Animal rights activists - clothed only in "strategically placed lettuce leaves" - will be urging striking SEPTA workers to go vegan today.

Two "Lettuce Ladies" of PETA will be handing out vegetarian salad and faux steak sandwiches - along with copies of the "Vegetarian Starter Kit" - to striking SEPTA workers at 3 p.m. outside the Fern Rock Transportation Center (Nedor Ave. and 10th St.)

In a press release, PETA said the action follows reports of rising health care costs resulting from diets heavy in meat and dairy products. The group points to studies linking high meat and dairy product consumption to strokes, heart disease and obesity.

The group also cites the suffering and deaths of billions of animals slaughtered for their meat and the industry's ranking as a leading source of the greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

"Even as they negotiate their insurance costs, Philly's transit workers can get their health on the right track by going vegan," said "Lettuce Lady" Kelsey Jaye. "Leaving animals off your plate is the fastest and easiest road to fitness, so we hope that these hardworking men and women won't miss the bus."

A leading national animal welfare group is throwing its support behind New Jersey, Gov. Jon Corzine in today's election.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund - the lobbying arm of the Humane Society of the United States - says it has endorsed Corzine for his leadership in animal protection. During his first term, Corzine, a Democrat, worked with the Department of Environmental Protection to stop the controversial trophy hunting season on the state’s small population of black bears. Instead, he implemented a comprehensive plan to solve bear problems using humane and non-lethal management strategies.

Fund president Michael Markarian wrote yesterday in his blog that by contrast, Corzine’s opponent, Republican Chris Christie, has indicated his support for bear hunting, "demonstrating a clear contrast between the candidates on the state’s most high-profile animal protection issue."

Markarian adds:

Corzine signed numerous animal protection bills into law, including measures to ban Internet hunting, protect pets in disasters, tax fur clothing, suspend the harvest of horseshoe crabs, and support spaying and neutering of pets.

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, Corzine’s running mate for Lieutenant Governor, has been a leading champion for animals in the state legislature, introducing bills to ban bear hunting and end the inhumane confinement of veal calves in small crates.

Too often we hear stories about individuals who hoard cats and dogs. Now comes a case in northeastern Pennsylvania of wild animal hoarding.

Stephen Andrew Moore, 46, of Tannersville, Monroe County, pleaded guilty to what the Pennsylvania Game Commission called an unusual form of poaching: possession of wildlife illegally taken from the wild for “a hobby that got out of control."

On Thursday Moore pled guilty to 30 counts of illegal possession of various species ranging from blue jays to raccoons, from chipping sparrows to gray squirrels, from groundhogs to purple finches, according to the game commission As part of the plea agreement, charges against Moore for cruelty to animals were withdrawn. A judge ordered Moore to pay $2,250 in fines, and $750 in reimbursement to the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for expenses incurred treating the wildlife that survived.

In May, game officers followed up on a tip and went to Moore’s home in Pocono Township to investigate alleged illegal possession of birds.

“When we arrived, we saw several cages and multiple bird traps on the front porch,”Officer Scott Malicky said. “Also visible from the front porch were several bird traps in the backyard.”

The following day, officers returned to the home with a search warrant and they found dozens of animals in poor health, living in filthy cages. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of 13 goldfinches; 11 pine siskins (like the one pictured above); 7 house finches; 5 dark-eyed juncos; 4 purple finches; 3 blue jays; 3 gray squirrels; 2 groundhogs; 2 raccoons; 2 indigo buntings; 1 chipping sparrow; 2 black-capped chickadees; 2 rose-breasted grosbeaks; 1 cardinal; 1 brown-headed cowbird; 1 house sparrow; 1 mourning dove; and five others needing identification due to decomposition.

The birds and mammals, as well as some of the enclosures, were transferred to the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for care. Many of the birds required beak trimming, nail trimming and antibacterial medication in their drinking water, and one of the raccoons is suffering nutritional problems requiring dietary supplements, the commission said in a press release. 

Katherine Uhler, who runs Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, said all of the birds were “underweight, suffering from neglect and had nutritional problems.” Since being housed at her facility, 20 of the birds have died due to the poor condition they were in when they arrived.

An international animal rights group says it will stage anti-dog fighting protests before the Eagles home games starting tomorrow (Nov. 1).

In Defense of Animals -  which supports wild and domestic animal causes around the world and staged a protest before the Eagles game in Oakland last Sunday - says volunteers will hold a peaceful "Demos for Dogs" between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. outside Lincoln Field for the remainder of the season.

The group says it is protesting dog fighting and its connection to the NFL, the Eagles and quarterback, Michael Vick.

Although Vick - who was found guilty of running an interstate dog fighting ring - was the catalyst that brought the nation's attention to the horrors of dogfighting, the group said its message is bigger than Vick. It is asking the NFL to include dogfighting and cockfighting as specifically prohibited activities in their Personal Conduct Policy.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture halted operations at a Vermont slaughter house after undercover video reveals shocking abuse of veal calves.

The video, shot by a Humane Society of the United States investigator, shows workers kicking downed calves, hitting the days-old animals with electric prods and shows a calves skinned alive.

After examining the video, the USDA closed the plant and said it would launch an investigation.

"The deplorable scenes recorded in the video released by the Humane Society of the United States are unequivocally unacceptable,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement yesterday. “The callous behavior and attitudes displayed in the video clearly appear to be violations of USDA's humane handling regulations.”

Last year, the HSUS exposed the abuse of downed cows at a California slaughter plant, which led to a federal probe and the largest meat recall in U.S. history. There is now a new federal regulation banning the slaughter of downer cattle, but it left open a loophole for downer calves, reports HSUS president Wayne Pacelle in his blog.

Approximately, 700,000 veal calves are slaughtered in the U.S. each year. Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine and Michigan have passed laws phasing out the use of restrictive veal crate confinement systems, but still allow transport and slaughter of calves at any age.

To read more about the HSUS investigation click here.

Warning: the video below, shot by an undercover investigator working at the plant -Bushway Packing of Grand Isle - contains graphic images.

The reward for information leading to the culprit in the case of the two slain dogs in Chester County has grown again today.

This time a $10,000 donation from the Montgomery County-based Brook Lenfest Foundation has sent the total up to $25,000. Investigators say they have lots of tips but no hard leads yet toward solving the bizarre shooting.

Meanwhile, the family who owned the dead dogs is thanking the public for their help and donations. More from my colleague Kathleen Brady Shea here.

Call it the post rapture pet rescue.

An enterprising atheist wants to make sure that any pets left behind by Christians who depart this Earth in the rapture, don't get left out in the cold.

For $110 Eternal Earth-Bound Pets of New Hampshire is offering a 10-year contract guaranteeing that an animal-loving atheist will take care of their pets. Additional pets can be covered for $15.

The service is currently offered in 22 states, but not in Pennsylvania - yet.

Under terms of the contract, there is no refund for pet owners who may lose their faith and are not raptured.

The company's owner, Bart Centre, told the Associated Press that his pet rescuers definitely won't be raptured because they've all blasphemed the Holy Spirit in writing, committing what they believe Jesus called the unforgivable sin.

His Web site says the rescuers are animal lovers who "are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus."

The owners of the two German short-haired pointers who were shot in the head and placed tail-to-tail beside a railroad track on Sunday spoke out for the first time today.

James Milliner and his family asked the public to help them solve the crime.

Donations have poured in to the Chester County SPCA and the reward leading to the capture and conviction of the killer has mushroomed from $500 to $15,000.

More from my colleague Kathleen Brady Shea here.

This just in... the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot two pet short-haired pointers in Chester County has increased to $15,000.

The dogs - a 1 1/2-year-old German shorthaired pointer named Emma and a 2-year-old mix of the same breed called Luna - had been reported missing Sunday morning from a farm in Pocopson Township in the Chadds Ford area. They were found that afternoon, shot "between the eyes at close range" and placed tail to tail, about six miles away in Pennsbury Township.

Police are looking for a red Ford F-150 pickup seen with its lights flashing in the area where the dogs' bodies were dumped.

Anyone interested in contributing to the reward fund may call the Chester County SPCA at 610-692-6113, Ext. 215. Checks made out to CCSPCA can be mailed to the agency at 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, Pa. 19380.