June 5, 2009

Contest: Win Free John Abraham and Pam Anderson Posters (and Save the Planet)!

Wanna help the environment and help yourself to a couple of free posters? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In honour of World Environment Day, we’re giving you a chance to win posters of two of the sexiest vegetarians on earth: Pamela Anderson and John Abraham!

Why are we focusing on hot herbivores this Environment Day? Because vegetarians like Pam and John are helping to save the planet one veggie burger at a time. Yep, that’s right: ditching the meat, eggs and dairy is one of the single most effective things you can do to combat climate change. Which makes sense considering that, according to a 2006 United Nations report, raising animals for food creates more greenhouse gasses than all trucks, cars, planes, and ships in the world combined.

Tons of other vegetarian celebrities have shot print ads and PSAs for PETA including legendary cricketer Anil Kumble, model Rajneesh Duggal (you’ve gotta check out his “Body by Bhendi” ad), “angelic” actor Mahima Choudhary, and “cagey” actor R. Madhavan.

When you have role models like these, you surely have a reason to pledge to become a vegetarian.

Speaking of good and good-looking role models—are you ready to try your luck at scoring some free posters of Pamela Anderson and John Abraham? Just leave a comment below by 15 June 2009 and you could be one of 20 lucky winners.

Remember: the prizes are being offered only to people who live in India. By leaving a comment, we'll take that to mean you have read and are agreeing to the following terms and conditions and privacy policy.

May 28, 2009

PETA India & AWBI Rescue 9 Dogs from Hell

PETA India's team of 12 people, including Chief Functionary Anuradha Sawhney and two veterinary doctors, raided the Pune SPCA on 28 May 2009.

We learned via a secret investigation that animals kept there are living in filthy conditions. They are not provided with proper food and healthcare facilities, and ailing dogs with open wounds with maggots are not being given basic medical care. New born puppies are not taken care of, and the bodies of dead dogs are lying in the shelter’s compound amidst other dogs who witness their decomposing bodies.

When we arrived, we fed biscuits and chapatis to starving dogs. We also took an account of total numbers of dogs at the SPCA shelter while doctors examined each and every dog and made sure they are given proper medication attention for their ailments. In total, we rescued 9 dogs from the shelter and sent them to an animal hospital, where they will be given proper treatment and healthcare.

Enraged to learn all this? Speak up against any form of animal cruelty join Peta Dishoom’s Street Team today!

May 26, 2009

'Go Green' Theme at IIFA 2009 Truly Green with a Veggie Palate

After learning that IIFA 2009 (which will be held in Macau, China) has a 'Go Green' theme this year, PETA India wrote a letter to IIFA’s brand ambassador and a long time vegetarian Amitabh Bachchan. We asked BIG B to keep meat away from the event, since going vegetarian is the best thing people can do to lessen their carbon foot print.

According to A UN Report, raising animals for food generates more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, ships and planes in the world combined. The scientific report goes on to point out that the meat industry is "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global".

Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told The Observer, "I want to highlight the fact that among options for mitigating climate change, changing diets is something one should consider". He added, "[I]f we're honest, less meat is also good for the health, and would also at the same time reduce emissions of greenhouse gases".

Need some more motivation? Here’s a quick to way to make the transition to a healthy, cruelty free life. Get your friends in the know by sending them our 'Change Everything' e-card.

May 21, 2009

Vodafone Wins First PETA India Glitter Box Award for its Animal Friendly 'ZOOZOO' Ad

Apart from winning all the applause for their latest 'ZooZoo' campaign, Vodafone has also won the first of PETA's 2009 Glitterbox Awards, which are given to businesses that take advantage of humane alternatives to the use of real animals in their ads.

'ZooZoo' is part of the latest Vodafone ad campaign, which has replaced the company's 'Pug' ad campaign. PETA has raised objections in the past to the use of animals (including a parakeet and a dog) in Vodafone's (Hutch) ad campaigns.

Vodafone’s (Hutch) first 'Pug' ad was bad news for real life pugs. Many viewers purchased pugs, and breeders cranked out as many puppies as they could. Later, when their fad appeal wore off, many dogs ended up in shelters or were simply abandoned.

The latest 'ZooZoo' ads are a refreshing change from the earlier Vodafone (Hutch) ad campaigns, proving that there are many creative ways to convey a message without using animals. Animals used in films are often treated as little more than props, and many suffer terribly behind the scenes.

Kudos to Vodafone for giving us 'ZooZoo'. We don’t even complain about the commercial breaks between the IPL matches anymore. Do we?

You can also join us in fighting for cruelty against animals in the entertainment industry by becoming a Street Teamer on petaDishoom.com.

Show support to all PETA causes by becoming our fan on Facebook.

May 8, 2009

Top 10 cruelty free gift ideas for Mothers' Day !

This Mother’s Day give the most important woman of your life a token of love and appreciation by making her feel really special. We have compiled a list of 10 truly awesome cruelty free gift ideas for your mum.

1.Give her a pack of flavoured Soya Milk from Staeta to make her stay healthy and avoid osteoporosis.

2. Get her a gift hamper from Lush, to give her Cosmetics which are non tested on animals. Real beauty is when it's without cruelty.

3. Give her a pair of non-leather sandals or a smart pleather bag available at Baggit stores, Catwalk, or Rinaldi.

4. Give her a break from her daily routine and book her visit for a mud spa. Mud is a natural beauty ingredient and is cruelty free, of course. It's truly guilt-free indulgence.

5. You could also give her a surprise with a bit of role reversal. Take on kitchen this Sunday morning and cook her a nice vegan breakfast. Here’s your recipe for a yummy tofu sandwich.

6. Buy her recycled stationary. Your mom will be proud that you thought of this one, for her and the environment.

7. Gift her a nice cotton saree and ditch silk this summer.

8. Buy meal coupons for a fine dining restaurant and send her for a nice vegan dinner date with her other mommy friends.

9. Plan your day with her and take her out for a movie or a play. It's a lot better than going out to a zoo or a circus for an outing.

10. Give a revamp to her culinary skills by getting her a vegan cookbook, so that you can enjoy the goodness of cruelty-free food on your summer vacation.

And don’t forget to post below and tell us all the praise you get for such a lovely gesture!

I am Geezer Butler and I am a Vegan.

As the legendary founding bassist for one of the loudest and heaviest rock bands in the world, Black Sabbath, Geezer Butler is a well respected member of the metal community

You may be familiar with Geezer for his unique bass lines in Black Sabbath classics like "Paranoid" and "N.I.B.," but what you might not know about Geezer is that he has been meat-free since he was 8 years old and now follows a healthy vegan diet.

“I used to eat meat when I was a little kid, but I didn’t know where it came from. And one day, I cut this piece of meat open, and blood came out of it, and I asked me mother, where did this come from? She said from animals, and that was it,”says Geezer.

Caption for the ad: Geezer Butler: living proof that you won't lose any "metal points" for sticking up for animals!

Well guys, it's time for you to get your head banging for veganism too. Check out our cool vegan recipes to make a smooth transition from a meat-based diet to a healthy vegetarian one. And don't forget to inform your friends by sending them our "Change Everything" e-card.

May 4, 2009

We’re celebrating chickens

In observance of International Chicken Respect Day, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has written a letter to the municipal corporations across the country asking them to install a statue of a chicken in a busy part of the city to pay respect to the billions of chickens who are killed for food.

Chickens killed for meat are raised in huge, waste-filled factories. They are bred to grow so large that many cannot even walk, and they often have their wings and legs broken. When they are only 6 or 7 weeks old, they are crammed into cages and trucked to slaughter, where their throats are cut and they are dropped into tanks of scalding-hot water – often while they are still conscious.

You can join us in urging the government to adopt humane standards for chickens by writing to the Secretary of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry using the form here.