What Everyone Should Know About…PeTA

Their shock tactics make news headlines. The president and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk has described her group’s overall goal as “total animal liberation.” No seeing eye dogs; no service animals; no wool, no meat, milk or eggs. No hunting, fishing or zoos. The group has targeted farmers for “cruelty” – they’ve accused many of deceptive practices. They target children and make no apologies: “Our campaigns are always geared towards children, and they always will be.” These campaigns are the likes of telling kids their mothers kill animals and that a hamburger is child abuse and is akin to giving them weedkiller. PETA has repeatedly attacked research foundations like the March of Dimes, the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and the American Cancer Society, because they support animal-based research that might uncover cures for birth defects and life-threatening diseases.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

People send millions of dollars per year thinking they are helping animals. PETA vegetarian campaign coordinator Bruce Friedrich told an animal rights convention in 2001 that “blowing stuff up and smashing windows” is “a great way to bring about animal liberation.” Over $70,000 has been paid to a domestic terrorist convicted arsonist who is still on their payroll.

“We could become a no-kill shelter immediately,” president Newkirk has admitted – “In 2000, when the Associated Press first noted PETA’s Kervorkian-esque tendencies, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk complained that actually taking care of animals costs more than killing them.” (source below) Instead five years later over 1900 animals taken in by PeTA were killed. Animals that were taken with the promises of finding them homes. Andrew Benjamin Cook, 24, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Adria Joy Hinkle, 27, of Norfolk, Va., each were charged with 31 felony counts of animal cruelty and eight misdemeanor counts of illegal disposal of dead animals. Both were employed by PeTA. Police found 18 dead animals in the bin and 13 more in a van registered to PETA. Months later there was a revision: “three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. The charges allege that they euthanized three cats from an Ahoskie veterinarian after promising to find the animals new homes, according to the new warrants…still charged with eight misdemeanor counts of illegal disposal of dead animals and one count of trespassing.” Over 80 animals were dumped in trash bins. “Both have been released on $35,000 bail, and PETA is paying their legal fees. PETA suspended Hinkle for 90 days and did not discipline Cook.” It was noted that PeTA is licensed to use a barbiturate in lethal doses.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

After the fact and facing looking bad in the media, official word was the two did not have permission to end the animals lives. Despite this in the wikipedia online entry of PeTA (which is locked) Ingrid Newkirk has said: “Our service is to provide a peaceful and painless death to animals who no one wants.” That sounds like a direct conflict of information doesn’t it? A very small portion of the millions per year could be used to take care of the animals taken in, instead of using them as statistics.
Also in the wikipedia source “Merritt Clifton, founder and editor of Animal People has said “Ingrid Newkirk runs PETA like a guru cult. Sooner or later, everyone who questions her or upstages her in any way, no matter how unintentionally, ends up getting shafted in the most humiliating manner Newkirk can think of.””Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

While calling for boycotts of China for killing dogs, PeTA has a record of killing thousands of pets…all with tax free dollars. 90.7% of the pets in 2005 PeTA took in were killed. The website of ActivistCash.com points out “PETA collected almost $29 million in donations in 2004 alone, but few donors understand exactly where their money is going. During the past ten years, PETA has spent four times as much on criminals and their legal defense than it has on shelters, spay-neuter programs, and other efforts that actually help animals. ” Indeed, for the price of the legal fees of the two PeTA employed accused animal cruelty people the 1900 animals killed last year could have lived very well.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Not content to be the only source of information PeTA has funneled money into and been directly involved in other organizations (source below): “Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has duped the press into believing that it is an association of conscientious doctors promoting good nutrition. In fact, it is a PETA front group. PCRM and PETA share money, offices, and staff.” The PCRM has called US school lunches weapons of mass destruction for including milk and meat.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

PeTA also has many links to the Animal Liberation Front – listed with the FBI as a domestic terrorist organization. ActivistCash lists the truth about where large amounts of the tax exempt dollars go: “The group paid $27,000 for the legal defense of Roger Troen, who was arrested for taking part in an October 1986 burglary and arson at the University of Oregon. It gave $7,500 to Fran Stephanie Trutt, who tried to murder the president of a medical laboratory. It gave $5,000 to Josh Harper, who attacked Native Americans on a whale hunt by throwing smoke bombs, shooting flares, and spraying their faces with chemical fire extinguishers. All of these monies were paid out of tax-exempt funds, the same pot of money constantly enlarged by donations from an unsuspecting general public.”Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

Many people still think PeTA is about saving bunnies and freeing chickens from cages. A closer look and listening to what is said shows a much darker goal.�¯�¿�½Some of these quotes:�¯�¿�½

“Our nonviolent tactics are not as effective. We ask nicely for years and get nothing. Someone makes a threat, and it works.”
– Ingrid Newkirk, in the April 8, 2002 issue of US News & World ReportÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

“Arson, property destruction, burglary, and theft are Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½acceptable crimes’ when used for the animal cause.”
– PETA co-founder Alex Pacheco lists the “acceptable” tactics to fight for animal rights, Associated Press

“I love fire, be it around a campfire with friends or when consuming an empty fur farm, animal laboratory or luxury condominium built on the homes of my animal relations.”
– Former ALF member and PETA grantee Rodney Coronado in Earth First! Journal

“[Eating meat] is not your personal decision, any more than, you know, whether somebody beats their child is their personal decision.”
– “Animal Rights 2002” convention

“There is no hidden agenda. If anybody wonders about – what’s this with all these reforms – you can hear us clearly. Our goal is total animal liberation. [emphasis added]”
– “Animal Rights 2002” convention

“Here’s a little model I’m going to show you here. I didn’t have any incense, but – this is a crude incendiary device. It is a simple plastic jug, which you fill with gasoline and oil. You put in a sponge, which is soaked also in flammable liquid – I couldn’t find an incense stick, but this represents that. You put the incense stick in here, light it, place it – underneath the Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½weapon of mass destruction,’ light the incense stick – sandalwood works nice – and you destroy the profits that are brought about through animal and earth abuse. That’s about two dollars.”
– “Conference on Organized Resistance,” American University