Lab-Grown Leather: Cool or Creepy?

Last month it was disclosed that PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel’s foundation would be funding Missouri-based startup Modern Meadow’s efforts to produce in vitro meat and leather.

From wax cloth to Naugahyde to pleather to leatherette, we’ve been making ersatz leather textiles for ages. Engineering actual tissue looks to be the next oddly logical step; real(ish) leather without harm to animals and less environmental impact during the tanning process.

Lady Gaga Adds Raccoon Tails To Her Wardrobe

Lady Gaga’s continued defiance of fans’ pleas to drop fur from her outfits took a turn for the ugly Sunday night in London; where the 26-year-old was photographed wearing a burka-style gown featuring five raccoon tails.

The pop singer, known for her eclectic fashion sense on and off the stage, has recently been embracing a Cruella de Vil transformation – with animal pelts now a growing part of her wardrobe. Earlier this month, she was spotted wearing an outfit that featured a fox fur scarf – with the former owner’s head still firmly attached.

PETA Calls For Probe Into Alleged Animal Abuse On Film Sets

Six months after HBO canceled its racetrack drama “Luck” in the wake of three horse deaths, questions continue be raised about whether there is adequate oversight of horses and animals used on movies and TV shows.

The latest dispute has pitted the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which is opposed to use of any live animals on film sets, against the American Humane Assn., a nonprofit group responsible for the “no animals were harmed” credits on films and TV shows. The group monitors more than 2,000 productions that use animal performers and is partly funded by the Screen Actors Guild.

Lady Gaga Fox Head Scarf Slammed By PETA

“The outfit really speaks for itself. PETA is considering passing the hat so that someone can buy her a heart,” PETA spokesperson Wendy Wegner told RadarOnline.com, who said the fur appears to be from an Arctic White Fox, which is often electrocuted for its fur.

Urge Officials To Stop Cruel Bull Festival In Spain

Despite worldwide condemnation of the killing of bulls for “entertainment,” the Toro de la Vega continues to take place every September in Tordesillas, Spain. During this “festival,” a lone bull is harassed and chased through the streets and into a field, where men on foot and horseback wield lances. The terrified and confused animal is tortured and repeatedly stabbed until he falls to the ground, crippled and dying. His testicles are often cut off while he is still alive. The person who ultimately kills the bull is awarded a ceremonial spear and a medal by the Tordesillas City Council.

Tradition is no excuse for cruelty. Please take a minute and email the regional Ministry of Culture and Tourism and urge officials to bring a permanent end to this cruel and sadistic “celebration.” 

Ian Somerhalder Secures Land for Animal Sanctuary

This sanctuary will bring together bullied animals and bullied kids to help heal one another. The Ian Somerhalder Foundation writes on their site, “ISF intends on creating a safe haven for all the outcasted [sic] animals that have been neglected, mistreated and ultimately misunderstood. Some may see the potential in an abused animal as ending at the animal’s personal rehabilitation. In our eyes, this is just the beginning. What if ISF provided opportunities for these misfit creatures to continue their emotional journey alongside others who were hurting from a life filled with dejection?

Hong Kong Airline Bans The Transport Of Shark Fins

As word has spread of the moral and environmental horrors associated with the shark fin trade, governments throughout the world have begun enacting bans on the sale and possession of that cruel commodity - and now the world’s largest cargo airline is getting in on the act.

In a statement released today, Chinese air freight company Cathay Pacific announced that it would no longer permit the transport of shark products - despite being based in Hong Kong, where the demand for traditional shark fin soup continues to thrive.

Use Of Antibiotics In Animals Raised For Food Defies Scrutiny

Eighty percent of the antibiotics sold in the United States goes to chicken, pigs, cows and other animals that people eat, yet producers of meat and poultry are not required to report how they use the drugs — which ones, on what types of animal, and in what quantities. This dearth of information makes it difficult to document the precise relationship between routine antibiotic use in animals and antibiotic-resistant infections in people, scientists say.

Advocates contend that there is already overwhelming epidemiological evidence linking the two, something that even the Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged, and that further study, while useful for science, is not essential for decision making.