I agree that their tactics are largely not "good", frustration level being high or not. Once again, the ends do not justify the means.
I don't think anyone posting in this thread is in favor of cruelty to animals. In fact, I'd wager that to a person, most of us are very much against it, but neither are they in favor of the tactics that PETA and organizations like them are using to promote awareness and prevent cruelty to animals. There are far better ways to get their message out than by shocking and alienating their intended audience.

Robert...if this is really true, I'm absolutely speechless. Euthanizing an ill animal who is suffering is one thing, ending an animal's life because it is a source of food is another. Even euthanizing an animal for which no home can be found, I can understand (although I don't like it and have adopted animals from the local shelter instead of purchasing them from a pet store for that reason alone) but this....I'm speechless.

http://www.furcommission.com/resource/perspect999ag.htm

This article seems to corroborate the above and gives sources for the information, including Ingrid Newkirk herself.

I haven't read those articles, and I'm definitely not in favor of euthanizing healthy animals. For a further caveat, I'm not even taking a stand on whether or not I think it's true, but...

There are some who believe that domestication of animals at all is equivalent to abuse. Selective breeding (which can cause unhealthy attributes along with the 'desired' ones'), tail and/or ear docks, confining them inside, etc. Removing any animal from its natural state is sometimes seen as wrong. Some people also feel that zoos are immoral and abusive.

While I don't agree with this view myself, it might permit a more sympathetic view of euthanizing pets (who are abused, genetically manipulated aberrations that should never have existed) if these ideas are part of PETA's beleif system.

Keep in mind that I do not know whetehr or not PETA holds these beliefs, but it might do a bit to explain such a practice if indeed it exists.

Cheers,

Friday

This article points out what I said in another topic. That PETA is a whacko organization bent on humans not eating meat period! They feel that animals should have domain over the planet and not humans. They're not worth the ink to write about them. They also use non legal ways to get their point across. The gov't should go after these lawbreakers.

They do. The thing is, that because most of the offenses are misdemeanors, most of the time they get off with a slap on the wrist or a fine (which I'm sure that their organizations are happy to pay for them). In one of the links above, even PETA's current leader estimates that she has been arrested "40 or 50 times".
PETA says that it draws the line at physical violence and yet they associate with and support groups that do not which leads me to think that they believe that encouraging and supporting such activity is fine as long as they aren't actually doing it themselves.

I love P.E.T.A. As a matter of fact I am the President of the local chapter!
People for the Eating of Tasty Animals.
Where's the Beef, Chicken, Pork and Venison?

Jag

You too!?

Hi Liza N,
I really don't know if it's true I was just quoting the website I found it on. We don't have PETA in the UK (to my knowledge). Thank God. We do have our share of nutters though. Some years ago one lot firebombed a dept store near my hometown because they were selling furs. The store burned to the ground. Fortunatly it was at night and no one was killed.
Here the RSPCA also kills healthy pets if it cannot find a home for then within a given time. It uses electrocution - cheaper than an injection.

Since this thread has poped up as being alive again. Can I just make the comment that I hope Rockerchiks disappearance from membership is not connected with this thread. I didn't agree with her views, but I am rather surprised that anyone here found the - or the way she expressed them - offensive or unconsidered.

When you see a membe's title listed "Guest", it's due to an explicit request by the member to "unsubscribe" them from our forum.

Wa'il

What I think is really entertaining is that Rockerchick still eats fish. Does she suppose that being pulled up from the depths of the ocean and having your eyes pop out due to the pressure change or slowing gasping to try and breath oxygen is in any way even remotely humane. I'm not even going to get started on fish farms. Just because they're not cute and fluffy does that mean that you don't object to eating them? Go out on a fishing trawler some time and watch as they gut and cut off the fishes heads while they're still breathing.

One of the sickest things I've seen PETA do was in Vancouver where they had a serial killer. This killer solicited prostitues and when he was done with them, fed them to his pigs. PETA put up billboard equating his victims to the pigs. How do you think this made family members feel? How would you feel if one of your loved ones had been raped, savagely killed and was equated to the level a pig? Some organization you've got there.

I'm all in favor of treating animals in an ethical manner. Some of the mass farming systems being introduced are having several effects on not just the animals, but the environment and the lives of people trying to survive in running a family farm. If PETA was actually only interested in that I would probably support them, but their underlying agenda will always make them unacceptable to the masses and traumatizing kids is not going to change that.

A friend of mine once wisely said that we should not expect revolutionaries to be moderate. I have no time for PETA, its 'ruler-for-life' seems to be one of those people Colin Wilson called 'Right Men' ( or Right Women' this time) who can't abide being questioned or challenged.
Doesn't rule out animal activism as worthwhile and ethical stance.
BTW fish don't count - they are slimey.