Written by PETA
Everyone at PETA Youth knows that there is nothing hotter than a true geek – especially one who cares about animals. That's why, for the first time, we're going to be a social partner for Transilience, the annual business and technology conference at the Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Technology & Management in Bhilai, held this year from 22 to 23 June.
So whether you're a biz whiz who is interested in starting a company making household products that are never tested on animals, a titan-in-training who has a great idea for helping animals through technology or just someone who wants a few new vegan recipes, be sure to stop by the PETA Youth table and say "Hello".
If you heard about a group of tigers taking over the runway at the Styles and Trends 2012 fashion show held by Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences' Department of Design, now you know – it's true. Models were catlike on the catwalk, strutting their stuff in a design collection with the theme "Save Our Tigers."
The collection's designers, students at the institute, partnered with PETA Youth to create an unforgettable show that made attendees aware that zoos take tigers out of their natural environments and imprison them in tiny, barren enclosures. Some models also rocked the runway in petaDishoom (now PETA Youth) shirts.
The designers didn't just make a statement about protecting tigers by boycotting zoos – every imaginative piece was designed without any fur, leather or exotic-animal skins. And considering all the PETA Youth merchandise and literature that PETA Youth handed out, there's a good chance that more students will soon be discovering how inspiring living cruelty-free can be.
Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) teamed up with PETA Youth– the young division of PETA India – to hold a 6-kilometre run and a festival. The theme for both was the promotion of animal rights.
"We're thrilled to have partners as prestigious as VJTI", says Richa Mithal, PETA Youth's marketing coordinator. "The marathon gave us an opportunity to talk about animal rights on a personal level with many young people who want to get active for animals."
The intercollegiate marathon was held in January to urge the government to pass the Draft Animal Welfare Act, 2011, prepared by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Passage of the new law is vital because India's current penalties for cruelty to animals are badly outdated under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Students ran wearing petaDishoom (now PETA Youth) T-shirts, which were given to the first 100 entrants. The event was covered by Channel V and Saam TV.
Written by Kriti-S
Were you a part of the most happening and animal-friendly new year's party in Goa? If not, here's what you missed: mind-blowing music played by the likes of Nikhil Chinnapa and DJ Pearl, a mad crowd dancing their backsides off, DJs throwing petaDishoom's (now PETA Youth) stylish and super-cool T-shirts and people vying to grab them. Wow! It was awesome.
The three-day party madness took off with sundown sessions at the Zanzi Bar by the Baga Beach, where the mind-blowing psychedelic and electro-music played by the DJs made people go wild, forget all inhibitions and just dance. To keep the party spirit high, this was followed by trance music parties at the best clubs in Goa, Tito's and then Red Square, on New Year's Eve.
The party animals poured in to check out petaDishoom's (now PETA Youth) information table to help animals in need. Besides signing our petition to get the draft Animal Welfare Act passed, many of them made a new year's resolution to help animals.
Thank you, Submerge Goa Project, for combining fun with helping animals. This was definitely the best way to kick start 2012.
Submerge Goa Project is undoubtedly the ultimate New Year's Eve beach party, and petaDishoom is going to be there to help you dance your way into 2012!
That's right, all you deep house, dub-step, break-beat, techno, trance, psychedelic and electro fans – petaDishoom is the official social partner of Submerge Goa Project 2011!
Not only are the people at Submerge Goa project some of the coolest people we have ever met, they are also a socially conscious bunch too. They have partnered with the youth animal rights brigade petaDishoom for the four-day dance and music fest in Goa, taking place from 30 December 2011 to 2 January 2012, to show their support for the animal protection movement and to encourage the thousands of people who will be attending the fest to be kinder to animals.
Says Submerge Goa Project's co-founder Nikhil Chinapa, “Animal protection issues are a key concern for youth today and I’m delighted Submerge Goa Project 2011 can act as a platform for petaDishoom to raise even more awareness about the importance of being kind to animals.”
Adds DJ Pearl, “I am a long time supporter of PETA and I am over the moon about Submerge Goa Project 2011 joining hands with their youth division petaDishoom. Through this partnership, we aim to encourage more and more people to speak out against cruelty to animals.”
There really can't be a better New Year's resolution than pledging to help animals, and there really is no better party to be at than Submerge Goa Project .
Look out for the petaDishoom information table at the fest, where we will give away free stickers, literature and more to all the beautiful peeps who want to support our work for animal rights.
Don't forget your bathing suit or swimming trunks and visit Goa so that you can party with petaDishoom and some awesome electro musicians who are guaranteed to blow your mind.
For more information, please check out the Submerge website: http://www.submerge.in/nodes/home.
Throughout the month of September, PETA Youth, PETA India's young arm, was an official partner at college festivals across the country, where we gathered student signatures for our petition asking the Indian government to pass the Animal Welfare Act 2011. The new act would replace the outdated Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and would increase the currently meagre penalties for cruelty to animals.
So we give mad props to the wonderful, compassionate students who came out to support PETA Youth's "Fight Against Animal Abuse" tour at the following college festivals:
Whether you're in college or not, if you want to help animals, we can hook you up!
College students aren't the only ones who are going gaga over our "Hug a Vegetarian" Day. Celebrities, too, are getting in on the embrace!
"It's a fun way to teach people about the benefits of being vegetarian", says Bollywood and Tollywood actor Sonu Sood. "Besides, vegetarians deserve some extra love for helping to save animals and the environment. Don't be shy – get out there and give all the vegetarians you know a big hug."
B-town beauty Amrita Rao agrees, telling us, "To be a vegetarian you need to be sensitive, sacrificing, thoughtful, commitment-oriented and show consistency. Each of these qualities in a relationship deserve a hug! I'm a vegetarian. What are you waiting for?"
Cricket player Murali Kartik also knows the score. "I'm really looking forward to 'Hug a Vegetarian' Day. If you see me out and about, don't be shy!"
Awww … isn't that sweet? Keep hugging because hugs make this world a better place!
Ke$ha has revealed that her compassion for animals includes a meat-free diet.When asked why she adopted a vegetarian diet, the pop sensation and party girl replied:“I just love animals, and I’m an advocate for animal rights, and my family has rescued dogs from all over the world. I don’t believe in animal testing. If you see me in fur, it’s always fake. Sometimes you see me wearing skulls, but those are all from roadkill.”See? Ke$ha gets it—if you love animals, don’t eat them! Maybe her animal-loving ways will rub off on Rihanna during their summer tour.
Who better to stick up for scorpions than a fellow “Scorpion”?! That’s why we were super excited to score an exclusive interview with the Scorpion’s Rudolf Schenker. The guitarist for the uber popular German heavy metal band (who can forget their 1980s heavy metal rock anthem “Rock You Like a Hurricane”?), Rudolf recently sat down with PETA Germany to chat about the cruel exotic pet trade. Here is an excerpt from his “stinging” interview: Animals have their own personalities and were not made to entertain us or to be stared at. We have to treat them with respect.
Animals are already losing their habitats and their freedom. Plus, a lot of people profit from animal suffering and readily accept the death of many of these highly-sensitive beings. People keeping these animals in their living rooms here in Germany might want to have a little piece of freedom but the animal is the one who pays a high price for that. You can’t just deliver nature by mail.
Why is Rudolf striking out against the exotic pet trade? Scorpions and other animals such as tarantulas, lizards, turtles and snakes who are purchased as pets suffer from the overwhelming stress of unnatural confinement and loneliness, so it's no surprise when they often fail to thrive in captivity or lash out at owners who are usually unaware of their complex needs. Scorpions are highly intelligent and interesting animals. Florescent under ultra-violet light, these little arachnids are also glowing mothers. Giving birth to live young, a mother scorpion will use her folded legs to make a "birth basket" to catch her babies as they are born and assist them in climbing up onto carry her back where they will stay until they are ready to venture off on their own. Some species of scorpion can live up to 25 years. They shouldn't have to spend their lives trapped in tanks.
If you're looking for an animal companion, take Schenker’s advice: “If animals are already here and can’t be returned, you could think about adopting them from the shelter.” If you ever run into a scorpion or other insect around the house, catch him or her humanely. And if you ever run into a “Scorpion” named Rudolf—ask for an autograph!
Image credit: CreativeCommons.org / PabloBM
Here at petaDishoom, we’re all about helping animals (clearly). And we bet, since you’re on this site, that you’re all about helping animals too. Well, we want to help you out by giving you five super easy tips for helping animals (besides, going vegan, of course!):
1) Become our fan on Facebook, then ask all your friends to become our fans too. We know this might seem too easy, but it’s a great way for you to stay up-to-the-minute on all the ways you can help animals, and you’re friends will start learning about animal rights. Can’t get much better than that!
2) Join the Street Team! Not only will we give you regular missions to help you get active for animals, but you’ll also be able to earn free stuff while doing it. It’s a really easy win-win for everyone, especially the animals.
3) Post AR videos all over the Internet. Video is the most powerful tool we have in the fight for animal rights, and uploading them to YouTube or posting them to Orkut, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or wherever you are online is a great way to open the eyes of everyone you know.
4) Make petaDishoom.com the homepage of every computer that you log on to. That way, when people get online, they’ll automatically be hit with everything from the latest celeb ads and interviews to our life-changing investigations. There’s no doubt they’ll find something that appeals to them, and then they’ll be well on their way to becoming an angel for animals.
5) Become a member by making a donation to PETA India today. There’s a lot of cruelty to animals in this world, but with your help, we can keep up the fight to eliminate animal abuse in India.
Those are just five quick examples of how you can help animals. Have more ideas for your fellow activists about how they can help animals? Share them in the comments below. It will take great ideas from all of us to win the fight for animal rights!