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Morrissey, the former frontman for the Smiths and animal rights activist, has released a song entitled, “The Bullfighter Dies.”  Here are the relevant lyrics:  “Mad in Madrid / Ill in Seville / Lonely in Barcelona / Then someone told you and you cheered / You cheered ‘Hooray! Hooray! the bullfighter dies / And nobody cries / Because we all want the bull to survive.“

Who would believe that, in 2014, thousands of people gather in arenas in Mexico, Spain, France and Portugal and pay money to to watch men stab bulls to death?  It’s so egregious and archaic.  How can anybody possibly route for the bullfighter?  To learn more about bullfighting and find out what you can do to help, please visit PETA’s webpage entitled Bullfighting: A Tradition of Tragedy

Using data from two controversial and small scientific studies, PETA has run a billboard ad campaign linking dairy consumption to autism. When PETA first ran the ad a few years ago, an uproar caused the billboard company to take it down. But the ad is running again, and PETA has more information about alleged link on its website.

On its website, PETA states, “More research is needed, but scientific studies have shown that many autistic kids improve dramatically when put on a diet free of dairy foods.” True to form, PETA is being provocative to drive people to its website to learn more about all forms of animal cruelty. PETA’s controversial approach aside, every activist should be equipped with the reasons why dairy products are bad for our health, for the environment and, of course, for the “dairy” cows, who are nothing more than milk machines whose babies are stolen from them shortly after birth.

Research demonstrating the advanced intelligence of cetaceans (dolphins and whales) has triggered the National Aquarium in Baltimore to question the ethics of keeping its eight bottlenose dolphins in tanks and to consider moving them to a sanctuary in a warmer climate.

Dolphin bite at SeaWorld in Orlando, Nov 2013

A lawyer for PETA says it best: “Captivity can’t even begin to replicate the natural environment. Zoos and aquariums claim to promote education. The only thing they teach is, it’s OK to have these animals locked up in these enclosures where they are bored, lonely and deprived of all control of their own lives.” If people want to see wild animals, then they can watch nature shows that document them living in their natural settings or even view them in their natural habitat, if that’s an option. To see how you can help free captive dolphins, please see The Cove’s Take Action page.

As a stockholder in Groupon and Amazon, PETA has employed “shareholder activism” to pressure these and other companies to “stop promoting companies [like circuses and zoos] that abuse and neglect animals” While Groupon has rejected these efforts, describing itself as “content neutral,” Amazon is remaining flexible. In response to accusations of “bullying” by the right-wing National Center for Public Policy Research, PETA says that it is merely pressuring Groupon to “stick to its own policy of not promoting animal exhibitors that have violated the Animal Welfare Act in the past two years.” PETA has filed a Federal Trade Commission complaint, claiming that Groupon is lying to its customers.”

Photo Credit: Jose M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune

Animals used in circuses, like elephants and big cats, are deprived of the chance to do anything that comes naturally to them and are beaten into submission in order to perform. In addition, they are forced to travel in small boxcars on trains for days at a time traveling between cities. By buying small amounts of stock in companies like Groupon that partner with circuses, PETA can use its seat at the table to expose the cruelty and attempt to end the partnerships. If you’re not in a position to buy stock and cause a stir at shareholder meetings, then join your local animal rights group(s) to protest the circus when it comes to your town. To learn more about animal cruelty in circuses, please visit PETA’s circus webite, Ringling Beats Animals.

Six months after a three-week old tiger drowned at the London zoo, three more tigers were born there. PETA has capitalized on the attention brought by the drowning and the births to call for a boycott of the zoo, which they describe as a “prison with living exhibits.” The zoo director, David Field, defends captivity, saying “The wild is just simply not an option for many species now, with habitats being destroyed and illegal wildlife trade soaring at unprecedented rates. Conservation breeding programmes are the only way to ensure a future for these animals.”

Tiger Cubs at London Zoo

By saying that the “wild is not an option,” the London Zoo director is suggesting that captivity is the only option for some animals. That message only reinforces the point of view that animals in zoos are money-making exhibits, not ambassadors who unwillingly sacrifice their freedom to help to conserve members of their species who live freely in their natural habitats. If we believe in wildlife conservation, then we should be supporting the work of groups like Sea Shepherd that are protecting animals and their habitats. To find out how you can help protect wild animals, please see this list of 10 other wildlife conservation groups.