What kind of organization kills 1,675 dogs, cats, and other animals each year? Slaughterhouse may come to mind. One may not think it is an organization by the name of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA. Most people who have heard of PETA know them as a group that “saves animals.” In reality, it is a radical animal rights organization co-founded and run by Ingrid Newkirk. They claim to advocate for the rights of animals and their liberation, giving the animals a voice by doing crazy protests and publicity stunts. However, what they claim to do and what they really do is a stark contrast.
Support should not be given to PETA, but rather to local shelters for several reasons. The first reason is that PETA kills most of the animals in its shelter and will not put donated money to good use. Second, PETA wants to get rid of dogs and/or cats. Another important reason to support the local humane society is because it is "no-kill" that works for the good of animals.


My first point: PETA kills the majority of the unlucky canines and felines that walk through its door and will use donations to kill the very things people try to protect. But just how much is the “majority?’’ According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in 2012 PETA took in 1,877 animals to their shelter in Norfolk, Virginia. 1,675 of them were euthanized and only 23 adopted. Only 23 out of close to 2,000 animals were released from a place PETA refers to as animal saviours. That’s an 89.4% kill rate. Since 1998, PETA has killed approximately 29,000 animals. This is a group that is not worth supporting. The president of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk why they put them down, and she would respond by saying they are open-admissions which, according to the Anti-Cruelty Society, means they do not turn away any animal. A cat or dog could be sick or have behavioral issues and instead of trying to work through it, PETA believes that they are giving that dog or cat a better life by euthanasia. This could be reasonable in some cases, but not 89.4% of the time. An example of PETA's needless killing is this lawsuit against PETA in 2007 where two PETA employees in North Carolina were arrested for killing a total of thirty-one dogs in the back of a van. Eighteen of those dogs were found dumped in trash bags in the dumpster at a supermarket, and thirteen were still in the van when police found them. On inspection, the dogs looked healthy, with some being puppies. Barry Anderson, the animal officer in Bertie County, where the crime took place, testified that the PETA employees told him they were picking up the dogs to take them back to Virginia to find loving homes.

Another logical answer as to why they euthanize would be insufficient space. An inspector from the Virginia Department of Agriculture writes this, "The facility does not contain sufficient animal enclosures to routinely house the number of animals annually reported as taken into custody..." It goes on to say," The shelter is not accessible to the public, promoted, or engaged in efforts to facilitate the adoption of animals taken into custody."










PETA has a $36,000,000 budget. Where is the donated money going if it is not for the well-being of the animals? It could be the euthanasia van that killed those thirty-one dogs or the $9,370 walk-in freezer to house the carcasses. It could be to get Chad Ochocinco to pose naked in an “Ink Not Mink” ad or better yet to support the Animal Liberation Front, a group that is classified as a terrorist threat. In truth, PETA does not actually care about the well-being of the animals, and if financial support is given, it would only promote this slaughterhouse. This is not a true humane society.
Another reason why support should not be given to PETA is for the fact that their goal is to get rid of domesticated animals. It wants to liberate all pets. Dogs and/or cats that are loved so dearly would be gone. PETA's president’s once said, “One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild … they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.” They believe animals would be happier living on the streets. There is a reason that from the beginning, a dog has been called, “man’s best friend.” Is abolishing this animal-human bond something the average person would like to support? Domesticated dogs can save human lives. They are trained in search and rescue, police K-9 unit, bomb-sniffing as well as therapy. These sort of dogs save and enrich lives.

Every community has a local humane society that is in need of volunteers and money to support the health of the abandoned or surrendered pets. For example, the Humane Animal Welfare Society, or HAWS, located in Waukesha is a "no-kill" facility and will put donations to appropriate use. According to their website, they assist over 6,000 animals each year, while being non-profit. Also, HAWS is an open-admission shelter, like PETA, so they take in animals of all health and behaviors, but actually give them a chance at life, instead of ending it. In fact, HAWS is the exact opposite of PETA. While PETA kills 90% of its animals, HAWS adopts out 90%. It can be done.
Overall, you shouldn’t support PETA and support your local humane society instead because of three reasons. First you learned that PETA kills most of the animals in its shelters and won’t put your money to good use. Secondly I told you that PETA wants to get rid of YOUR dog or cat. And thirdly, your local humane society is a great alternate option because it is no-kill and works for the good of animals. Dogs and cats are living, breathing things that deserve lives, and deserve lives with people. Don't let People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals take them away. So having said all this, I hope you will support HAWS and other no-kill shelters, not PETA, and help others realize what the headquarters of PETA really is: a slaughterhouse.