Written by PETA
Were you touched by the wise words of a vegan friend? Inspired by the actions of a passionate activist fighting for animal rights? Motivated by rescuing an animal in distress? Or maybe you just love your feline best friend enough to stand up for animals everywhere. Everyone has their own reasons for speaking up for animals, and with all the amazing actions you take as an activist, we have to ask: What inspires you to take a stand for animal rights?
We want to hear your story and share it with the world! Let us know what motivates you to save lives – log on to Twitter and finish the line: "I am an animal rights activist because …"
Don't forget to tag your tweet with #PETAIndia. If you don't use Twitter, tell us your story by commenting here or tell us on PETA India's Facebook page.
Get your ticket to go see the most awaited movie of this season, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The movie's message and CGI special effects are so animal-friendly that PETA US has given director Rupert Wyatt a Proggy Award for recognising that real great apes don't belong on production sets.
Given the impressive technology available now – and you'll see it in all its glory in this film – there's no need to hire wild-animal trainers who rip baby chimpanzees away from their mothers and physically abuse them to force them to perform on cue.
Run, walk or swing through the trees – just don't wait to see this movie!
A PETA US "chimpanzee" gives Rise of the Planet of the Apes two opposable thumbs up outside the premiere in Hollywood.
As the month of August begins, so do Nag Panchami preparations, which include capturing snakes. Snakes are captured in suffocating bags, kept in tiny boxes and starved. Their teeth are violently yanked out, and many snakes' mouths are painfully sewn shut before the animals are brought into cities. The snakes' venom ducts are often pierced with a hot needle, which causes the glands to burst. Some snakes go blind because the "tikka", which is applied to their hoods during pooja, trickles into the snakes' eyes.
You can help! If you see snake charmers, contact PETA India on (0) 98201 22602 and we will try to find a snake rescuer in your area to help immediately.
You can also inform your state forest department if you see a snake who needs to be rescued, or you can contact the police and file a complaint under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 as well as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
According to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, it is a crime for snake charmers to catch snakes, exploit them for business purposes or even own them. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, it is illegal to torture or cause unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal.
You can also help by taking the pledge to boycott snake shows now!
Actor Om Puri has spoken up for the need to have stronger legislation to protect animals in India. He has teamed up with PETA and sent a letter to Jayanthi Natarajan, the new Union Minister for Environment and Forests, imploring her to do everything in her power to hasten enactment of the new Animal Welfare Act, 2011.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has drafted a new animal protection law to replace the outdated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The new draft Animal Welfare Act, 2011, would greatly increase the penalties for cruelty to animals – penalties that are currently so weak that they have virtually no deterrent effect.
"Considering that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, was enacted 50 years ago, it is time for India's animal welfare laws to get a much-needed 21st-century makeover", wrote Puri. "I hope the government will put politics aside and give our animals the basic protection that they deserve by passing the Animal Welfare Act, 2011."
You can help. Write to the ministry now and urge them to pass legislation to ensure better treatment of our animal friends.
Written by Kriti-S
PETA India’s Director of Veterinary Affairs, Dr Manilal Valliyate, with his son Arvind
This 19 June, celebrate your most cherished bond in PETA style! We so want to make your papa feel special on Father's Day that we've put together an awesome list of kind things that you could give to him as a gift. Since our brilliant campaigner Himani Shetty has worked really hard on coming up with these cool gift ideas, we're pretty sure that all the daddies out there are going to just love them! Here you go:
So, go on and celebrate Father's Day remembering what Himani says: "Humans aren't the only animals who have dads, so why not give animals a break on Father's Day too?"
Oh! Don't forget to let us know how you will you celebrate this splendid day by dropping us a comment here!
Femina women's magazine knows inspiring women when it sees them – that's why the April issue features a lengthy interview with Ingrid E. Newkirk, the founder and president of PETA.
Ingrid, who was born in the UK but grew up in India, tells readers how easy it is to help animals just by choosing tasty vegan foods, adopting needy street dogs and supporting Animal Rahat, a PETA-supported programme to help and rescue neglected and abused working animals.
Ingrid's mother, who volunteered for Mother Teresa and spent her time helping orphans, unwed mothers, people with leprosy and neglected animals, taught Ingrid to have empathy for all beings. "It doesn't matter who suffers", she said, "but how."
Now, Ingrid is teaching people around the world to be compassionate to all beings. She's such an inspiration that when Femina hit the stands, we were ready for an influx of new members and lots of calls from people who wanted to do more to help animals. We haven't been disappointed!
The caged and tortured animals at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) – some of whom have been locked inside the facility for years – have a new ally: Celina Jaitly. The sultry actor is the latest star to call on AIIMS to retire the animals at its laboratory and send them to a sanctuary.
More than 40 media outlets were given behind-the-scenes access to a photo shoot during which Celina sat for hours in a cramped cage for a brand-new ad campaign for PETA India. She also described to journalists the suffering endured by animals at AIIMS.
"Through my involvement in this campaign, I hope to encourage authorities to consider the plight of monkeys at AIIMS who have never been given the chance to feel the sun on their backs, grass under their feet or to breathe fresh air", says Celina.
Well done, Celina! Come on, everyone: Let's get the animals out of AIIMS' prison by signing this petition.
And stay tuned for Celina's ad, which was shot by ace photographer Vickky Idnaani and features an outfit created by top designer Joe Mansoori.
When Kareena Kapoor found out that she was expected to eat scrambled eggs during a scene in her upcoming movie Short Term Shaadi, she screamed, "Cut!"
Kareena, the winner of PETA India's 2008 Sexiest Vegetarian contest, told director Shakun Batra that she wouldn't eat eggs and suggested that they use eggless pancakes in the breakfast scene. Said Kareena, "Even if the scene required it, I won't have such food. I have laid down that rule and explain my stance when I'm doing any film".
Why go egg-free? Chickens are egregiously abused on egg farms. They are crammed into wire cages that are so small that the birds can't even spread a single wing. The ends of their beaks are cut off with a hot blade, causing them chronic and acute pain. At the end of their miserable lives, they are packed onto lorries and transported to the abattoir, where their throats are cut in full view of one another.
Besides her acting, Kareena deserves accolades for speaking out against such cruelty.
Thank you for thinking about chickens, Kareena!
PETA Asia-Pacific senior campaigner Ashley Fruno and Isabelle Gallaon-Aoki from Animal Friends Niigata have been working in Japan, seeking out animals in trouble or simply in need of food.
While Ashley, Isabelle, and the rest of the team were visiting evacuation centers on Friday to hand out dog and cat food because of the severe shortage and to ask for any leads on animals who may have been abandoned, they heard a very touching story about an Akita dog named Shane.
When Shane's guardian heard the tsunami warning, he had rushed to warn his neighbors after letting Shane out into the yard. Then, he raced back toward his house to get his dog, but the tsunami was approaching as fast as a jet plane and he was forced to flee to the local school on higher ground. He gave up hope of ever seeing Shane alive again.
Six hours later, someone staying in the center said they saw a dog outside. The man rushed outside to look, and it was Shane! He had never been to the school before, but somehow his instincts led him there.
Shane had swum through the water to get back to his guardian. He must have clung to floating debris, as he had cut both his elbows on something.
The team left Shane's guardian with instructions on how to clean the dog's wounds and some ointment to ward off infection. They were also able to provide fuel to a local veterinarian, who will return to check on Shane and provide his guardian with antibiotics to ensure that his wounds heal.
Please consider helping animals like Shane by making a donation to the PETA U.S. Animal Emergency Fund, which provides grants to organizations that do rescue work, including PETA Asia-Pacific.
Ashley, Isabelle, and the rest of the team arrived back in Sendai city―where they had been earlier in the week― late last night after receiving a call from a local veterinarian who had some leads on animals needing help. We'll tell you about that and about a lucky cat rescued by a soldier.
They spent seven hours last night searching the affected areas, checking abandoned houses and doghouses, as well as visiting two local pet stores. While it's clear that most animals did not survive the force of the tsunami, the team was at least able to leave food for a feral cat who was hiding in the rubble but in good physical condition and unwilling to be caught.
This morning, the team also visited the Sendai city shelter to offer assistance. The shelter has taken in some animals since the earthquake as well as receiving many reports of missing animals, but it is not yet full and will continue accepting lost and abandoned animals.
Shelter officials gave the team a tour of their really impressive facility and an update on animal rescues in the area, including the story of a cat found by a soldier when he was recovering bodies from the area yesterday. The cat was terrified and hiding inside his bed, so the soldier transported him to the shelter, bed and all. He will be put up for adoption if his guardians don't show up to claim him.
PETA Asia and Animal Friends Niigata have arranged to provide more supplies and space when the shelter needs more. The local veterinarian whom they had contact with will serve as the "mobile vet" for Sendai. Isabelle will take him a supply of food, and the World Veterinary Association representative who was also on the trip will give him supplies, including medication. He is working on obtaining a list of local evacuation centers and will visit all of them, distributing food and administering vet care to those who need it.
We'll continue to bring you more information as we get it. In the meantime, please consider making a donation to the PETA U.S. Animal Emergency Fund, which provides grants to organizations that do rescue work, including PETA Asia-Pacific.
Senior PETA Asia campaigner Ashley Fruno has been in Japan with Isabella Gallaon-Aoki of Animal Friends Niigata since taking the first flight to Tokyo after the airport opened Saturday night. PETA Asia is the first international animal rights group on the ground in affected areas.
While it is apparent that most animals were swept away with humans in the most affected areas, Ashley and Isabella are ready to provide food, water, and care to animals abandoned when their guardians fled to evacuation centers.
They've provided food to animals whose guardians are having a hard time finding food because there are lines hundreds of people long to get into stores, and they've encountered citizens who have stayed in their shaky homes for days because many evacuation centers were not allowing companion animals inside.
"The damage left for survivors to deal with is absolutely horrific," Ashley relayed. "These dogs and cats need rescue for the sake of the anguished people who were forced to choose between seeking refuge in evacuation centers and taking their beloved animal companions with them."
Despite long waits at gas lines, Ashley and Isabella continue to visit the worst-affected areas in search of animals who need help, and her team remains in touch with the volunteer relief center, city office, and prefecture office, which plans to set up a temporary shelter for animals in the north of the city. She is also talking to reporters and asking them to call her with information about animals in need.
You can help fund Ashley's work and other rescue work by donating to PETA U.S.' Animal Emergency Fund, which provides grants toorganizations that do rescue work, including PETA Asia.
Our chief functionary, Poorva Joshipura, added another faux feather to her cap in advance of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. For her work for animals, she was honoured with a Women Achievers Award, which was presented by the Young Environmentalists Programme Trust. Poorva joins 24 other outstanding women from different fields across India in receiving an award this year. Each of the women was recognised for making a positive difference in their communities.
You would not have to look at Poorva's record of accomplishments for long to understand why the Young Environmentalists Programme Trust singled her out. After all, we are talking about a woman who has conducted undercover investigations in nightmarish places where animals are exploited and killed for food and leather, interrupted a fashion show in New York to protest the use of animal fur and successfully stopped a US-based laboratory animal supplier from expanding its business to Europe. These are just a few of her achievements, which are too numerous to list here. Furthermore, Poorva not only volunteers as the head of PETA India but also serves as the vice president of international operations for the PETA Foundation, our affiliate in the UK.
Inspired? Every single one of us can make animals' lives brighter – learn how you, too, can become a superstar for animals here.
Every year, thousands of people from all over the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka travel to the village of Chinchali to attend the annual fair celebrating the goddess Mayakka Devi. Entire families pile into carts pulled by bullocks, horses, and donkeys for what can be a two-day trip across hundreds of miles. The animals often suffer from dehydration, wounds, and lameness, and some even collapse from the strain.
Animal Rahat, a working-animal relief program supported by PETA, has provided aid and emergency veterinary care to the animals in years past, but this year, under the direction of Dr. Manilal Valliyate, it went a step further and chartered buses to transport villagers to the fair in order to give the hardworking animals a long-overdue rest.
To help animals along the route to the fair, Animal Rahat deployed four relief teams, including a full-time veterinary team at the busiest rest station, a veterinary team at the fair itself, an on-call emergency. To help animals along the route to the fair, Animal Rahat deployed four relief teams, including a full-time veterinary team at the busiest rest station, a veterinary team at the fair itself, an on-call emergency veterinarian for the entire route, and an education team that discussed proper animal care with animal guardians.
Animal Rahat's veterinarians estimate that they treated hundreds of bullocks and horses for dehydration and injuries—but by providing bus transport, hundreds more animals were spared from having to make the grueling trip at all.

The event took place at a busy Chennai shopping centre during the International Leather Goods Fair, which was being held nearby. Indian media couldn't get enough of the display of bloody "cow heads" on meat hooks, and major news outlets turned out to cover the protest. PETA staffers and volunteers got several opportunities to tell reporters and shoppers about how cows, buffaloes and other animals suffer for a pair of shoes. In India, animals used for leather have their throats cut in full view of other animals, and many are dismembered and skinned while they are still conscious. PETA asked shoppers to choose synthetic leather and other cruelty-free options available at their local mall.
Maybe next time, we can include some cow costumes with fake human skin wrapped around their hooves. Hmm, now there's an idea for a demonstration.
After nearly a decade of being chained by all four legs, a 23-year-old elephant named Mariappan was unshackled and removed from a dark shed at the Arulmigu Mariamman Temple at Samayapuram and transferred to a protected compound. Elephants need to walk many kilometers a day, but Mariappan had not been able to take a step forward or back since 2002. Mariappan is now able to walk, explore, feel the sun, and breathe fresh air.
This campaign was spearheaded by, Radha Swami, a determined local activist backed by PETA, and is proof that one can make a difference.Never ignore an animal in trouble or think that someone else will take action. Animals need your voice and we must be there to help.