the peta
practical guide to
animal rights
simple acts of kindness to help animals
in trouble
by
Ingrid
Newkirk, President of People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals
Learn
How to Help Animals From Your Armchair
These days, People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) can barely
keep up with the deluge of requests from
its more than 2 million members and
others who want to "do something" other
than protest outside fast-food
restaurants or disrupt fur fashion
shows. It turns out that there are many
easy—and sometimes surprising—ways to
make a difference, as author and PETA
president Ingrid E. Newkirk reveals in
The PETA Practical Guide to Animal
Rights (St. Martin's Press,
June 2009; $17.95), which features a
foreword by television host Bill Maher.
This accessible, comprehensive guide to
"armchair" animal advocacy contains a
host of suggestions for people who want
to make a difference for animals:
-
Own stock in a company that still
tests on animals? Let PETA use it to
bring a shareholder resolution.
-
Surrounded by coworkers who can't
wean themselves off meat? Host a
vegan potluck and help them adjust
their favorite recipes.
-
Feeling helpless about the annual
slaughter of baby seals? Post videos
and alerts on your MySpace or
Facebook page to drum up support to
end it.
-
Have spare change sitting in a jar?
Help sponsor a sturdy doghouse for a
lonely dog who spends the entire
winter outdoors at the end of a
chain.
The PETA Practical Guide to Animal
Rights
discusses issues that many people are
curious or confused about, such as why
you should support "open-admission"
animal shelters instead of "no-kill"
shelters (the latter turn animals away,
leaving the dirty work to others), why
putting your dog in a harness is better
than using a choke chain, and why
respecting elephants' natural family
bonds is a good reason to patronize the
animal-free Cirque du Soleil instead of
Ringling Bros. The book answers
questions that people ask PETA every
day, from where to get protein that
doesn't come from animal products (nuts
and beans contain plenty) to why anyone
would object to wearing wool (lambs in
Australia, the world's major wool
exporter, endure painful, shockingly
cruel procedures without being given any
painkillers).
The book includes a consumer resource
guide with information about where to
buy animal-friendly coats, shoes, and
belts; which health charities have
chosen the Petri dish over animal tests;
and which cosmetics and household
products are cruelty-free. It also gives
suggestions for gifts that gently
persuade people to consider animal
rights issues in their daily lives, such
as vegetarian cookbooks, toiletries that
are made without animal ingredients, and
many more.
Reviews:
“This book is the ultimate animal
rights encyclopedia—chock- full of
facts and resources that will guide
you at home, in the marketplace, in
life.”
-Woody Harrelson,
actor
“A terrific book that uplifts you
by showing you there are easy,
sensible, clear ways to help animals
that you might never have dreamt
of.”
-Martin Sheen,
actor
“This guide eloquently and
truthfully spells out the situations
animals find themselves in due to
mankind’s arrogance, and it offers
us viable options that help both the
animals and ourselves.”
-Nigel Barker,
photographer and judge for
America’s Next Top Model
“A great read for those of us who
believe that we should no more
discriminate on the basis of species
than we would on the basis of
gender, race, or religion.”
-Famke Janssen,
actress
“Ingrid voices the horrors of
animal abuse and shows us how we can
lead a truly compassionate life. God
bless Ingrid!”
-Bea Arthur,
actress
About the Author:
Ingrid E. Newkirk,
the founder of PETA, has been
instrumental in stopping the use of
animals in car crash tests and cosmetics
tests and in raising animal welfare
standards in the meat industry.
Her
useful overview of various arenas of
animal abuse reminds us of how
entrenched and institutionalized the
abuse of animals is, encouraging us to
be more conscious and caring. Newkirk's
work has made the front pages of the
Washington Post and other national
newspapers, and she was named one of the
top businesspeople of the
year by
Forbes magazine. She has been
profiled in New Yorker and
People magazines, and she
has appeared on Today, Oprah,
Nightline, 20/20, and
The Colbert Report, among
other programs. She is also the subject
of two documentary films, including
HBO's I Am an Animal. A deputy
sheriff for many years, Ms. Newkirk is
the author of several books, including
Making Kind Choices (2005), Let's
Have a Dog Party! (2007),
and One Can Make a Difference
(2008).
Visit Ingrid's Website
