As hunters, we face threats to our rights from a variety of “animal rights” groups. All attempt to confuse the public with illogical and emotion-based arguments, but most are—if nothing else—consistent in their misguided worldviews. However, PETA is run by such a hypocritical bunch of scoundrels that its continued existence is hard to fathom.As informed readers may have guessed, I refer to PETA’s euthanasia program at its Norfolk, VA, pet shelter/killing facility. Yes, PETA kills animals. A lot of them, in fact.
As Keith Wood pointed out last year, while PETA was protesting New Jersey’s bear season (in which hunters bagged 469 bears), it was busy killing 1,911 dogs and cats. In total, PETA is responsible for the wanton slaughter of nearly 30,000 would-be pets since 1998. I’ll bet that stat isn’t included in any fundraising campaigns.
However, while PETA’s actions go unnoticed by wealthy donors, the group has drawn the ire of responsible pet owners, shelters and the American Kennel Club (AKC). A letter I received from the AKC includes one of its sharpest rebukes of PETA yet:
“While most shelters strive for a 90% re-homing rate, PETA is apparently proud of their 99% killing rate and callously boasts that the animals it rescues are ‘better off dead’. That is an alarming ratio that should be fully investigated. PETA’s track record is absolutely unacceptable,” said AKC Chairman Alan Kalter. “Legitimate animal shelters in America re-home most of their sheltered animals. If some of Michael Vick’s fighting dogs can be rehabilitated and re-homed then PETA can — and should — do better. If they cannot — or will not — then they should leave sheltering to others.”
Let’s hope PETA heeds the AKC’s advice. Killing otherwise healthy dogs is not ethical treatment of animals.
