and either spoke with a customer service representative or were able to leave a voice mail message for Wet Seal officials to hear. This Friday, we'd like to see another flood of phone calls letting Wet Seal know that this holiday season, you and your family and friends will be choosing a fur-free store for your shopping needs.

So, this Friday, December 17th, call Wet Seal customer service at 1-800-735-7325. Give Wet Seal CEO Joseph Deckop a ring as well at 949-699-3918. Don't forget to call Vice President Helen Rotherham at 949-699-4804. Check the Wet Seal store locator for the store nearest you and call to complain to them as well. You can even download a list of every single Wet Seal location here. Also, if you haven't already done so, be sure to take a look at the Wet Seal online petition, and please spread it far and wide.

Here's a photo from the "Wet Seal Kills" tour in Baton Rouge, LA. This Saturday is the international day of action against Wet Seal, so we will surely have a lot more photos next week. Myself and a few fellow PETA employees will be holding demonstrations in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and Street Teamers have planned a few dozen more protests.

Everyone loves tear-off fliers, right? I certainly do - they are a great tool for getting people to visit PETA's many Sites to learn more about how they can help animals. Well, now we've created one just for Wet Seal. Print a stack out, and head out to your local mall now!

Here's one of the photos taken last night of Roger Miret and the Disasters when they came to the office last night for dinner and a photo shoot. Roger wore his peta2 tee on stage last night and he played an Agnostic Front song and dedicated it to us and talked for 4 minutes about how much he loves peta2.com and how much we've done for the hardcore scene. Aww, Roger...

As you all are undoubtedly aware, Forever 21 recently agreed to remove all fur from their stores and to never sell it again. In doing so, the company has sent a loud message to it's consumers and fellow fashion retailers that animal cruelty is not ok. The news appeared last Friday on the national AP wire, and nearly every major newspaper in the country carried the story. Below is an excerpt from the story that ran in the Miami Herald. You can read the full story here.

"Forever 21, a retailer of hip fashions for young women, has agreed to remove clothes with rabbit fur from its stores and pledged not to carry real fur fashions after a protest from an animal rights group.

The clothing chain was the target of protests and a nationwide boycott last month after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the company ignored earlier requests to stop selling rabbit fur."

The story even popped up on CNN. All of the media attention makes this victory even more exciting, and once again we thank all of you who helped make this happen.

Unlike Forever 21, retailer Wet Seal refuses to listen to customer demand and insists on paying to have rabbits necks broken, their skulls bashed in, and their heads cut off. To help get the word out to even more people, we've designed this all new stencil.

Here are a few more photos from the Pulin Modi's "Wet Seal Kills" tour. Pulin just finished up a week of demos in Florida, and is now travelling through Louisiana and Texas.

Connor, vocalist for Boys Night Out, recently sat down for an interview with peta2.com to discuss why he refers to himself as "a man of tofu in all of its glorious forms." Boys Night Out fans probably recognize peta2 - after all, the band frequently lets PETA2 Street Teamers table at their shows. Click here to see the video interview with Connor.

Roger Miret and the Disasters stopped by PETA HQ in Norfolk, VA today. Send the boys some love at thedisasters.com.

One last thing before I go, take a look at this adorable Christmas ornament designed by Street Teamer Eileen Botti. Eileen is actually a former PETA intern, and an amazing activist if I do say so myself.

You can add the new Wet Seal online petition to the arsenal of tools at your disposal for helping animals. If you haven't already done so, please take a few moments to send your message to Wet Seal letting them know that you refuse to support a store which pays to have rabbits bludgeoned and dismembered alive. After you've done your part, pass on the link to peta2.com/ot/wetseal/index.asp to everyone you know.

Here's another photograph for your viewing pleasure from PETA's "Wet Seal Kills" tour.

With Wet Seal officials refusing to listen to costumers who are boycotting their store, it's no wonder that the New York Times reported that Wet Seal was "once hot but are now struggling". In the same article, Times writer Tracie Rozhon mentions that Hot Topic is seeing more and more growth. Seeing as Hot Topic started carrying all sorts of cool peta2.com merch, that's great news for us, and of course the animals! So, next time you're at the mall holiday shopping, go to Wet Seal and give the manager a piece of your mind, then head over to Hot Topic and buy some peta2 stickers, buttons, and patches.

For the next two weeks, PETA's Pulin Modi is on the road, holding Wet Seal demonstrations with a giant rabbit. So far the boys have stopped in Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA, and Jacksonville, FL, handing out leaflets to mall-goers and giving managers "bloody" stuffed rabbits as a visual aid to help them understand the cruelty involved with each piece of fur and fur-trim. If you live in one of the following towns, take an hour out of your day to help out Pulin and his furry friend:

12/8 - Orlando, FL, Florida Mall, 12:00 noon
12/9 - Miami, FL, Bayside Marketplace, 12:00 noon
12/10 - St. Petersburg, FL, Tyrone Square Mall, 12:00 noon
12/11 - Tallahassee, FL, Governor's Square, 12:00 noon
12/12 - Pensacola, FL, Cordova Mall, 12:00 noon
12/13 - Gretna, LA, Oakwood Center, 11:00 am
12/13 - Baton Rouge, LA, Cortana Mall, 3:00 pm
12/15 - Houston, TX, Houston Galleria, 12:00 noon
12/16 - Corpus Christi, TX, 12:00 noon
12/17 - San Antonio, TX, River Center, 11:00 am
12/17 - Austin, TX, Highland Mall, 2:00 pm
12/18 - Fort Worth, TX, Hulen Mall, 11:00 am

Street Teamer Jordon Rowe designed two new Wet Seal buddy icons for PETA2. All you artistic folks do a great job with these. Keep 'em coming!

Star Street Teamer Rebecca Palmer had her letter to the editor titled "Slaughter not kosher" in the Lexington Herald-Leader. You can read her letter here. Remember, anyone who gets a letter to the editor printed has their choice of any item valued under $50 from PETACatalog.org.

This letter comes in the wake of PETA's investigation into AgriProcessors, the world’s largest glatt kosher slaughterhouse and the producer of Rubashkin’s and Aaron’s Best meats. Despite the fact that Jewish law opposes cruelty to animals, PETA's investigator uncovered horrific slaughter practices at AgriProcessors. Cattle, chickens, and turkeys suffered through prolonged consciousness after having their throats cut and being dismembered while still fully conscious. If you haven't already done so, please take a minute to look over the feature on the investigation at goveg.com/feat/agriprocessors/horror.asp.

This weekend, I drove to New York City to join a dozen activists to protest Wet Seal's flagship store on Broadway. Among my fellow demonstrators was Mike Ski, vocalist for the now defunct Brother's Keeper and good friends of PETA2, The A.K.A.s. Check out the photos below of Mike Ski with a giant rabbit (yours truly) letting passersby know that Wet Seal Butchers Bunnies. I can't wait to see the pictures from the international day of action on December 18th.

Over the coming weeks we'll have plenty more pictures to show you, along with campaign updates and new ideas for how you can help out. Today we have a new Wet Seal wallpaper for you to download.

A banner for you to put on your personal page or blog. The code to add the banner to your page is below the banner.

<a title="PETA2.com" href="http://www.peta2.com?c=913"><img src=" http://www.peta2.com/fp/wetsealbanner.gif" alt="PETA2.com" height="60" width="468" border="1"></a>

Last, but certainly not least, is this beautiful new buddy icon from Street Teamer Julie Gilmore.

AltPress.com is always good about picking up the scoop on what's going on at peta2.com. Check out these two clips on the Site now.
HARDCORE AGAINST FUR
And continuing with news from bands that work with PETA2, January 2005 will see the Hardcore Against Fur tour, with H2O, Stretch Arm Strong and With Honor. The two-week tour stays mostly on the East Coast with a few dates in the Midwest (Cleveland on January 21, awesome!)—find all dates at H2OGo.com and StretchArmStrong.net.

THE TSUNAMI RISES
And still continuing with news from bands that work with PETA2, Chicago’s hardcore heavyweights Rise Against are heading out on a February tour primarily of the West Coast, alongside Alexisonfire, Tsunami Bomb and Only Crime. If AP were a betting magazine, we’d bet you can find all dates at RiseAgainst.com, TsunamiBomb.com and OnlyCrime.com.

So check out our Wet Seal Butchers Bunny page, and see what you can do to help. We need every store in the country to feel our presence. We cannot let the suffering of rabbits go ignored. They are 100% depending on all of us to get off of our bums and make a difference.

Let's go do it!

Cattle Decapitation is vocal about their opposition to the meat industry. The band is definitely helping make people go vegetarian - vocalist Travis Ryan says that he knows "plenty of people that have changed their diets simply because of the overly disgusting and brutal nature of the lyrics." Travis and the rest of Cattle Decapitation have teamed up with peta2.com to give away some free merch. Click here to enter to win. You can read peta2's full interview with Travis Ryan after you enter.

Carl from Terror stopped by the office today. Oh how we love Terror - these boys take every opportunity they get to educate their fans about cruelty to animals, and what they can do to make a difference. Send Carl and the rest of Terror some love at terrorhc.com.

SecretMedia.org does an awesome job of helping to get the word out about peta2 too. Right now the site has a full page feature on how peta2.com gives musicians a platform to talk about animal issues that are important to them. PETA2's own Angela Modzelewski is interviewed in the feature. Take a look at it here. While you're at it, give SecretMedia writer Ronen's band, Zombie Apocalypse, a listen.

New fur target for all of you awesome Street Teamers tomorrow, so stay tuned!

As I'm sure you are all aware, PETA2 recently called for a boycott of Forever 21 because of the rabbit fur that was showing up in the chain's stores. We now have some extraordinary news: Earlier today, PETA received a letter from Forever 21 Senior Vice President Larry Meyer stating that the company will remove all fur from its stores and will never sell it again. Please take a look at peta2.com/tc/t-forever21.html for all the details.

All of you are to thank for this outstanding victory for animals. Let this be proof that the public outcry for an end to the cruel treatment of animals is not going unheard. Thank you once again for your hard work for animals.