I know you all had your heart set on purchasing Take-Two’s Ringling Bros. circus game for the Wii next week, and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are going to let you finish, but they suggest you first consider alleged abuses heaped by the staff of the world-famous circus on elephants and tigers every day. They’ve been investigating the circus for quite some time and feel that the truth might keep you from purchasing the game.

“During our investigation Ringling performed at new venues week after week, but its abuse of animals did not change. Our investigator captured workers on video as they beat and whipped elephants dozens of times in venues across the country. We also documented workers use sharp tools called bullhooks to jab and yank elephants by their sensitive skin. The abuses we filmed were captured backstage-hidden from public view-right before elephants were forced to walk onstage and perform. ”

They’ve even got a video up on their website, showing Ringling Bros. employees smacking around elephants, which is pretty ballsy considering how daunting an angry elephant would be. Luckily for the handlers the elephants stay calm, barely registering the various slaps and taps they are given.

Slightly shocking, I suppose, but it probably won’t keep people from buying the game. The fact that it’s a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus game for the Nintendo Wii, on the other hand, will definitely stop people from buying it.

Earlier today, we reported that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organisation is calling for the cancellation of Take-Two’s upcoming game based on the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (the so-called Greatest Show on Earth).

Take-Two, a company that has weathered protests against Grand Theft Autos, Bully and Manhunt declined to address PETA’s allegations that the Ringling Bros. circus violently mistreats its elephants, but backed the game: “As a matter of company policy, we don’t comment on the business affairs of our licensors,” the company’s vice president of communications, Alan Lewis, told Kotaku. “We fully stand behind all of our products.”

As for the circus, it has been attacked by PETA for these matters before.

“We vehemently disagree with PETA,” Steve Payne, spokesperson for the circus’ parent company, Feld Entertainment, told Kotaku. “We’re proud of our animal care. The Asian elephant has been a symbol for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey for its 139 year history… the commitment to animal welfare and conservation for the endangered Asian elephant is something we do every day.”

He pointed to the circus’ Center for Conservation and its ability to pass government animal inspections “everywhere we go” as proof that PETA’s criticism is wrong.

Payne said that his company is “excited” about Take-Two’s upcoming game.

[PIC]

PETA today launched a campaign to try and put a stop to Take-Two’s Wii game featuring Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, saying that the famed circus is “looking to take its cruelty to animals virtual.”

The organisation says that they’ve already told publisher Take-Two about Ringling Bros. “real life, lengthy history of animal abuse and neglect” and even shown them undercover video footage, but to no avail.

So now PETA is asking people to send a message to Take-Two CEO Ben Feder asking him to sever ties with Ringling Bros. and telling them they would rather play a game featuring a circus that “does not beat animals for entertainment.”

Strong words. Though, I can’t imagine Take-Two will listen to them. And frankly, the allegations levied against Ringling Bros. are hotly debated.

Help Stop New Ringling Bros. Wii Game! [PETA]

PETA is taking the battle against Canadian baby seal slaughter to a whole new front – World of Warcraft.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals would really like it if Canada would stop killing adorable little baby seals, and this weekend they’re making Azeroth their battleground. This Saturday on the Whisperwind server, activists are urged to travel to the Howling Fjord zone to take on four Canadian Horde seal killers. Why Horde?

Thrall refused to ban the slaughter of seals, despite multiple requests from the Alliance to do so, because Orgrimmar stands to make a large profit from the fur.

I’m guessing this special event doesn’t fall within World of Warcraft story canon, and I’m not so sure that PETA picked the correct venue for their protest. I have personally skinned thousands if not tens of thousands of animals over the course of my first rogue’s career as a leatherworker, from bunnies to turtles to kittens to small, fluffy, doe-eyed animals that don’t even have real-world counterparts.

I do like their overly specific instructions on how to participate, however.

* You must be in the WhisperWind realm in order to fight. Visit WorldofWarcraft.com if you need information about how to switch into this realm.

* Once in the WhisperWind realm, go to Northrend, where you will find a zone called Howling Fjord, where the baby seals live on glaciers and boats float in the fjords. This will be the battleground to stop the slaughter. (Note: You must be at least a Level 70 player in order to enter Howling Fjord.)

* The battle will take place on Saturday, April 11, at 1 p.m. EST.

Anyone who has reached level 70 is going to know how to transfer servers, and most likely isn’t going to be too keen to pay for the service in order to participate. Also, you don’t need to be level 70…you just need to know you stuff…or be a Shadow Priest.

They did, at least manage to not pick a PVP server for their event, which saddens me to no end. So much for audience participation.

Here’s the promotional video they’ve put together to commemorate the event, in which Canadian Horde seal hunters sound very much like some of my neighbours here in Georgia, because everybody knows that Southern accents equal ignorance.

Help Battle Seal Slaughterers in World of Warcraft [The PETA Files]

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have thrown their support behind the Academy of Notre Dame student protest against dog killing in Call of Duty: World at War.

To show their support to the student group that organised a petition to voice their disgust over the shooting of killer guard dogs in Activision’s latest Call of Duty game, Peta sent Activision a care package… that is, a package that tries to teach them how to care.

To help the folks at Activision Blizzard learn about the ethical treatment of animals (something we’re sorta experts on) we’re offering to let them take PETA’s “Developing Empathy for Animals” seminar free of charge, and we’re sending a package of dog-friendly Nintendogs games to their office.

With a little Nintendogs influence, perhaps the next Call of Duty game will have you unlock achievements for petting the dogs you encounter and going on walks or playing Frisbee with them.

I think that’s a great idea! Why don’t we do this instead – go through all of the history books and documentation concerning the military application of dogs during World War II, and just erase it all. We don’t want impressionable gamers getting the wrong impression of Nazi Germany, now do we? We could splice footage of people being lined up and marched into cement buildings with clips of people enjoying a puppet show! A few new lines of voice over dialogue and presto! The world is a much happier place.

Bah. Not going to argue realism with PETA. That’s like going to a rave and trying to convince the kids there not to do drugs. They’re already far too gone to understand what you’re saying.

Also, I’d just like to give a pat on the back to the commentor that called PETA’s response within the first few comments of the original post. You’ve officially earned an entire day of being an insufferable, gloating bastard. Enjoy!

Fable II might not have won many Game of the Year awards, but the PETA liked what they saw, handing the game one of their annual Proggy Awards for being the most animal-friendly video game.

But it’s not for what you think.

Sure, the game makes your dog a character central to your emotional involvement, but what the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals really liked was the vegetarianism in the game.

Created by Microsoft Game Studios, Fable 2 is a vegetarian’s dream come true. Why? In this virtual fight between good and evil, characters powered by tofu are just as powerful as their meat-eating counterparts–and are more fit and attractive to boot. Featuring a strong pro-vegetarian theme, eating a plant-based diet helps you rack up “purity” points, whereas eating meat makes your character fat and evil. A fun and innovative game, it’s also an effective tool that teaches gamers the real-life benefits of a vegetarian diet.

So I guess that means they’re OK with you dragging a dog around with you and using him as a weapon in battle.

2008 Proggy Awards [PETA]

Oh no, a politically-motivated flash game! Decry it, kids, decry it! Before you do, though, realise that Holiday Snowball Fight lets you attack zombified Olsen twins, Sarah Palin and the grinning corpse herself, Madonna.

Holiday Snowball Fight

“I would never put rat in my Ratatouille,” said a feisty Mama while beating some eggs. “Like any accomplished cook, I create my recipes to appeal to a broad range of tastes and preferences. My only goal is to ensure you leave the table well fed.”

The release goes on to state that Mama, while not a vegetarian herself, fully supports the humane treatment of animals, with her new doggy friend Max making his game debut in the new title.

You callous, cold-hearted PETA bastards. You made her upset. She just wants to fill our tummies with goodness, and this is the thanks she gets? That’s it. From now on I am going out of my way to eat animals. *eyes his cats*

Cooking Mama Responds to PETA by Highlighting Vegetarian Offerings in Latest Wii(TM) Videogame Release – Cooking Mama World Kitchen

EDISON, N.J., Nov 19, 2008

Food lover and culinary cutie Cooking Mama is a virtual chef who believes that good home cooked food, properly prepared from the best ingredients, can bring people together around the table and make the world a happier place. That’s why Mama is taking a stand with oven mitts raised high against the latest PETA objection targeting her freshly released videogame, Cooking Mama World Kitchen, that shipped this week for Wii(TM) from Majesco Entertainment Company (Nasdaq: COOL). Mama wants people to know that World Kitchen includes 51 recipes from around the world, ranging from vegetarian fare like miso soup and rice cakes to international delicacies like ginger pork and octopus dumplings.

“I would never put rat in my Ratatouille,” said a feisty Mama while beating some eggs. “Like any accomplished cook, I create my recipes to appeal to a broad range of tastes and preferences. My only goal is to ensure you leave the table well fed.”

Cooking Mama World Kitchen includes more than 25 vegetarian-friendly recipes including delicious breakfast, dinner, dessert and snack options. And, while Mama is not a vegetarian, she fully supports the humane treatment of animals, particularly for her canine protege Max who makes his doggie debut in World Kitchen.

About Cooking Mama World Kitchen

Developed by Cooking Mama Limited, the second installment of the fan favourite Wii series is filled with new features including kitchen mini-games, 3D graphics, chef customisation and 2 player cooperative cooking. In the game, players use the Wii Remote as a universal cooking utensil to chop, grate, slice and stir their way through 51 all-new recipes, ranging from parfait to Ratatouille to pancakes and French fries. A range of modes lets players cook for Mama’s approval, their friends’ picky palates or together as a team to create dishes in a new cooperative mode. A bonus hidden mode will even surprise gamers with competitive play against the original “master cook!” In World Kitchen, preparation mistakes are events unto themselves since new mini-games add hilarious fun with Mama’s lovable canine, Max. Finally, a new customisation feature lets players create their own personal chef or even an adorable mini Mama!

Cooking Mama World Kitchen for Wii is rated E for Everyone and available now for the suggested retail price of $49.99. To watch the official trailer and find out more, please visit www.cookingmama.com.

Don’t fret though, Mama fans. There’s redemption in store for the titular hero, and by the end of the game it’s all turkeys and rainbows for our tiny, sexual stereotype.

Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals [PETA]