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The Truth About: PETA

  • Oct 18, 2023
  • 3 min read

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an animal rights organization that opposes speciesism; a human-supremicist view. They focus their efforts on animals suffering in labratories, the food industry, the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. They’ve often been called out for being extremist, funding terrorists who commit crimes in favor of animals, and killing more animals than they save.








Why PETA Kills Animals

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The claim: PETA has killed about 65% of the animals they received in 2019, and is responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 animals since 1998.

They operate an "open-admission shelter", which means they take in any case, no matter the condition., which other shelters do not. If a dog is untreatable, elderly, and severely ill, an impoverished family won't be able to pay the veterinary bills. If an aggressive, unsociable dog who spent his life chained up and starving with his collar grown into his neck and his body covered in mange needs help, PETA will ensure he doesn't die chained up. They offer "community services that include free euthanasia to spare animals pain and allow their guardians—regardless of means—to ensure their comfort to the end" (PETA.org).

"While we transfer hundreds of animals to reputable shelter partners and place animals for adoption, our shelter mostly takes in aggressive, sick, elderly, injured, feral, or otherwise unadoptable animals for whom euthanasia is the most humane option, and we euthanize at the owners' request when they can't afford to pay for their sick and dying animals to be put to sleep..." - PETA



Extremist Beliefs


Yes PETA has killed thousands of animals, but they also take in many animals that no one else would. It's easy to see such drastically different numbers for a shelter that doesn't turn away any animal, yet we can never be 100% sure they always do the right thing.

What makes the organization so concerning are their extremist beliefs that are showcased mainly through their ad campaigns. They don't just believe we should improve the living conditions of animals, but that we should ban all exploitation of them in every sense because animals are no different from humans in any way and thus deserve the same rights (including copyrights).

This doesn't sound inherently bad at first glance. but let's first take a look at the story of a monkey named Naruto.


How This Selfie of a Monkey Caused a Lawsuit


Image source: https://www.pcmag.com/

Naruto is a macaque who lived in the jungles of Indonesia in 2011, and took this selfie using the camera of a photographer named David Slater. PETA felt the need to testify in court on Naruto's behalf in 2015, fighting for rights to the photo against Slater.

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To this day, Slater donates a percentage of every print he sells of Naruto's famous selfie to a monkey conservation project in Sulawesi. Also, the US Copyright Office specifically lists 'a photograph taken by a monkey' as an example of something that can't be copyrighted.

While fighting for animals' rights is a significant job, the time, money, and energy spent on this lawsuit could have been of much better use in other aspects of animal welfare.



Too Far?


Old PETA advertisement associating milk with autism.

The saying 'desperate times call for desperate measures' is taken a bit too literally with PETA. Below are a few examples of ad campaigns they've created:

  • "Holocaust On Your Plate" (launched in 2003)

  • Comparing sexual assault to meat and dairy consumption, and cows to rape victims (2016)

  • “Got autism? Studies have shown a link between cow’s milk and autism” (2014)

... and many more. The hypocrisy, ignorance and complete disrespect they have shown over the years is evidence enough for the lengths they go to.

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While it's been more drastic in the past, PETA's attitude towards the disabled and service dogs being of assistance to humans has always been one of dislike.

The harm caused by their campaigns counteracts the intended message, making matters worse.


Despite their intentions from an outside perspective, and fighting for animals' rights and well being, PETA has failed at being not only a legitimate organization, but also a reputable source.

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Extremist beliefs, drastic behaviors, exploitation, and manipulation are not ways to run an organization fighting to better the world for all the creatures who call it home.

There are better organizations out there who do what is right, in the right way. PETA may think humans exploit animals, but they are no different.



Sources

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Reminder: absolute care was taken in creating this post, but seeking out other credible sources and exercising good judgment is always encouraged.

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