People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Even before I became a vegetarian over one year ago, I was vaguely aware of PETA, perhaps the most popular organization that stands up for animal rights. PETA is a great source of support and encouragement for those who are, or want to become, non-meat eaters, specifically through their website. On PETA's website, PETA.org, you have access to videos, blogs, current issues, lifestyle tips, shopping, ongoing investigations, and social media. You can also donate to their causes, or sign yourself up to volunteer. Personally, I could spend hours exploring their website- and I did! Here are a few great features that I found:

1. If you are new to vegetarianism, or are simply curious about animal rights, a great source of information is The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights by PETA's President, Ingrid E. Newkirk. There are hundreds of tips, stories, and resources that allow you to educate yourself on animal cruelty in America and around the world.

2. The PETA website is a great source of videos that are heart-wrenching and also highly educational about animal cruelty. Below is a video I found as an example of the footage PETA puts on their website to further raise awareness of animal cruelty and to prove that this does happen. If you do not wish to see "Sheep Punched, Stomped on, Cut for Wool," do not watch this video: 

3. Along with the above video, PETA started a trending hashtag on Twitter, #WoolFreeWinter, to stop the abuse of sheep for wool. This is only a part of their movement to stop the abuse of sheep. Other ways to get involved they suggest are to write a letter to your local newspaper to educate people about animal abuse regarding wool for this upcoming winter, and to send a copy of your letter to ATeam@PETA.org, to write to your favorite fashion magazine on the same issue, Text SHEEP to 73822 to tell Ralph Lauren to stop selling wool, and share information from PETA's wool investigation on your social media sites. There are a plethora of fun ways to get involved in different causes like this one on the PETA website.

4. There are links to many great blog postings from PETA. One that I found particularly interesting was a blog entitled, "PETA Tells Kids, 'Let Everyone Be With Their Family This Thanksgiving.'" The blog post was about informing children in a kid-friendly way that animal babies belong to their mothers, who are eaten on Thanksgiving. By expressing this fact to children, who are born with a natural empathy for animals, PETA is showing parents how to talk to their children about animal rights if they wish to do so. There are also links to great vegetarian dishes for Thanksgiving. 

5. There are many issues centered around animal rights around the world today. One great way that PETA advertises the awareness of these issues is by selling clothing and merchandise whose profits circulate back into PETA's life-saving animal projects around the world. PETA also works with other companies who support animal rights.

PETA.org is a great website that provides a great amount of information and resources that allow you to educate yourself about animal cruelty. The site is very easy to explore, and so much new content is posted daily. This website opened my eyes to the enormity of the vegetarian community, and I was happy to see so many people who are older than myself who have dedicated their whole lives to saving animals and raising awareness on issues I never knew existed. The PETA community is a great community.

CW