Tag Archives: Animals

Critics have slammed the People for the Ethical Rights ofAnimals (PETA) for its hypocrisy and have referred to PETA’sfacilities a ‘euthanasia clinic’ rather than a ‘shelter’. In itsdefense, the organization claims that the euthanized animals weredisease-ridden and ‘unadoptable’.Of the 1,647 cats and dogs that PETA took in last year, only 19ended up in new homes, according to the Virginia Department forAgriculture and Consumer Services. And of the 34 ‘other companionanimals’ that were taken in, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, 28were euthanized and only four were adopted.Dogs at PETA’s shelter had the worst fate: 1045 out of 1110, or94 percent, were euthanized in the facility. The organization’skill rate is significantly higher than that of most other US killshelters. In an interview with USA TODAY, PETA spokeswoman JaneDollinger acknowledged that most shelters euthanize about 39percent of their animals.The Center for Consumer Freedom has harshly criticized PETA forits mass extermination, claiming that the shelter has euthanized29,398 pets since 1998.“The animal rights group is talking out of both sides of itsmouth – on one side preaching its animal liberation agenda, whileon the other signing the death warrant of over 89 percent of petsin its care,” CCF Research Analyst Justin Wilson said in apress release. “It’s beyond hypocritical.”PETA has a $36 million budget, which the CCF believes should beused to find homes for the animals that are quickly put down – notto do “I’d rather go naked” photoshoots with well-known celebritiesfor its anti-fur campaign.“It seems PETA is more dedicated to publicity stunts than tokeeping the animals in its own care alive,” Wilson said.“It’s the height of hypocrisy for PETA to demonstrate for the‘rights’ of rats and pigs, while killing tens of thousands of pets.It’s time that the Commonwealth of Virginia finally reclassifiesPETA’s pet shelter for what it is – a slaughterhouse.”PETA has long defended its high euthanasia rates by calling thepractice ‘the compassionate option’. The agency claims thatkilling the unwanted animals is a better choice than letting themroam the streets or sit in cramped cages for years.“We have a small division that does hands-on work withanimals, and most of the animals we take in are society’s rejects –aggressive, on death’s door, or somehow unadoptable,” Dollingertold USA TODAY.But criticism against PETA is unlikely to die down as long asthe organization continues to kill almost all of its cats and dogs,while advocating for the rights of chickens and pigs.”With the resources at their disposal, PETA and the HumaneSociety of the U.S. could become no-kill in no time,” attorneyNathan Winograd told the Daily Beast in 2008, after PETA’s 85percent kill rate was released. “Instead they have becomeleading killers of cats and dogs, and the animal-loving publicunwittingly foots the bill through taxes and donations.”And the kill rate has only been creeping up as fewer animalssurvive PETA’s ‘shelter’. … Read More