Sir Paul McCartney has declared Austin, Texas is America's most vegan-friendly city following a nationwide study by his friends at Peta.

The rocker will present city officials with PETA's Most Vegan-Friendly City in the U.S. award in between concerts at the Frank Erwin Center on Wednesday (22May13) and Thursday (23May13).

The former Beatle will join PETA senior vice president Dan Mathews for the ceremony on Thursday after alerting city Mayor Lee Leffingwell to his plans in a letter.

McCartney wrote, "The influx of forward-thinking musicians and techies, the thriving university, and the f...

Bones star Emily Deschanel is encouraging moms to boycott cows' milk and embrace a vegan diet to show compassion for cattle.

The 36 year-old actress has teamed up with animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for a new video campaign urging women to raise their children on vegan diets and stop supporting the "cruel" dairy industry.

In the video, Deschanel, who has a 20-month-old son Henry, says, "As a mother, I experience the joy of raising my son every day. But not all moms are so lucky. Mother cows on dairy farms have their young traumatically torn...

Animal rights campaigners are urging Gordon Ramsay to stop serving foie gras at his New York restaurant The London after exposing cruel practices at a factory farm, which supplies the top chef with his pate, in a harrowing new video.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) officials have sent footage they obtained from inside Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the upstate New York farm that produces the liver pate his Manhattan restaurant serves to diners, to Ramsay along with a letter requesting he pulls the item from his menu.

And the animal rights activists are now offering broadcast-...

Beyonce has come under fire from the animal cruelty police for commissioning designers at custom sneaker company Perfectly Made Kicks to create pair of shoes made from exotic animal skins for her.

After upsetting activists at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) by sporting an outfit made from python and iguana skin during her Super Bowl half-time show earlier this month, the Crazy in Love singer is at it again after signing on for new shoes made from crocodile and anaconda skins, stingray, ostrich, and calf hair.

PETA bosses have wasted no time in jumping on the star's la...

A TV advert showing Joaquin Phoenix 'drowning' has been banned from broadcast during the Oscars.

The Walk the Line actor shot the hard-hitting commercial, in which he is shown panicking and struggling to breathe underwater, to highlight the horror of a fish's death as part of a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaign.

Organizers wanted to achieve maximum impact by screening the advertisement during the TV broadcast of the Academy Awards ceremony later this month  but claim bosses at the ABC network vetoed the move, insisting the film is too political to show.

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Babe and The Artist star James Cromwell has been arrested in Wisconsin after interrupting a university board meeting to demand an end to cruel and deadly brain experiments on scores of cats.

Campus police led the Oscar nominee away from the University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison during a protest staged by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) activists on Thursday morning.

Reports suggest Cromwell held up graphic photos depicting the scientific decapitation of a cat named Double Trouble and yelled, "Shame on UW for mutilating and killing cats!"

Prior to his arrest, the a...

Casey Affleck headed home to his native Massachusetts this week to implore state lawmakers to pass a bill protecting farm animals from cruelty.

The Gone Baby Gone star, who hails from Cambridge, is an enthusiastic animal rights activist and he has thrown his support behind the Massachusetts Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act. The proposals aim to outlaw inhumane treatment at factory farms such as shutting calves up in veal crates and keeping egg-producing hens in tiny battery cages.

Affleck, who is a vegan, wrote a letter in support of the bill and hand delivered it to the offices of...

Mayim Bialik is writing a vegan recipe book to help others adapt more easily to a life without animal products.

The Big Bang Theory star appeared in a campaign for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to promote veganism last year, and now she's aiming to show fans how easy it is to cook up tasty meals that are both meat and dairy-free.

She tells UsMagazine.com, "I love to cook and I feel like there is so much interest in plant-based eating. I get a lot of non-vegans saying to me, 'If more people cooked like you do, I would actually eat vegan more often.'"

The cookbo...

"Nikita" star Maggie Q has stripped for a cause close to her heart. The actress reveals all in a new People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaign poster aimed at convincing people to eliminate meat products from their diet.

The edgy new PETA billboard reads, "Fight Climate Change With Diet Change. Go Veg" and features the vegan actress naked with her body painted like planet earth.

The poster debuted above the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles on Thursday and will remain there for one month.

Maggie Q told WENN, "There's so many issues tied to the meat industry. I mean, social, e...

Actor Woody Harrelson has voiced a poignant new video calling for an end to the use of fur in fashion.

The former Cheers star narrates The Humane Society of the United States' new campaign promo, in which a model uses different 'killing' techniques on cuddly toys to illustrate how brutally animals can be killed in real life.

Harrelson says, "It's always difficult for people to deal with images of animal cruelty head-on; no one wants to look at what really goes into the making of fur. This video is so impactful because it lets you know without having to see.

"I really hope it makes fas...

Anjelica Huston has been named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Person of the Year for campaigning to keep chimpanzees out of TV commercials.

Thanks to the Smash star's volunteerism and work as a narrator of a hard-hitting video expose about how great apes suffer in the entertainment industry, the top 10 advertising agencies in the U.S. have adopted policies to stop using chimps in their ads.

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Representative Wendy Wegner adds, "Anjelica Huston is a true friend to all animals and the perfect choice for PETA's Person of the Year 2012."

Huston also spoke out against New...

Alicia Silverstone is encouraging fans to shun feathers by fronting a video exposing the cruel practice of plucking geese and ducks for their down.

The Clueless star, who is famed for her animal activism and vegan diet, has partnered with members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to give a behind-the-scenes look at the down industry.

In the video, workers are shown yanking fistfuls of feathers from live birds, often tearing open their flesh, which is then sewn up using a needle and thread.

Silverstone narrates, "No matter where it comes from, down is a product of c...

Twilight star Christian Serratos has channeled the spirit of the vampire franchise in a spooky new photo shoot for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The actress became the youngest celebrity to strip off for the animal rights organization's I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur campaign at the age of 19 in 2009, and now she has shown her support for the cause again.

In a new advertisement urging her fans to quit eating meat, Serratos is shown standing in a fog-filled cemetery while sporting a corset, high heels, and ghoulish make-up, alongside the message, "Your body shoul...

Olivia Munn is urging bosses behind an online coupon site to "do the right thing" by removing their deals on circus tickets.

The Magic Mike star, an outspoken campaigner for elephants, has urged her fans to boycott Groupon after discovering the discount site was offering cut-price promotions for circuses which features animals.

In a letter to Groupon directors, sent on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Munn raises her concerns about the treatment of elephants and tigers made to perform in the circus.

She writes, "I was disappointed to learn from PETA that G...

For five years The Price Is Right has continued on without longtime host Bob Barker, but does that mean he doesn't deserve an invite to the show's 40th anniversary special? We think not!

Weighing in on The Price Is Right invite snub, Bob Barker reveals the show's producers "chose to ignore me, which is fine."

In an interview on Tuesday, the 88-year-old added, "They haven't even offered me a DVD," while The Price Is Right producers had no comment.

What could have led to bad blood between the iconic game show and its host of 35 years? A beef over beef, actually.

In recent years, Bob Barke...

Rihanna has been branded "creepy" and a "freak" by animal rights campaigners after she took to the streets of London on Thursday wearing a pair of snakeskin boots.

The We Found Love hit-maker, who is on a promotional visit to the U.K., was photographed outside the Rose nightclub in central London sporting a pair of thigh-high black-and-white boots apparently made from reptile hide.

However, her fashion choice has angered officials at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who have spoken out to brand Rihanna's footwear "callous".

In a reference to the singer's recent tear...

Animal-loving stars Pamela Anderson and Paul McCartney are celebrating after their campaign to save an elephant from a life of misery ended in victory.

The former Baywatch beauty and the Beatles star publicly backed a drive by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to rescue Sunder, an elephant who suffered injuries after being mistreated by his handler and kept in a tiny shed at the Jyotiba Temple in India.

Both stars sent letters to Indian officials urging them to step in and end the scandal - and on Thursday it emerged Sunder is to be moved from the temple to a wildlife r...

A letter circulating on the Internet had Ke$ha calling out Lady Gaga for her pro-fur views. But Ke$ha assures everyone, it wasn't from her.

Lady Gaga's love for fur is ruffling feathers all over, and today it appeared it was the feathers of fellow pop star Ke$ha.

Wednesday, a letter started circulating online that appeared to be from the singer to Lady Gaga through her record label. The letter was addressed to "Stefani Joanne Germanotta ." Buzzfeed obtained a copy of the letter.

"I am writing you this letter to express my concern of your recent adornment and advocation of fur," said the ...

Actress Alicia Silverstone has written a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to personally intervene to help a member of jailed rockers Pussy Riot.

Three stars of the all-girl band are facing a potential prison sentence on hooliganism charges for performing a protest song against Putin in a church in Moscow earlier this year.

One of the rockers, Maria Alekhina, collapsed during a court appearance this month, and it emerged she's suffering from malnutrition as her strict vegan diet is poorly catered for behind bars.

Now, Clueless star and animal rights campaigner Silv...

Marine experts at San Diego, California's SeaWorld theme park have fired back at allegations they are torturing killer whales with Motley Crue tunes during Shamu Rocks shows.

Drummer Tommy Lee joined forces with officials from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) last week and sent a letter to SeaWorld bosses asking them to stop blaring music during the shows and urging them to cease playing his band's tracks.

However, SeaWorld representative Fred Jacobs insists the animal rights organization and Lee have their facts all wrong about the "effect of music on SeaWorld's kille...

Pamela Anderson has blasted bosses of Canada's new top aquarium attraction, insisting its cruel to keep marine animals in glass tanks for public exhibition.

The Canadian star insists she won't be visiting Ripley's Aquarium of Canada when it opens in Toronto next year.

The animal-loving Baywatch star tells GlobalToronto.com, "It's clear to me that marine parks, including the Toronto aquarium, are in no way educational."

"Confining marine animals to tanks and separating them from their families and their natural surroundings, just so people can watch them swim in endless circles, teache...

Rocker Tommy Lee has fired off a letter to SeaWorld bosses demanding they quit playing his music as the loud noise makes life "hellish" for the theme park's animals.

The drummer has asked John T. Reilly, the president of the San Diego branch in California, to ban all Motley Crue tracks from the Shamu Rocks show, during which a killer whale performs tricks to rock music.

Animal-loving Lee claims the noise blasting through the complex harms the sea creatures, and wants no part in the "sad" production.

In his note, sent via People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Lee writes, "I'm wr...

Actress Pamela Anderson has fired off a letter begging an Indian politician to save an abused elephant which has been chained up at a temple.

The Baywatch star, a longtime animal rights campaigner, wept upon hearing the plight of Sunder, a baby elephant which has suffered cuts and injuries after allegedly being mistreated at the Jyotiba Temple, in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

She has urged Vinay Kore, a member of the legislative assembly of Maharashtra, to rescue the animal and send it to a sanctuary.

In the note, sent via People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, she writes, "...

Italian beauty Elisabetta Canalis stars in a new TV spot from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in which she wakes up to discover that she has been trapped in a car on a summer day - something that happens far to often to dogs.

On a relatively mild summer day, the temperature inside a shaded car can climb to more than 100 degrees in a matter of minutes.

In the ad, Canalis sweats, gasps for air, and struggles to unlock the doors and open the windows until she finally collapses.

"Dogs can suffer from heatstroke and die in a matter of minutes when left in a car on a warm d...

Paul McCartney is hoping to put an end to animal testing in the cosmetic industry by launching a new crusade with members of the Humane Society International.

The Beatles star has been a champion of animal rights for many years and now the vegetarian is taking that love of furry creatures one step further by asking fans to follow his lead and pledge their support to the Be Cruelty-Free campaign, which prohibits the testing of beauty products on rabbits, guinea-pigs and mice.

Such testing has already been outlawed in Europe and an extended ban is due to take effect in other parts of the ...

Fashion icons Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have come under fire for using fur in their latest accessories line.

The TV twins' clothing range The Row includes a new backpack made of animal pelt, which retails for $16,000.

The item has caught the attention of bosses at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who have condemned the pair for using the hide of creatures in the name of style.

A spokesperson for the animal rights group says, "If it looks like a troll and acts like a troll, it's probably a Trollsen Twin - or someone wearing one of their new $16,000 totes, which are ...

Socialite Kim Kardashian has provoked the wrath of animal rights campaigners once again after stepping out in snakeskin shoes on Tuesday.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star upset activists after she wore thigh-high Christian Louboutin python boots while shopping in Paris, France with rapper boyfriend Kanye West.

Now, infuriated members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have criticized the brunette beauty for her style choice.

PETA spokesperson Wendy Wegner tells entertainment website GossipCop.com, "They'd go well with a Dalmatian-fur coat, which is also ille...

Ben Stiller, Woody Harrelson, Jessica Chastain and Michelle Pfeiffer are leading the way in a new poll to find the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity.

The quartet are among the favorites in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' 12th annual contest.

Other celebrities up for this year's title include Peter Dinklage, Venus Williams, Diane Keaton, Michael Clarke Duncan, Lea Michele, Jason Schwartzman and past winners Prince, Natalie Portman, Leona Lewis, Tobey Maguire and Kristen Bell.

The contest runs until June 27 on the animal rights organization's website PETA.org.

People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA) sometimes goes to extremes to bring attention to its cause. The organization just set up a sexy new website featuring naked porn stars and vegetarian sex tips.

The adult-only PETA.XXX site includes risque ad campaigns and "hardcore" video exposes that activists have had trouble posting in the past.

Legendary porn star and animal lover Ron Jeremy explains, "This is the perfect example of sex just being used to draw interest, and then once you're there on the site, we're going to hit you with facts that you need to know about the world of a...

Animal rights campaigners have taken aim at singer Jake Shears after he justified eating meat by branding cows "dumb" and insisting chickens are primitive.

The Scissor Sisters star was giving an interview to Q magazine over a meal at a restaurant when he touched on the subject of vegetarianism.

He told the publication, "I feel bad about eating pigs, because you can tell they have these little souls. Cows, though, are dumber than a box of rocks. As for chickens, I don't feel bad at all. They've had plenty of time to evolve? Absolutely. It's just not happening for chickens."

However, of...