Erika Felt Coat / Forever 21

Time to break out the winter gear! To help you get started, we have outlined a few awesome animal-friendly coats below. If you don’t see something that you like, most of the stores listed below also have more animal-friendly fashions to choose from on their Web Sites:

•Erika Felt Coat From Forever 21 - $27.80

Women’s Quilted Frost-Free Jackets /
Old Navy

•Pleated Knit Coat From Forever 21 - $32.80

•Women’s Quilted Frost-Free Jackets - Old Navy - $49.50

•Faux Leather Bomber Jacket From Wet Seal - $39.50

•Reversible Plaid Puffer Jacket From Charlotte Russe - $34.99

Tell us about your animal-friendly outerwear!

howlingoak / cc

Thanksgiving … the scariest time of year if you are a turkey or if you’re like me and getting married in December and have a very form-fitting dress that won’t accommodate overindulgence in holiday fare. Fortunately, we can help turkeys and our waistlines by having a vegan holiday feast!

Vegans are approximately one-ninth as likely to be obese as meat-eaters. Researchers have found that overweight people consume about the same number of calories as slim people—but they don’t consume the same kinds of food. Animal products contain much more fat than plant-based foods.

There are many delicious vegan creations to tempt your taste buds this holiday season. Green bean casserole, sweet potato biscuits, Tofurky, and Orange-Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, anyone? For a festive centerpiece that is certainly more appealing than a stuffed avian body cavity, why not try stuffing and baking a pumpkin with your favorite vegetarian stuffing? You can even use your fancy carving tools to carve it and wow your guests.

Click here for more vegan Thanksgiving cooking ideas.

Sarah and Theresa model matching pink thermal
underwear featuring a convenient opening in just
the right spot! I bet they’ll stay toasty this winter!

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, November 12, 2007.

In our area of Virginia, the temperatures have started to dip into the 40s and even the 30s. This means that some dogs will already have started shivering. And when it comes to resisting the cold weather, size does not matter at all. The biggest, strongest, toughest-looking pit bull or Doberman can be seen looking hunched over and miserable outside because their short, thin coats are not doing it for them. This is one reason why it’s so tragic that Dobermans are often used as guard dogs. They have to endure loneliness and freezing-cold temperatures. My late Doberman, Shandy, was always a chilly dog in winter, so I bought him a sporty blue cape-like jacket from a greyhound catalog that made him look like Superdog. He loved it and seemed to walk taller in it too.

Many people don’t realize that some dogs need winterwear because they assume that a dog’s coat is sufficient protection against the cold. But look at it this way: Don’t you sometimes feel cold when you’re outside with a coat on? And it gets worse if you’re not given the opportunity to move around much, such as in the sad case of dogs who are chained or penned outside.

A good rule of thumb is this: If you feel comfortable in a light jacket and your dog has a medium-thick coat, everything should be fine. If you feel the need to put on a heavier coat and mittens, then start thinking about buying outerwear for your dog too. Don’t worry about it if you have a husky, collie, chow-chow, or other dog with a thick undercoat, but do worry about it if your dog has a thin, short haircoat or is old or infirm. Worry less if you’re going for a brisk walk or run that will warm you both up quickly, and worry more if you’re going to be standing around outside for any length of time.

Or you could just observe your dog and see if he or she shivers. Then get your dog some outerwear pronto!

You can knit or crochet your own dog sweaters—there are lots of patterns on the Internet. Teresa, the guardian of Joey and Chandler, whose picture accompanies this post, whips out dog sweaters like nobody’s business. And choosing your own colors can be a lot of fun. If you’d rather go with something store-bought, there’s a lot to choose from both online and at your local pet supply store: sweaters, coats, thermal underwear, sweatshirts—even boots to fend off snow and ice.

Boots are particularly good for dogs with furry feet who are going to be walking around in the snow. I remember my cocker spaniel Rogan accumulating little icy snowballs all over his fluffy feet when we walked in the snow the first time. Not too pleasant—in fact, he stopped walking altogether and made me carry him!

hammielover123 / cc

Mice. Oh so cute. If only they didn’t leave their little evidence everywhere. Last year, a little mouse got into my apartment. I heard some chewing in the walls at night for quite a while but couldn’t figure out exactly where it was coming from. I went out of town for a weekend, and when I came home I saw little pieces of cat food on the kitchen floor. This was very curious, considering that I do not have a cat.

What had happened was that this little mouse had chewed through the wall in my pantry while I was gone and went straight for the emergency bag of cat food I keep on hand for when I find strays. I quickly cleaned up the little mess that he had made, and I searched for the point of entry. I found his little escape route and I plugged up the hole with some steel wool. I then proceeded to clean my whole kitchen with peppermint-scented soap and essential peppermint oil (mice are not fans of peppermint!).

Thinking that I had dealt with this issue, I went to sleep right after baking some vegan apple-raisin muffins—leaving the muffins out on the counter to cool. I woke up in the morning, ready to have a muffin for breakfast, and—all the muffin tops had been eaten! This was so cute and so frustrating all at the same time―all I could think of were his tiny little hands holding the crumbs and chewing incessantly on the treasure that he had discovered as I slept.

If you build it, they will come, and things can get a bit exasperating if you don’t solve the problem completely. Over the next couple of days, I did a thorough check of my whole apartment and found two more holes that he was using to go in and out. I sealed those up, and things have been mouse-free ever since.

In the event that a little mouse or several mice find their way inside your home, check out our humane tips for making your house mouse-proof.

Cruel methods are never necessary―please also take a moment to ask Lowe’s to stop selling glue traps.

rd / cc

This past weekend, I was doing a bit of holiday shopping, and to my surprise I stumbled upon some amazing cruelty-free body care product deals in the most unlikely of places.

Maybe everyone else has known this for eons, but while shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls, I saw some fantastic bargains on products from companies like Nature’s Gate, Jason Natural, EO Products, Mrs. Meyers, and more. You just have to look in their special health and beauty care sections.

Furthermore, both stores had a lot of great nonwool sweaters and scarves and even a few synthetic-down jackets. There were also lots of nonleather shoes at a fraction of the price that they would cost in most department stores.

Another store where I have recently spotted some over-the-top deals on cruelty-free products is Big Lots. Big and bright orange on the outside—a virtual treasure chest of cruelty-free finds on the inside. On recent trips, I have seen everything from cheap tubes of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste to highly discounted bottles of Method laundry detergent. Last time, I even scored some Freeman face wash for $1.50.

So, if you’re looking to stretch your holiday budget by buying cheaper personal-care products for yourself so that you can spend more on gifts for others, you might want to give TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Big Lots a try. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list in the process.

Kaiser never dwells on the neglect that
he suffered in the past when he was
nearly starved to death―for him,
it’s all about today!

Well, for starters, we don’t see many dogs or wolves climbing trees or walking around on their hind legs. But how about what’s on the inside? Specifically, what’s going on inside that canine brain that might be different from what’s inside our primate noggins?

Many dog guardians want to treat their dogs just as they would a human best friend. That does sound warm and fuzzy and appealing to us, but unfortunately, our dogs don’t always enjoy that role because of the way their canine brains are wired. Of course, each dog is different, but in general, dog psychology dictates that every dog pack, which can also include humans, has to have a leader (even a pack of two). A dog without a leader feels anxious and unprotected and thus takes steps to try to become the leader in order to fill that void. This can take the form of aggression, obsessive barking, inappropriate urination, and domination, among other things. Now, I don’t know about you, but as much as I dearly love my dogs, I don’t want them to be the boss of me anyway. So that means that I have to be the one to step up and fill the role of pack leader in order to fulfill my dogs’ psychological needs.

The appealing thing about having a pack leader, from Fido’s point of view, is that the leader provides protection as well as structure, boundaries, and rules―all of which make dogs feel secure. Does that sound familiar? That’s because children crave the exact same things.

A second big difference between canine and primate psychology is that whenever anyone gets scared or hurt, we primates jump in to comfort and console and make a fuss―that makes us all feel better, whether child or adult. However, with dogs it’s different. If Fifi gets frightened or hurt and you freak out, showering her with comfort and caresses, it will have the effect of highlighting and bookmarking the trauma, thus validating her fear, so that she will end up becoming even more fearful.

Instead, whenever there’s a mishap, even a serious one, the best way to react is to be calm and upbeat and confident. Say cheerful things, like, “You’re doing great, Fifi!” This will help her feel calm and confident too. Of course, get her to the vet if needed, but even then, do her a favor and avoid giving in to sobbing or hysterical exclamations of “My poor little BABY!!!”

Another thing that distinguishes canine thinking from primate (or at least human) thought―and one that makes dogs so endlessly appealing to us―is that they really know how to live in the moment. They are true Zen masters. But too many dog guardians, especially those who have rescued a dog from a terrible situation, inadvertently force their dogs to live in the past by not ever letting go of Bowser’s tragic beginnings. If, every time we gaze upon him, we think, “My poor sweet angel―you’ve been through so much in your life!” it will inevitably lead to permissiveness (lack of boundaries, rules, and structure―see above), way too many treats (can you say “obesity”?), and a general atmosphere of sadness and uneasiness.

We need to let go of the past and be here now―for our dogs as well as for ourselves! Regret has the effect of stealing our present moment away from us. Dogs don’t go there. They don’t dwell on the past and they certainly don’t worry about the future. They just take the present moment and make the most of it. So let’s learn from Bowser and forget about his awful past experiences. Just see him for who he is right now and treat him accordingly. He will be thrilled!

The holidays are upon us, and to many of us, that means not just piling the Tofurky and vegan pumpkin pie on our plates, but also piling an extra couple of pounds on the bathroom scale.

Fortunately, there is a new program that can help you and animals this holiday season: The PETA Pack.

By participating in the PETA Pack, you can raise money to help animals and keep your weight in check so that the holidays don’t leave you with something like the “Freshman 15″ around your waist.

By joining the PETA Pack, you will gain access to 13 fun weeks of professional coaching from Coach Darren, the “pack leader.” He will help you learn how to run if you’re just starting or help you achieve new goals if you’re already a runner. You’ll also get great vegan diet tips and helpful exercise training information.

At the conclusion of the 13 weeks, on February 1, 2009, a race will be held in San Francisco. If you can’t make it to the race, you can still join in spirit and run a race in your own hometown.

So, what are you waiting for—join the PETA Pack today!

Amy’s vegan wedding cake!

This past weekend, my good friend and coworker Amy, who writes the Veg Cooking Blog, got married in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

The early evening ceremony was beautiful—illuminated by countless white candles and the fading end-of-day sunlight that was fleeting from the large vintage windows above. When Amy appeared, locked arm-in-arm with her dad, looking all stunning in her gown and birdcage veil, I was happy to have the small pack of tissues emblazoned with my hotel’s logo in my bag.

For all you Veg Cooking Blog fans, it will come as no surprise that the food was also stunning. I will post the menu and more food photos soon, but in the meantime I wanted to talk about the cake.

The cake was a luscious three-tier vegan chocolate cake with amaretto frosting made by Southern Sweets Bakery of Decatur, Georgia. The cake was so intensely decedent that it essentially melted in your mouth.

I really hope Amy won’t be too disappointed on her one-year anniversary when she goes to get the cake top out of her freezer and instead finds a box weighted with about 10,000 “I Am Not a Nugget” stickers that Joel and I left as a decoy while we stole the top of the cake to eat on the way home…

Congratulations Amy!