The gun-toting family on A&E's new reality show "American Hoggers" are under fire from an animal rights group for the gruesome way the pigs are "tied up and shot" on the show ... TMZ has learned.
In case you haven't seen it -- "American Hoggers" follows Jerry "Hog Boss" Campbell ... and his family as they hunt and kill feral pigs ... armed with hunting dogs and guns. It's pretty graphic ... even for A&E.
The show just premiered this week -- and it didn't take long for PETA to take notice. In fact, the animal rights org. has just released a statement saying, "the Campbells' show promotes cruel animal-control measures and gross mistreatment of wildlife."
PETA claims it acknowledges that feral pigs can be problematic in parts of Texas, but the group says, "If property owners insist on lethal control, then feral hogs should be cage-trapped and afforded a quick, painless death."
We reached out to A&E for comment, and so far haven't received a response.
The GoDaddy.com CEO who shot and killed an African elephant is now taking aim at PETA for blasting his hunting trip -- vowing he won't be extorted by the animal defenders.
Bob Parsons triggered controversy after posting an Internet video chronicling his elephant slaying during a trip to Zimbabwe.
TMZ obtained a copy of the letter PETA sent Parsons, presenting him with its "first-ever Scummiest CEO of the Year Award" -- and informing him PETA is "taking our domain-name business elsewhere."
Parsons tells TMZ, "I understand PETA has an agenda, but I refuse to go along with their extortion-style practice."
Parsons claims he was only hunting "problem elephants" -- ones that destroy the villagers' crops ... adding, "I stand by my decision to help African villagers." Parson claims he has the support of tribal leaders there.
In its letter, PETA points out there are effective and nonlethal methods already being used to keep elephants from village crops. But Parsons isn't giving in to PETA's request that he back more humane methods ... saying, "Will we donate to PETA in return for their business? Absolutely not."
The tragic passing of Knut, everyone's favorite German polar bear, could have been prevented ... maybe ... this according to PETA.
Knut passed away in his habitat this morning of still-to-be determined causes at the age of 4. A rep for PETA tells TMZ they contacted to Berlin Zoo months ago to alert them to the fact that Knut was being "terrorized" by three female polar bears -- including his own mother!
The rep tells us, "PETA Germany repeatedly asked zoo authorities to move Knut away from the
three females to a different location. His premature death could
possibly have been avoided. Polar bears don't belong in captivity."
A necropsy is planned for Monday to determine the cause of death.
SeaWorld is finally lashing back at Tommy Lee -- claiming the rocker's allegation that the park uses cow vaginas to "masturbate" their killer whales for sperm collection is "beyond ludicrous."
A rep for SeaWorld tells us, "If Mr. Lee’s information on Tilikum and SeaWorld’s artificial insemination program for killer whales comes from PETA we’re not surprised that it’s wrong. PETA is as careless with facts as they are extreme in their views."
As we first reported, Lee had fired off a letter to SeaWorld demanding they release Tilikum the orca back into the wild. In his letter, Lee also stated that he learned the "sick and twisted" info about the cow vaginas from SeaWorld's own director of safety.
But the SeaWorld rep notes, "The process of collecting semen for [artificial insemination] doesn’t differ in any meaningful way from the techniques employed in managing livestock or other species for zoological display."
"Contrary to the charges made by PETA and repeated in Lee’s letter, our trainers do not now nor have they ever entered the water with Tilikum for this purpose. The safety of SeaWorld staff and the welfare of our animals are our highest priorities."
The rep adds, "Whatever his views on SeaWorld, Mr. Lee would be wise to spend more time checking his facts.
Tommy Lee is laying the smack down on SeaWorld for the "sick and twisted" way they allegedly treat their most famous Orca's ... penis.
The Motley Crue drummer just fired off a letter to SeaWorld -- accusing the park of keeping Tilikum the whale in captivity because, "he is your chief sperm bank."
Tilikum -- as you may know -- made national headlines for being involved in the deaths of three people.
But Tommy is especially pissed about the way he believes SeaWorld extracts semen from Tilikum -- saying, "We know from SeaWorld's own director of safety (as well as videos on the web) that the way you get his sperm is by having someone get into the pool and masturbate him with a cow's vagina filled with hot water."
Lee continues, "Even in my wildest days with Motley Crue, I never could've imagined something so sick and twisted."
Tommy and his friends at PETA have called for the whale's release into the wild. SeaWorld has always maintained that the animals receive expert care at its parks.
We've called SeaWorld for comment -- but so far, no dice.
Lady Gaga may have smuggled in a few extra guests to the MTV VMAs last night -- because the people at PETAthink it's likely that her raw meat dress was "crawling in maggots."
A rep for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals tells us that Gaga "has a hard time being 'over the top,' and wearing a dress made from cuts of dead cows is offensive enough to bring comment."
But the rep notes that if the dress was made from actual meat -- and not the fake stuff -- it wouldn't take long to go sour ... saying, "After time spent under the TV lights, it would smell like the rotting flesh that it is and likely be crawling in maggots."
Animal Planet and Mike Tyson are the target of an investigation after being accused of illegal gambling -- and it all has to do with the boxing champ's new reality show about pigeon racing.
The District Attorney in Brooklyn -- where Mike's pigeon show "Taking on Tyson" will be filmed -- tells TMZ they received a letter claiming the production violates New York's gambling laws ... because it profits off animal racing.
We're told they're currently looking into the claims.
Animal Planet tells us there won't be any wagering on the show ... but a rep for PETA -- who wrote the letter -- claims making any money off animal racing (including Tyson's salary) is illegal, so the point is moot.
Tiger Woods has sunk his claws into an animal rights group -- scaring PETA into pulling a series of controversial billboards featuring the golfer's image.
TMZ has learned PETA -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- is temporarily bagging plans to run the ads, which feature an image of Tiger next to the line "Too much sex can be a bad thing." The ad was intended to promote pet owners to have their pets spayed or neutered.
PETA tells TMZ, "In light of conversations we have had with Mr. Woods' attorneys, plans to run our billboard are on hold at this time."
The owners of two celebrity giraffes -- which once belonged to Michael Jackson and roamed freely in Neverland -- are crying "foul play" after the animals mysteriously died.
PETA sounded alarms this morning when news broke of the giraffes deaths, pointing fingers at the Banjoko Wildlife Preserve in Page, Arizona -- where the giraffes had been living since 2006 -- claiming the preserve was responsible for the deaths due to "improper feeding and/or exposure to cold temperatures."
TMZ spoke with the Banjoko Preserve founder, Freddie Hancock, and she tells us -- "We suspect foul play with the giraffes. There is no other explanation for their deaths. There is currently a police investigation going on. Someone has hurt these giraffes, they were healthy."
A necropsy is currently underway to establish an official cause of death -- but Hancock insists the animals were well taken care of: "There is no sign of infection, abuse, or neglect."
The giraffes -- named JJ and Rambo -- had been at the center of a vicious legal battle between Banjoko and the local city council over a $100,000 bond to cover the animals in case of emergency.
If you're Octomom Nadya Suleman, why not take five grand from PETA? Every little bit helps when you're 
