“Studies show that structures in the elephant brain are strikingly similar to those in humans. … This common neurobiology has prompted some scientists to explore whether young elephants that have experienced assaults on their psyches may be exhibiting signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), just like orphaned children in the wake of war or genocide.”

If baby elephants experience post-traumatic stress disorder because of poachers than what effect does the circus have on them?

We would all like to believe that Circus Elephants magically know the trick they do and perform them because they want to.  However, we all know that is not true.  Baby elephants are forced to learn tricks by the use of bullhooks, ropes and electric prods.  Most elephants are taken from their families in the wild and will never know what it is like to be free and loved by their family.  Elephants like Bonnie, who is owned by Ringling Brothers, lacks natural maternal instincts towards her baby Barack, which has worried some experts.

When not performing they are traveling in boxcars where they are chained for about 26 hours.  These boxcars are filthy and poorly ventilated.

Now, lets think about this.  If an elephants brain is similar to ours and can show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder because poachers are killing their families in the wild, what is being beaten, forced to perform tricks and being in tiny boxcars for hours and hours doing to them?  Nothing good, that is for sure.

What can you do to help stop this cruelty?  It’s easy. Do NOT go to the circus that uses animals in their performances.  Anytime you go to a circus that uses animals you are supporting their suffering.  You can also raise awareness. Tell your friends, families and coworkers.

For more information go to RinglingBeatsAnimals.com

Washington D.C. was the best experience of my life.  I learned so much about PETA that I never knew.  Everyone who works there is so compassionate about what they do.  Just watching them work is motivation for me.

During this internship, I’ve become more confident in myself when talking/showing my support about animal rights.  This morning before my flight I did my last shift of outreach.  It was wonderful!  I had a great conversation with this guy and not once did i jumble my words.  And not once did I have to get someone coffee, like everyone thought I would…  Okay, I did once.  But it was for Katie, she’s awesome, and I got coffee too so it doesn’t count!

This was not your average internship.  Promise.  I worked on awesome projects researching colleges, USDA information and random information for PETA workers across the U.S.  I even got to help out on our SeaWorld campaign.  Every morning at 9:15 A.M. we had a morning meeting and pitched ideas to the staff.  A couple of my ideas they liked and asked me to email it to them so they could pass it along.  When I wasn’t in the office doing projects I was doing outreach.  We have an awesome display that shows how we mistreat animals and justifications for it.  At this display we hand out vegan recipes, the Glass Walls DVD, stickers and a kids guide to helping animals.  Outreach also consisted of me walking around D.C. in a lettuce, chili pepper or american flag bikini.  This was probably my favorite kind of outreach.  It got peoples attention and even though I was in a bikini people still listened to what I had to say, asked questions and gave their feedback.

Three of the girls and I got to go to North Carolina and Virginia for a conference about Ben the bear, a fur demo and a milk demo.  The conference about Ben the bear was very upsetting, but also motivational.  Please look at the link I put in here to learn about Ben.  His story captured my heart and I will keep fighting for his release.  The fur demo was really fun.  We wore donated fur coats from people who pledged to stop wearing fur and got in cages for an hour.  The point of this demo was to show people how miserable animals used for their fur lives are.  We were only in those cages for an hour and it was awful.  I cannot imagine what it is like for an animal to have to do that for their whole life.  The last demo we did was the milk demo.  It was intense.  We got yelled at, pushed and our signs were stolen.  But we still had fun.  We were dressed in cow costumes and every now and then we would chant ‘I am not a milk machine, dump dairy, go vegan!’  Loved it.

On July 6th, I got to go to the Campus Progress National Convention with my internship director, Jonathan.  Bill Clinton was there speaking, he’s vegan.  It was a great day.  I talked to people about our Meats Not Green campaign and got to see Jonathan do some outreach.  We even made a bet, if I put an ‘I am not a nugget’ sticker on Bill Clinton he would give me a job.  Unfortunately, Bill Clinton never made an appearance at our table.  But, if he did, he would have been rocking an ‘I am not a nugget’ stick.

I met so many great people durning this internship.  I am going to miss all of them.  Hopefully someday I will be able to work with them again.

4th of July Celebration

Tuesday was amazing.  My first anti-fur protest!  The other interns and I were put in to cages with signs that read ‘Summer is no vacation for animals’ and ‘Animals are not ours to wear’.  We had a lot of good feedback from citizens of Raleigh, NC.  We were out there for about an hour and then we went to eat at a vegan diner.

Wednesday was a challenge.  We dressed up in cow costumes and held signs that read ‘I am not a milk machine’, ‘Dump Dairy’ and ‘Cows milk is for baby cows’.  Things were going great until a group of younger adults/teenagers came and started heckling us.  They blocked us, shoved us, called us disgusting and ignorant.  We tried to have a nice conversation with them but all they wanted to do was shout in our face and not listen.  Even though it was a challenge, it was still an experience that I will never forget.

Today(Thursday), I am back in the D.C. office.  I just got off the phone with Christina from PETA2.  She just made my biggest dream come true… I get to help PETA2 at the St. Louis, MO Warped Tour!  No joke.  I cannot believe I get to do this!  Plus, I love the campaign for this years Warped Tour… Flesh is for Zombies!!  Which is a pledging to go ‘Flesh Free on Fridays’.  Amazing.

That is all for today.  This week has been the best week of my internship so far.  Loving life.

The internship started at 9:00 A.M. at the PETA office in Washington D.C.  We all met in the conference room and did all the introductions and what we will be doing during our time there. Took a tour of the whole office and we got to meet the president of PETA, Ingrid Newkrik, that was the highlight of everyones day.  We ate lunch, which was provided for us (awesome!), met with some people who worked for PETA and then watched a movie.  The movie we watched was called Earthlings.  Saddest movie ever.  We were all crying.  Even though the movie was really sad, it’s a movie everyone needs to watch.  After the movie, we all talked about it.  Our internship director, Jonathan, was nice enough to take us on a walk after the movie, because after a movie like that you need to walk or a good run.  Then back to the office where we went over basic information.

Tomorrow we will learn about the Animal Liberation Project.  I’m really excited to learn more about it and how to inform people about animal rights.

After work, we walked back to the house, relaxed, ate dinner and went on a very much needed run.

Amazing day.

So far this internship is looking pretty amazing…  Can’t wait for things to come.

One step closer to freeing the whales.

One more week in the midwest then I’m off to the east coast for a month. I fly out next Saturday at 1:45 P.M. I still have some shopping to do to get all of the necessities, like toothpaste and shampoo/conditioner.

Lesson Learned: Shopping for new clothes for your awesome internship is a challenge.

• Book of stamps
• Hat from my bedroom in Edwardsville
• Dress pants (or skirt or dress or capri’s)
• Colorful tops V-Necks
• Shoes (flats or kitten heals)
• iPod Charger from my bedroom in Edwardsville

I’m heading back to Warrenton, Missouri tomorrow to spend time with my family before I leave.  I am going to miss Edwardsville.  It’s my new home.  Warrenton is great to a certain point.  But, I prefer Edwardsville.  I guess this is growing up.

Lesson Learned: I understand “Brat Pack” by The Rocket Summer more than ever.

I am very excited for this experience.  This is one of my dreams and I finally get to do something on my own.  This spring semester hasn’t been easy and I’m ready for things to start getting better.

So once June rolls around be checking back here for updates and what not!