We're not sure whether it was tragic coincidence or divine opportunity that a float full of Peta members was positioned just ahead of us at the Pride Parade last weekend. They were having a hella good time, seemingly unaware that they were being followed (.. stalked ..?) by 22 pit bulls in top hats and taffeta ... all of them dogs that Peta would've dutifully killed had they got their hands on them first.Our faithful homies couldn't pass up the chance to say hello and introduce two former Vick dogs to Peta, so once the parade was over, Tim Racer and Letti de Little scooped Jonny Justice and Uba up in their arms to go have themselves a talk with the peaceful vegans who love animals.
It started as a little info-chat: Many Peta supporters are still unaware that their org wanted all the Vick dogs killed or that Ingrid and her crew have been calling for the a ban on pit bulls since Jan, 2000 (Newkirk: "People who genuinely care about dogs won't be affected by a ban on pits"). And most have no idea that Peta recommends death to all sheltered pit bulls over adoption to caring families. Straight from the horse's mouth on banning the breed and on auto-death for sheltered pit bulls.
Yes, they're kookie, but you gotta give Peta supporters a chance to come out of the fog. Peta's own euth number can help with that... The org doesn't discriminate by breed when it kills, and routinely destroys most every homeless dog or cat that lands in their laps as a matter of course. ... 95% of their intake destroyed in 2008 alone.
The Center for Consumer Freedom is on to them. From one of their press releases: "According to public records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 2,124 pets last year and placed only seven in adoptive homes....Despite having a $32 million budget, PETA does not operate an adoption shelter. PETA employees make no discernible effort to find homes for the thousands of pets they kill every year. Last year, the Center for Consumer Freedom petitioned Virginia’s State Veterinarian to reclassify PETA as a slaughterhouse."
The post-parade exchange on Market Street stayed closer to the topic at hand: Uba and Jonny. In addition to being former shelter dogs, these boys are on Peta's double-death hit list for coming from a fight bust. Despite what everyone has learned about bust dogs, Peta still maintains that it's kinder to destroy them all after they're seized in raids - no matter how adoptable they may be. (Criminal mugshots below compliments of Mark Rogers and Pet Food Express)
The post-parade exchange on Market Street stayed closer to the topic at hand: Uba and Jonny. In addition to being former shelter dogs, these boys are on Peta's double-death hit list for coming from a fight bust. Despite what everyone has learned about bust dogs, Peta still maintains that it's kinder to destroy them all after they're seized in raids - no matter how adoptable they may be. (Criminal mugshots below compliments of Mark Rogers and Pet Food Express)
With these two dogs in their arms, Tim and Letti both asked the blonde haired card-carrying Peta Rep, "Do you still think these dogs should be dead?"
Apparently this question sparked an emotional response from the Rep, who delivered a rousing rendition of Peta's anti-pit bull stance, peppered with colorful profanities. I'm sure it was one of her finer moments and only regret that I wasn't there to witness or record the occasion of the peaceable girl elaborating on why Jonny and Uba should be dead. (I was off soothing my own pit bull Sally, who was cringing at the sound of a hundred balloons popping as a nearby float was taken apart.)
According to the Peta rep's tirade, Jonny and Uba stole good homes from other needy dogs, so Tim and Letti should just learn to accept death for pit bulls and Save the Poodles. Or something like that. (We're still not clear on that)
Like any sane pet owner, Tim and Letti disagreed and stood steady, which shook up the Peta girl. They were each holding parade-worn pit bulls after all ... who knew what they could do with them? So she called for a security guy to save her from the terrible distress of looking two former victims of cruelty in the eye. Needless to say, it wasn't a productive conversation.
According to the Peta rep's tirade, Jonny and Uba stole good homes from other needy dogs, so Tim and Letti should just learn to accept death for pit bulls and Save the Poodles. Or something like that. (We're still not clear on that)Like any sane pet owner, Tim and Letti disagreed and stood steady, which shook up the Peta girl. They were each holding parade-worn pit bulls after all ... who knew what they could do with them? So she called for a security guy to save her from the terrible distress of looking two former victims of cruelty in the eye. Needless to say, it wasn't a productive conversation.
ANYWAY - a member from this Pride contingent was still angry when he got home from the parade and fired off a particularly snarky review about BR on Yelp. Oh the shame. He said ...
Apparently "the answer" is easy EBAA. According to Peta ... You just gotta skip the adoption thing, and kill them all. No muss, no fuss.
"I never really thought about this group one way or the other until I witnessed their hostile, ignorant and hypocritical tactics first hand .... Our group was East Bay Animal Advocates, and we were promoting vegetarianism as our mission in the parade. Every single member of our group is an animal lover, and we spend countless hours advocating for the rights of animals. We asked them to leave, offered contact information for them to contact us at a more appropriate time, but they refused to leave and attempted to escalate a conflict. {My note: Remember, they were carrying pit bulls!} Only when a security officer from the event told them to move on, did they leave.
They seem to be vehemently opposed to any euthanasia of pit bulls in shelters, but have absolutely no answer to what we as a society are supposed to do with the 7 million unfortunate dogs who enter shelters every year. No kill shelters are great, as long as you are willing to accept any dog who needs your care, which of course if impossible given the irresponsibility of those who don't spay and neuter their animals". - Jeff H.
Apparently "the answer" is easy EBAA. According to Peta ... You just gotta skip the adoption thing, and kill them all. No muss, no fuss.
BADRAP, as most know, is not a no-kill organization. We're just trying to save a few good dogs, man.
I'm sure you're a very nice person - Jeff H. of the East Bay Animal Advocates - but we have to question the decision to host Peta on your float, as they clearly have no business marching in an event that celebrates compassion and equality for all. Victims of cruelty including pit bulls need strong advocates to ensure that they aren't victimized twice by organizations who pose as good guys.
We will continue to bring Peta's unforgivable stance on pit bulls to people's attention whenever and wherever Peta makes a public appearance - without editing and certainly without apology.
Yelp this.
I'm sure you're a very nice person - Jeff H. of the East Bay Animal Advocates - but we have to question the decision to host Peta on your float, as they clearly have no business marching in an event that celebrates compassion and equality for all. Victims of cruelty including pit bulls need strong advocates to ensure that they aren't victimized twice by organizations who pose as good guys.
We will continue to bring Peta's unforgivable stance on pit bulls to people's attention whenever and wherever Peta makes a public appearance - without editing and certainly without apology.
Yelp this.
(By the way, Yelp only allows 600 character responses to reviews. Viva blogs.)
For other viewpoints and info, Google "Peta kills" and watch what comes up. Also, read this blogpost about an earlier exchange with Peta ... "Let's have a dog party. Pit bulls not invited."
EDIT: The post from the East Bay Animal Advocates came down from our Yelp page shortly after we launched this post. Which is unfortunate! ... We welcome discussion about issues that affect the lives of pit bulls, even when discussion gets heated and messy.
For other viewpoints and info, Google "Peta kills" and watch what comes up. Also, read this blogpost about an earlier exchange with Peta ... "Let's have a dog party. Pit bulls not invited."
EDIT: The post from the East Bay Animal Advocates came down from our Yelp page shortly after we launched this post. Which is unfortunate! ... We welcome discussion about issues that affect the lives of pit bulls, even when discussion gets heated and messy.
80 comments:
Donna, I am a vegan who was woefully unaware of PETAs stance until you brought it to my attention a few years ago at your conference. Without you all, I'd still be in the fog and still giving my hard earned money to them. Now, I see everything more clearly and choose to spread my money around to pit bull organizations. I love my pit mix more than life. Without your website, your blog and your guidance, she might not have had this wonderful forever home (yes, I pat myself on the back for being a good, responsible owner worthy of her love most of the time). Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I was unaware that Peta opposed adopting out pit bulls. After reading the link provided "from the horses mouth" it seems they are opposed to breeding pit bulls (since there are countless being killed in shelters), which I am in full agreement with. Really any dog breeding seems somewhat ridiculous considering the number of wonderful shelter dogs out there (2 of which are pit bulls my husband and I own). Just wondering what BAD RAP's stance is on breeding pits, or really any dog for that matter.
WOOO HOOO! Good for you, Bad Rap!
How dare that ignorant PETA rep say that by saving Jonny and Uba, other dogs lost their chances at good homes. When PETA kills nearly all of the animals that pass through their doors? I think not.
How about a little honesty among your own members, PETA? Then see how many renew membership when they finally learn what butchers Newkirk and other PETA leaders are.
I followed the link and looked for a place to comment (call him a moron) when I saw this little tidbit on the right side of his Yelp profile.... kind of says it all !!
JEFF HAS NO FRIENDS.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA
Hi Patrick. BR supports responsible breeding programs. We want our future generations to enjoy healthy, well bred pit bulls. As you probably know, a large part of our mission is focused on helping people get their pit bulls fixed, and we love that shelter and rescue adoption is quickly gaining popularity, but we have nothing against someone who does the footwork needed to find a responsible breeder for a new dog or puppy. This is especially true for people who want a working style dog with good structure and form, and for those who just love the historical pedigrees (Colby dogs, as one example).
Peta's vision of banning breeding programs is meant to be part of an extermination of the breed. They favor banning pit bulls wherever possible and grandfathering them out of existence. They use news reports of fatalities involving dogs to further this mission...
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9759
They've been making the argument that their tough stance comes from a love for the dogs and a desire to end suffering. It sounds good to the casual observer - and to their supporters, too. However when we see them degrade pit bulls in their language and sensationalize headlines to promote breed bans, their goals become much more transparent. They're certainly willing to sweep well loved family pets into the fray and manipulate information to direct hatred at the dogs.
I'm pretty sure PETA would love pit bulls if they thought that pit owners were in the same high-income bracket that they imagine poodle and shitzu owners are in.
People who can't defend their position without yelling and falling into profanity usually don't have a position to defend - and they know it. PETA is a scam, and a sham - and a shame. What do they actually do besides get D list stars to pose naked? and how many silicones had to die for Pam Anderson? (for PETA folks reading, this is a joke) GO BADRAP!!
I'm not a member of any group or organization but I quietly rally against PETA whenever I get the opportunity. I would not be surprised if their "celebrity" spokespersons are totally unaware of what PETA's doctrine really involves. I would like to see how much of their budget is spent on travel and related expenses because I'm sure it is quite high, along with the salaries of the management. IMO PETA is nothing more than a scam artist's means to a good life.
I have a staffordshire/pit cross and she is probably THE most affectionate dog I've ever owned and I will probably get another in the future.
Thanks for all you guys do!!!
It drives me nuts that PETA have such a high profile. It seems to me that the general perception of them is they're simply an animal rights organization and not radical extremists that they really are. Have they still not changed their tune about pit bulls? In light of the Sports Illustrated article and the about face made by the HSUS I'm surprised that they still haven't budged. But then, I guess common sense logic cannot be expected when Ingrid Newkirk is part of the equation.
I hope your presence at the Pride parade helped to change a few misperceptions. Judging by the comments made by readers of the "Chihuahua sacrifices self defending family against pit bulls" article in SF Gate there's still so much work to do.
I volunteer at a municipal shelter so I deal with a lot of pit bulls, many of which have been victims of abuse and/or neglect. I wish those haters could see what I see, that pit bulls are not monsters. Pit bulls are not killers. They're just dogs.
Hopefully this doesn't go further to promoting that vegan=PETA=bad image. I maintain that anyone who is an ethical vegan (read: for animal reasons, not for health reasons) should absolutely be opposed to BSL and support efforts to educate the public about Pit Bulls, not support killing them all. After all, being a vegan is about opposing oppression based on arbitrary discrimination, and that's exactly what breedism (and speciesism) is!
While I can understand the twisty logic presented by PETA on this issue, it obviously fails to take into account that dogs are individuals. When you consider that this is a key tenant of the logic behind ethical veganism, their argument falls extremely flat. Sure, by saving bust dogs other dogs loose good homes, but the reverse is true too! Saving two other dogs would have resulted in these two equally amazing dogs loosing out.
Don't judge all us veg people by the standard they've set. PETA doesn't represent all my views, and many, many vegans and vegetarians disagree with the way they practice activism. I love my Pit Bull mix very much, and I love all the Pit fosters I've had equally much. Condemning them to death for who they are is not a representation of my values as a vegan.
I honestly don't know how you can be vegan for the love of animals and then kill them instead of rescuing them. I found out about this some time ago and was totally disgusted. They are certainly not getting my support! Good job for you guys, and get the word out there because not everyone knows about it.
Your dogs are beautiful, amazing and show to the world that dogs are not responsible, owners are!
PETA
People Euthanizing Terrific Animals
I now have no respect for their organization.
Hey, I LOVE Pit Bulls. My friend has one. I've met many and they are wonderful dogs but I think many are misinterpreting Peta's stance a little. Of course they are against breeding programs. There are millions of homeless dogs. Breeding dogs of any kind is kind of perverse given the millions of dogs in shelters. As for their particular desire to end pit bull breeding, so many pit bulls are bred to be fighting dogs. So many are horribly abused. I know that many pit bull lovers are great people but many pit bull owners are not. Peta's philosophy is that it is wrong to create more animals that are so vulnerable to such awful abuse.
Peta is probably one of the worst orgs out there. They take money and use it to pay celebs to further their killing mission. It is absolutely disgusting.
I am not a vegan but I do not condone PETA's stance on euthanizing pets. Apparently if they euthanized 95% of the dogs and cats taken in by their organization in 2008 they are not only against pitts but every breed of dog and cat. They need to be stopped and arguing a death penalty for an animal that has committed no crime is just insane.
Thank you SOOOO much for this awareness. I too am one that was in the fog of PETA's stance on Pit Bulls. I have become disenchanted over the past few years with them and this is my final straw. I own a rescued pit bull mix and cannot imagine like without him. He is my husband's right hand man. I have voluntarily revoked my PETA membership and will make sure everyone knows.
Thank you again for all of your efforts in continued education for the public. Way to go Uba and Johnny Justice! What ambassadors you are!
I don't have a lot of sympathy for members of organization that take a militant stance when they don't fully know what the group even stands for. My beautiful puppy is an unknown brindle shelter rescue and for that reason alone PETA would have him killed. It seems there is not room anymore for a moderate voice. If you support a balanced approach to a sustainable environment then you're hated by carnivores and vegetarians alike. Lucky for me, my pup currently supports snoring, and today I'll be grateful for his safety.
I didn't know this about PETA, but I'm not that surprised. In my view, no other organization anywhere has done more to disrupt the cause of animal rights than PETA. They'll go ballistic about an earthworm, but feel no compunction about destroying an entire breed of dogs, rather than fight the cruelty imposed on those dogs. They wrap their message in so many layers of extremism that it can't get through to average people. And for the animal rights movement to succeed, average people need to get on board. I've often wondered, actually, if they were some secret subset of the meat industry. If so, they are very effective.
While I can appreciate where you are coming from, the snide slights at vegans is unwarranted and unfair, especially whilst discussing discriminatory practices against Pit Bulls. There is always a certain amount tragedy when a marginalized subset of the population perpetuates stereotypes/myths from another disenfranchised part of the pop. I know that may not have been your intent, but as a vegan animal rights activist who loves Pit Bulls, your continual "peaceful vegan" jibe didn't sit well.
It was also disappointing seeing a quote from a PR firm whose special interests include alcohol, tobacco, agribusiness, restaurant firms. The same organization that slams mothers against drunk driving and believes obesity is not an actual problem in the United States. Sometimes the messenger should be questioned and CCF is definitely one of them. They don't care about Pit Bulls, they don't care about animals, and they certainly don't care about your or me. They care about propping up businesses that kill people and non human animals.
PETA's position on Pit Bulls sucks to high heavens. So does their behavior when it comes to women and how they portray them. I'm not a fan.
Could you be feeling sensitive Rinalia? Letti is a vegan as are many members of our group (not surprising for an animal welfare group)
I wrote that - not as a jab to veganism - but to point out the extreme irony of a mandated death sentence coming from someone who claims to love animals to the point of refusing animal products in their diet.
That, and the Peta girl actually lost her peaceful vibe and went psycho about 5 seconds into her rebuttal. Sorry to offend you - it wasn't intended. But I stand by the need to point out this horrible irony. Yes, Peta does give veganism a bad name and no one should be more pissed off about that than the people who practice and promote it.
Center for Consumer Freedom's research on Peta is presented only as research, not an endorsement of the group. If you have a favorite source for Peta-facts (I know there are several), I'd be happy to post those too.
Unbelievable.
Thank you all for fighting the good fight.
I'm not sure how many of you read about the huge Butter Jesus statue at a church near Cincinnati that recently burned down (which is another matter entirely), but this was PETA's (apparently serious) offer to the church:
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100622/NEWS01/306220015/PETA-offers-to-help-rebuild-Touchdown-Jesus-with-a-catch
When I read things like this, I have to question how this organization has become so prominent, and how it can be taken seriously.
I hope the altercation did not ruin what should have been a fun occasion, but PETA deserves more scolding than Tim is capable of.
PS has the Yelp review in question been removed? Maybe Jeff didn't buy enough advertising on Yelp (which is yet another issue)
Donna and Tim,
Thanks so much for having the ballocks to take on PETA. My only regret is you did not get it on video!
Ingrid Newkirk is local to DC, and I was appalled that she gave an endorsement to WARL. Maybe she will retract it in light of our Red-White-and-Blue America's Dog campaign for pit bulls!
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3605-DC-Animal-Welfare-Examiner~y2010m6d29-Independence-Day-promotion-pushes-freedom-from-a-bad-reputation
(very good article)
One of my friends from Bengal Rescue was personally involved in the Norfolk VA case. She turned over two healthy kittens to PETA, who butchered them in their van and left their dead bodies in black garbage bags behind the Piggly Wiggly.They were charged with cruelty, but eventually only convicted of littering and paid a small fine.
I tried to find something on the web about it, the first thing it turned up was this:
http://www.petakillsanimals.com/
which has some good information but is basically the handiwork of Richard Berman
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Richard_Berman_cares_about_animals:_clients_exposed
who has a personal vendetta going on against HSUS and Wayne Pacelle. (He took out a pricey ad in the WaPo attacking him).
You know, I don't understand how these folks can pass themselves off as animal advocates. I know Newkirk got her start at the Washington Humane Society shelter many years back when it was a high-kill shelter.
I will be at the No Kill conference at the end of the month here in DC. People don't understand that No Kill doesn't mean no euthanasia. It mostly means what Bad Rap constantly says, judge each animal as an individual.
Keep up the good work, the more you get those "ticking time bombs" out in public the more hearts and minds we will win. And in the end we will win this war.
PETA has consistently disgusted me in their methods and their policies. For an organization that professes to support the rights of all animals, they certainly aren't practicing what they preach. My pibble girl farts in their general direction.
PETA is an organization which does not believe in ANY domesticated animals - So everyone get ready - no more pets, no more horses, no more animals in general in your life or used in your life (such as for food) In my book they have gone to the extent that some folks have when they claim vegetables feel pain when we eat them.
May I dare ask this question: DO guns kill... or do the people who pull the trigger?? Any dog, ANY breed can and has been made vicious via the treatment or training of their sick owners. I have dealt with horses who have been vicious - even a bull. Met a cat that Steven King should write about also.
Bull terriers have a jaw that needs to close all of the way before it re-opens. Yes, their bites, when they do happen, can be bad - BUT have you met a Dalmatian or German Shepherd or any other breed that has been in-bred for color?? Hey, they most probably have a higher incidence of biting that these dogs.
I personally do not have this breed - I really want and will get a English Bull Mastiff one day.
I also personally wish the media was not as enamored by PETA - or that they would do their own due diligence before their continued aggrandizement of the organization.
Thank you for this Blog and the opportunity to voice my displease and lack of respect for PETA and their diatribe.
PETA is a cult. The woman's violent reaction to a reasoned argument cues us to that. Pointing out hypocritical and irrational behaviors to cult members does usually lead them to unbearable discomfort. They have nothing else to prop up their image of themselves. They need PETA, no matter what, to validate themselves.
It never ceases to amaze me what PETA continues to get away with. I've worked for a company exploited by PETA, as well as being told flat out I'm wrong for dissecting animals when I'm a veterinary student. There's just some things that you can't learn from a book! (The animals used were to be put down anyway)
This story just continues to show that the organization just wants to continue to pull wool over their members eyes. Its brainwashing, that's all it is.
Personally, I'm glad I did my research and educated myself before falling victim to PETA's schemes.
Jennie hit the nail on the head with this comment: "Sure, by saving bust dogs other dogs loose good homes, but the reverse is true too!"
No matter which way you slice it, there are too many dogs and not enough homes. Arguably any time you save one dog you are condemning another to death. But why automatically disqualify a dog based solely on breed? Dogs are individuals and should be evaluated as such. Who's to say poodles are more deserving than pit bulls? I will take a well-behaved pit bull any day over a badly behaved poodle. And I would take a well behaved poodle over a badly-behaved pit bull. Good dogs deserve good homes, regardless of breed. Period. End of story.
Regarding PETA, it's so unfortunate that the organization has become THE de facto animal welfare organization to much of the public. There are a lot of supporters out there who don't do a lot of digging into an organization's true beliefs before blindly following them. PETA puts its money into celebrities and high-profile campaigns to draw supporters, and unfortunately, the general public takes the bait.
I love Bad Rap and its mission, but I'm very sorry to see that it validated the opinions of the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) quoting its take on PETA. The CCF is notoriously anti-animal welfare. I agree that PETA (and also HSUS - particularly in the wake of the Vick bust) have bad policies on bully breeds. However, endorsing the opinion of Center for Consumer Freedom (which is anti-animal welfare across the board) is not the best way to prove your point and lends credence to CCF when it truly doesn't deserve it.
Donna, I don't think Rinalia is being sensitive. I was a little offended by the "peaceable vegan" comment too, but I made a choice not to mention it. If I had a nickel for every time someone has said something offensive about me being a vegan, well, I'd have a well-funded animal sanctuary. Sound familiar?
And agree on the CCF thing too - I didn't check the link because I've seen 'em all. Once someone pays CCF enough, they'll be using "facts" to support BSL too. They're not a reliable source for any facts, even ones that support your argument. You don't need them to support this argument! It's enough to say PETA is not following their own ethics.
I was a member of PETA and dropped my membership years ago after a fellow pitbull owner informed me of their stance. I asked for their policy in writing, and cancelled my membership within about 3 seconds (and told them exactly why).
The really unbelievable and hypocritical thing is that PETA routinely uses photos of pitbull-type dogs in their campaigns and were out there in front campaining for money (presumably to kill more dogs with?) during the Michael Vick case.
I only wish more people knew the real story about them.
Having grown up in Virginia Beach (which shares a border with Norfolk), I learned to detest PETA at an early age for their outrageous advertisement. It was not until I started reading the BAD RAP blogs, however, that I learned what a despicable organization they really are. Now the HSUS is finally starting to recognize that pit bulls can be loving family dogs, but they still lobby for the destruction of all reptiles, regardless of adult size or temperament. I don't know how many of you are supporters of our cold-blooded friends, but I urge you to join USARK if you are.
HEY Anon,
Bull terriers do not have jaws that need to close all the way before they open. Trust me. I lived with them. They are like any other dog.
Kristi
If Bull Terriers needed to close their jaws all the way before being able to open them again, I would still have a bull terrier hanging from my arm. That would be my beloved Anna Panda. Those tiny little glinty triangular eyes are not the best at judging distance or toy/arm discrimination. Anna was Horrified(!) that she bit my arm instead of the tug toy. One tooth went in and then - the horror - I bit my Goddess! I actually the treasure the little scar I have. Anna has been gone for five years. I still miss her.
Kristi
Thanks Jennie. It's good to point out when you've felt offended. I did pass the draft of this blog by our members yesterday - many who are vegans or veggies - and didn't get any heads up on offensive language, but I hear you here.
About CCF. Despite what you don't like about them, they're spot on about Peta's kill numbers and present a compelling argument that's supported with facts and statistics. That just can't be ignored because someone doesn't like their other polices (I realize that HSUS hates them for doing similar scrutiny into Katrina dollars and the recent full page ad about HSUS donations to shelters) If this makes you crazy, maybe the thing to do is gather the information that's so helpful - hell, steal it from CCF - organize it in a way that offers a clean read and we'll post in on our website as one frictionless go-to page for Peta sins. Would you be willing to do that footwork?
I understand your point that Peta is guilty as charged simply because they aren't following their own mission statement and ethical code, but really, nothing is as compelling as data to help Peta supporters see the literal damage being done.
The other great source for Peta funk has been Terrierman, but you may already know that he's gone off the deep end and wants to see pit bulls legislated against, so hell if we're going to link him here.
What say you? Would you be willing to help us with this?
Yes, I'd be willing to help with that. Since I work with a shelter that works directly with HSUS I have a different take on them. They are basically a lobbying outfit, after all. It would be good to have some "clean facts" on PETA and get the word out on them. I may steal some stuff from Winograd, too.
Brava Dianne. Thank you.
Here's what we have right now. It's rather dated and lacking ... only because Peta is rich with insults and strategies that negatively impact our beloved breed.
http://www.badrap.org/rescue/petaa.html
Some thoughts on all the responses here:
1. Its always interesting that while PETA defenders criticize the overall positions of CCF, they don't dispute the kill numbers in CCF's report. Because they are true.
2. It is disturbing to see PETA defenders suggest that we have all misinterpreted a concern regarding the overbreeding of the dogs. No, PETA and Ingrid have made it clear that they don't just want to stop the breeding, they want to euthanize the living ones as well. I'm sure someone has a link to the most recent crazy editorial PETA ran in which they claimed that all the Vick dogs were either dead or doomed to live in cages for life. Another lie.
3. Ingrid has been dusting off the same editorial for years regarding their desire to see pit bulls euthanized and made extinct, and whenever a really bad bite case occurs, she sends the essay out again to the local papers, who mistakenly assume its some fresh opinion inspired directly by their circumstances. No, its just another opportunity for PETA to jump on a media wave that they can try to use to gain contributions.
ARGH,
Ken
thanks for listing out Dianne's homework for us, Ken.
:-)
here's a start .. Peta's most recent kill numbers from the VA Dept of Agriculture...
http://www.petakillsanimals.com/downloads/PetaKillsAnimals.pdf
if someone doesn't like that CCF requested the numbers, you can request them yourself from the Dept of Ag contact person who sent this letter.
easy peasy.
Well I might as well throw in my two cents since I kinda instigated this whole thing.
PETA - including the representative I had words with at the parade - love to jump into the breeder rhetoric as soon as they can, which is firstly ironic, since we are always actively neutering as many animals as possible. But secondly, and equally ironic, is the fact that their position of destroying all shelter pit bulls would simply create zero competition for the breeders that they so love to hate. If good homes can't get a pit bull from a shelter, they have no choice but to go to a breeder.
Oh sweet contradiction.
My husband and I were talking about PETA tonight (he grew up next door to them as well), and he mentions to me that he ran a search for pit bulls under google news today. He said most of the stories were negative (bite cases and such). Then he told me something really interesting--the cases of mistaken identity were really appalling. My husband is pretty much the definition of an "average Joe" when it comes to dog identification, but even he could see that in one story, the dogs were GSD/Lab crosses, and in another story the dog was a chow/Lab cross. I am certainly not trying to slander any of these breeds, as I believe that EVERY dog should be judged as an individual, I just think it noteworthy to mention that the common man, as it were, can easily recognize a NON pit bull, yet these reporters seem unable to.
great comment, Heather.
it's amazing how the media has morphed the term 'pit bull' to describe any largish dog that acts scary.
I was there when most of this went down and I can't say it is an entirely accurate account. I am vegan. I hate PETA's stance on euthanasia. I made multiple attempts to tell the BR crew that I was there with East Bay Animal Advocates and I don't believe their dogs or any pit bull should be put to death. Unfortunately, they were too busy screaming at the one person there who worked for PETA to listen to the rest of us. It is sad that they assumed we were all gung-ho PETA lovers because they donated literature to the float. It's no better than the assumption that pit bulls are aggressive.
The hell with PETA. I supported them in college when I didn't know better. That was a VERY long time ago. Anyone who supports real rescue and real humanity toward animals knows PETA for what it is.
Cheers to Tim and Lettie for holding their own against PETA profanity.
Tim & Letti, I'd be scared too, you coming after someone loaded with heart breakers. Some folks can't handle that much compassion in one small package, especially those Boys Beaut's.
Donna, kind of like karma and your sensitive Sally picked-up the vibes of balloons popping metaphorically. I'm with Ken, don't put the pins (or pens)up yet.
O.K. to twist a quote "pain from words, could just be the weakness trying to get out of you".
Great concept Red-White-Blue Bullys as USA celebration. We're there in '76 Spirit with patriotic Boris, JR & Sheena (she'll keep us from being blue as long as she hangs-on).
I'm with Jonny, all this talk just makes me hungry for a good 4th BBQ. Two grils going one veggies (sweetpotatoes JR's favorite)and one for (my)carnivore treats. Meaning no offense to those who profess a raw food diet, bring BYO crudites or gobbet. All welcome under the tent, you don't have to even like us dogs, just ....
... remember to respect everyone's freedom,
Red, White and Sheena
(warnin': it is our rights to withhold servwice to whiners)
Anon - I well remember you telling us that you were not with PETA, and we did not assume you were all with them or gung-ho about them. I can understand why you might have felt that way, but truly, our beef was not with you and EBAA, it was, and always will be with PETA - unless they see the gross error in their fanatical, compassionless stance against our breed and quit calling for the death of all sheltered pit bulls.
As for the yelling, it did not begin that way. We were quite calm when asking the PETA gal if she still felt that that the Vick dogs in our arms should be destroyed. I hope you saw that it was she who lost it and went into the first yelling tirade with the flying F-word and got into our faces quite aggressively. I hope you also noticed that the BAD RAP crew refrained from using any such profanity.
So, was the PETA rep naked? Because from what I can tell of their advertising and protesting style, they like their womenfolk to be naked as much as possible.
@ Mary .. Not naked. But definitely transparent.
Anon 12:05. I second Tims note. BR's beef is not against EBAA, but we can't walk 22 rescued pit bulls behind someone who is distributing Peta literature and look the other way. I imagine you would do the same if Little Debbie Snack Cakes had a big ass float in front of you that was distributing coupons to all of SF for Oatmeal Creme Pies, right? ;-)
The world needs to hear your message of veganism and vegetarianism. But allowing Peta to distribute literature via your float shows support for their policies, including the one that is killing pit bulls. Does that make sense?
None of us should look the other way when animals are being victimized and exploited, and that includes calling so-called animal welfare groups like Peta on their shit rather than giving them a platform.
This is all very uncomfortable - I agree. But we wouldn't have gone public with this exchange had Jeff H. not raised the Bad Review flag in our Yelp page .. Which naturally resulted in a response from us -- the Big Mouth Crew. Our dogs need voices, just like your farm animals need voices.
Let's continue to support the good work we all do, while staying watchful of those groups like Peta who are actively working to harm companion animals, pit bulls especially.
I'm vegan, support some of Peta tactics and love pit bulls with my heart and soul. But I can no longer support PETA given the way that ignorant woman treated Uba and Johnny J. - that's not a true animal lover if you can't look at them and smile all over. They ARE what animal love/advocacy/welfare is. I know some good people at Peta but to disrespect Bad Rap? And that East Bay guy to mention "they were carrying pit bulls!" oooh... All I know is this: don't nobody talk @$%^ about my family. And Bad Rap and Pitties are part of mine. I'm done with Peta. Farm Sanctuary is a great organization that is growing leaps and bounds with farm animal advocacy and happens to love pit bulls - I am proud to support them.
81,000 pitbulls die in shelters every month, many of them puppies. I am absolutely shocked Donna to hear you use the words "responsible" and "breeding" in the same sentence. We could ban all breeding and there would still me millions of homeless pitbulls in the world. I ADORE my pitties, and I am involved with 4 rescue organizations here in DC, but the reality is that this breed will NEVER be a happy breed in this country because of what people do to them. Animals are not ours to own or domesticate, just as they are not ours to fight. Peta has faults, but they are right about that at least. About 1 in 600 pitbulls ends up in a happy home. Does that justify us continuing the breed for our own selfish desires? Absolutely not. I will fight to end BSL and rescue pitbulls from death until the day I die, but I get fifty emails a day about a pitbull who is chained in the backyard, or who was left covered in maggots, or who was set on fire as part of a gang initiation. The hard truth is that pitbulls would be better off if they didn't exist, because humans will never treat them the way they deserve to be treated.
> The hard truth is that pitbulls would be better off if they didn't exist, because humans will never treat them the way they deserve to be treated.
_____
Wow - Calilove! That's a really harsh viewpoint, and it certainly matches one of reasons Peta feels pit bulls should be banned and grandfathered off the planet. We just can't go there.
BADRAP as an organization has never condemned breeding dogs responsibly. And yes, it's possible to do it responsibly so the breed is strengthened with healthy bodies (knees! hips!) and minds. We'd like to see MUCH less breeding across the board, but we love it when breeders commit to doing rescue work, too, and we've worked with several to save dogs' lives.
I'm not sure if anyone's ever confirmed the "only 1 in 600 pit bulls get adopted' number -it's one of those weird stats that showed up without any data attached - but the world is starting to change for the better for pit bulls, sheltered pit bulls especially thanks to the changing tide.
I'm guessing your view comes from slogging thru a particularly bad part of the country for pit bulls especially. I might feel the exact same way in your shoes.
We see things a little bit differently in the SF bay area. Since we started 11 years ago, fewer pit bulls are being born in our counties and more homes are willing to adopt them from shelters than ever before. The east bay shelters don't need us to rescue their creampuffs anymore ... they're flying out the door when they used to be fertilizer. We've started going out of county to save the 'beginner dogs' for the first time homes that want to start with something that's low key. More and more people are showing an acceptance of spay/neuter, and more of the dogs that come to our Shots Fairs (where we cater to low income communities) are coming in fixed. We never used to see that. It's changing. Never as fast as we want it to, but it is.
So I say, if you want to buy a good dog from a responsible breeder -- sure, go for it. The hardest job is going to be finding one that has solid ethics including health testing and limited litters. If you do that, just see about fostering for a rescue once your new dog is settled so you can give back.
Tim, thanks for the clarification about PeTA not just wanting to support no breeding, but actively discouraging pit bull adoptions. I saw several people posting things along of the line "what's so bad about not breeding" and felt they weren't reading closely enough.
PeTA wants our dogs dead, one way or another. They would prefer we adopt other breeds or mixes while our dogs leave shelters in garbage bags or metal bins.
Furthermore, PeTA wants to see an eventual end to ALL companion/domesticated/captive animals. They do not deny this. But that's a whole 'nother can of worms. :(
Donna, I'll keep it simple. I love you and my pit Duchess loves you. Much love from Indiana. Keep fighting the good fight.
Although I am in agreement with your organization re: promoting positive pr for the pit bull breed; I don't see how your confrontational strategy with Peta is going to help much. When things are this polarized it is best to practice ahimsa (or do least harm), ignore the opposition (at least in this case)and go your merry way.The parade was a successful outreach event. That should have been enough. Peta is not a nationally recognized organization, most mainstream folks think they are a bunch of nut cases that through paint on people ..so why equate your organization with that? It will not help garner further support for the dogs in question. Don't let your personal ego get caught up in it. It's a waste of energy. On another note,I sometimes think there is an element of racism/classism involved re: views of pits as an inferior and untrustworthy or unworthy breed. Many Whites equate pit ownership with Black and/or poor folk. Thanks for all that you do for the pits. I have grown to love them thanks to folks like you. I hope to adopt one some day, or at least volunteer in some way and I always spread the good word about them...xoxo Loved the video!
For those wanting info on PETA's dirty little killing habit untainted by the CCF, there's this:
http://www.examiner.com/x-35783-Atlanta-Animal-Welfare-Examiner~y2010m6d18-Still-killing-after-all-these-years--five-years-after-PETAs-Piggly-Wiggly-dumpster-incident
The links go to news articles covering the dumping of animals, the arrest of PETA employees, and their subsequent trial. The paper has quite a few more articles which I didn't reference, but you can find them easily enough by doing a search at the paper's website. Yearly kill stats are available directly from the VDACS website (tutorial in article), but for some reason 2009 was not yet posted when I wrote the article even though the numbers are already public.
Can't help but play devil's advocate...
Please do not denounce an entire organization who promotes animal welfare. Just because PETA has a stance on pit bulls that is hopeless, it doesn't mean we shouldn't disregard their work toward preventing animal cruelty worldwide in circus rings and laboratories; promoting adopting shelter dogs; promoting cruelty free diets; or advocating fashion industries to quit using fur.
To say 1 part of their say 20 part group denounces their name doesn't seem rational. I'm not saying that what BADRAP did was bad, but let's stick to the pitbull stance and not the entire organization.
"No-Kill" is not the best option in this day and age where there are just too many dogs being euthanized in shelters. In the argument of "dogs taking the spots/homes of other adoptable dogs," there is more of an issue of no kill rescues using valuable resources to help one dog who may be damaged mentally and physically for life, while another perfectly adoptable dog of any breed could have a place. Question that stance.
It is a good idea to be extremely FOR the responsible breeding of pit bulls (limited litters, carefully selected parents, breeding for health and temperament, an incredibly educated individual who has studied animal husbandry, etc.) for the sake of the future of the breed. If left to backyard breeders, what would become of the breed's genetics? The problem is, WHO wants to step up to that?
PETA doesn't understand that if they successfully banned pit bulls, what breed next to exploit? Back to dobermans? GSDs? It's not the breed, it's the people.
The best thing to do is keep educating people (especially kids!), both about the breed and about the hype (show those news stories about dog bites that have a picture of a pitbull even though the bite was done by a golden retriever) and to continue to support adoptable pit bulls.
But most importantly, to not stoop to the levels of extremists and instead, let them look irrational. If all of us pit bull advocates run and say "F*&% PETA!" How does that make us look? Even though BADRAP didn't do that
BadRap, have I told you lately that I love you?
Question: for all of you who claim to be animal lovers, what gives us the right to breed and even own dogs? Should we be allowed to breed and own tigers? Chimps? Where do we draw the line? Pet overpopulation is a result of human's greed in wanting to "own" animals. They are not ours to own. I am the biggest pitbull lover you will EVER meet. I have personally rescued dozens of pitbulls. I have more "I love my pitbull" paraphanelia (sp?)than anyone I know. Every second of my free time is spent trying to rescue animals. BUT, the vast majority of shelters are not like Berkeley's. I'm in DC and the shelter is abysmal. I would rather see a dog euthanized than live in that shelter more than a week. It's not a life. Donna you should travel a bit around the country before you dare to say the situation is getting better. It is not. And before you say things like "we in the bay area" you should know that I grew up and lived in the bay area for 25 years. The bay area is not representative. I have gotten out in the world. I've seen what it's like and I'm not even in the worst place. I get 100 emails a day about full litters of pitbulls dumped in the trash or abandoned. As long as people breed, getting puppies from a breeder will be an option and thus shelter puppies will be overlooked. The overpopulation is astounding and it is NOT getting better.
Riddick! Does your mom know you're at the computer again?
We love you too!
Hmmm Donna, breeding dogs for superior features -- sounds eerily supremacist-like, no?
I agree that banning the breed is not the answer, mostly because it won't actually solve the problem -- it will just drive pitbull fighting and backyard breeding underground, and perpetuate the myth that pitbulls are dangerous dogs.
Mandatory spay/neutering (of ALL breeds) is key -- people say it's hard to enforce, but that's no excuse, even if true. E.g., there is a kid behind my house, nice kid, but he refuses to spay his pittie and wants to breed her. I have friends at the shelter who want to confiscate and spay her but they can't legally. To those of you who have a problem with ending companion animal 'ownership,' I'd like to pose a question -- of you agree with owning animals, you agree that they are inferior to you. And whenever you admit a living thing to be inferior to you, and make it property, the consequence of that is abuse because legal protections cannot be implemented. It's a moot point because there will always be more animals to rescue than there are available homes for them, but it's something to think about since there is a rampant problem with humans trying to domesticate other species like tigers and chimps. Animals were meant to run wild, not be cooped up in crates and small apartments. We rescue because we have to. But my hope is that someday we won't have to.
@calilove:
What I don't understand about your stance is- do you really think that once pitties are gone abusers will stop abusing dogs?
They will just move onto another breed.
As an owner of a Cane Corso mix I got from a shelter, I know my dog's breed is pretty high on their list once they can't get any pitties.
According to your logic, that solution would be to exterminate all dogs- or at least all powerful largish dogs, and leave us only with the Poodles.
Don't get me wrong about Poodles- I have fostered a small poodle, and she is a great dog (now in her forever home).
But I want to be able to have my Corso mix, and for him to have Pittie playmates.
@Calilove "The hard truth is that pitbulls would be better off if they didn't exist, because humans will never treat them the way they deserve to be treated."
_____
There is a pit bull checking into the Ritz Carlton next week that we've been working around the clock to pamper, so I beg to differ.
Briefly...
Gina - Supremacist? Faulty knees, hips, hearts, skin issues and even damaged temperaments are all a direct result of bad breeding. If we want pit bulls (and all other dogs) to have bodies and minds that work 10-20 years from now, we want educated, ethical breeders to lead the way.
I can speak for all of BR when I say that we own our dogs. Property rights are still held sacred in this country, and protecting one's property from theft or harm is a concept that many politicians understand. It's the key reason that Republicans are more willing to strike BSL measures down.
Calilove. It's unfortunate that you weren't able to see the bay area 15 some years ago when shelters were slaughterhouses and pit bulls were in extreme crisis. In addition to the work that's been done here for the breed (remember, we've had a big head start over most communities), we've been lucky to visit dozens shelters all around the country through BR-related work. The main lesson has been that nothing changes for pit bulls until and unless each community decides to embrace pit bulls. Then, the magic starts happening. Two current examples of communities that have made incredible changes for their pit bulls in a short amount of time are Tampa FL and Chicago IL.
If you really believe the breed is doomed, then you're already defeated, and you'll continue to find examples to support your pessimism.
First and fore mast GOOD FOR BAD RAP!!
PETA can Kiss my $%#
I still can't wrap my head around people who claim to believe in 'Animal Rights' and who say they view animals as the equals of humans, yet still say that all Pit Bulls should be destroyed.
Isn't that, by their own logic, genocide? How can they reconcile the fact that they constantly kill healthy homeless animals with their belief that animals deserve the same rights as human beings?
Everyone who is making claims about the need to stop all breeding because there are just too many animals already in shelters needs to go to http://www.nathanwinograd.com/ or google no kill blog. The number of savable animals, ie not too severely ill or injured, in shelters is much less than the number of people looking for new animals. And if you can't believe Center for Consumer Freedom's PETA stats, this website repeats them. The author is a vegan, no-kill, animal advocate, so you can't really argue that he's anti animal welfare.
Some of the comments in this post are absolutely mind boggling.
Banning Pit Bulls, imposing mandatory spay/neuter laws, and regulating hobby breeders puts unfair restrictions on GOOD people and will do nothing to solve any of the problems that companion animal ownership faces today.
Banning Pit Bulls robs an entire group of dog owners of their prides and joys and will cause animal abusers to move on to Presas, Dogos, Corsos, Filas, etc.
Imposing mandatory S/N means that responsible people (and responsible, small breeders) will not be allowed keep a dog intact, and the people who SHOULDN'T have intact dogs will ignore the law, anyway. Besides, if so many of you are all for "Animal Rights," it seems a bit paradoxical that you're so gung-ho about removing vital organs on every single dog, no questions asked. (I am 100% for the spay/neuter of all dogs who pass through rescue, but do not think that private citizens should be required by law to sterilize a dog that they have purchased. They should be encouraged to do so and educated on why they should do it.)
And regulating all breeders mean that responsible hobby breeders have to suffer because of the cruelty of puppy mills. They may be forced to stop breeding because of dog limits per household or because the fees they'd have to pay to get themselves licensed will be too steep. That's simply not fair. We should be ENCOURAGING responsible breeders rather than punishing them.
I am completely fine with "owning" my dog. My dog is fine with it, too. All of the dogs at my dog club who have so much fun training and playing in dog sports don't seem to have any issues with it, either. We as humans ARE superior. We go to school, we work, make money, we build, repair, we can travel, we've developed new ways of communication over distances. And we should use that superiority to help other species, including the ones who have become domesticated. This means responsible breeding, good living conditions, physical and mental means of exercise, vet care, socialization, and the list goes on. Dogs really don't have it so bad being owned. Why change the system?
We need to educate people about the problems with breeding untested, unproven dogs. We need to reveal to people how crowded the shelter systems are, and how their actions can either help or harm the problem. THANK YOU, BADRAP, FOR DOING JUST THAT.
Some of the comments in this post are absolutely mind boggling.
Banning Pit Bulls, imposing mandatory spay/neuter laws, and regulating hobby breeders puts unfair restrictions on GOOD people and will do nothing to solve any of the problems that companion animal ownership faces today.
Banning Pit Bulls robs an entire group of dog owners of their prides and joys and will cause animal abusers to move on to Presas, Dogos, Corsos, Filas, etc.
Imposing mandatory S/N means that responsible people (and responsible, small breeders) will not be allowed keep a dog intact, and the people who SHOULDN'T have intact dogs will ignore the law, anyway. Besides, if so many of you are all for "Animal Rights," it seems a bit paradoxical that you're so gung-ho about removing vital organs on every single dog, no questions asked. (I am 100% for the spay/neuter of all dogs who pass through rescue, but do not think that private citizens should be required by law to sterilize a dog that they have purchased. They should be encouraged to do so and educated on why they should do it.)
And regulating all breeders mean that responsible hobby breeders have to suffer because of the cruelty of puppy mills. They may be forced to stop breeding because of dog limits per household or because the fees they'd have to pay to get themselves licensed will be too steep. That's simply not fair. We should be ENCOURAGING responsible breeders rather than punishing them.
I am completely fine with "owning" my dog. My dog is fine with it, too. All of the dogs at my dog club who have so much fun training and playing in dog sports don't seem to have any issues with it, either. We as humans ARE superior. We go to school, we work, make money, we build, repair, we can travel, we've developed new ways of communication over distances. And we should use that superiority to help other species, including the ones who have become domesticated. This means responsible breeding, good living conditions, physical and mental means of exercise, vet care, socialization, and the list goes on. Dogs really don't have it so bad being owned. Why change the system?
We need to educate people about the problems with breeding untested, unproven dogs. We need to reveal to people how crowded the shelter systems are, and how their actions can either help or harm the problem. THANK YOU, BADRAP, FOR DOING JUST THAT.
PETA should be ashamed for all their lies and missuesage of funding by people like me who work hard for our money. Giving money to them is like killing all those animals with my bare hands and it just sickens me. I hope when they go to meet their higher power that they ar treated with the same respect and love that they have given to all other spicies.Thankfully you all have opened my eyes and I will be sure to tell others of all that I learned here today, thank you for your dillagence, and for keeping one eye open and looking out for the rest of us who where not in the know.
AMK
As a former PETA employee I've seen euthanasia first hand and it's not just Pitbulls it's ALL dogs and cats that are surrendered, rescued and/or found. They believe that death is better than the possibility of suffering. This is why the word former is in front of PETA employee.
However, I don't think breeding is responsible, not with the over 13,000 homeless pits sitting in shelters now(and that's just the number reported on Pet Finder when I search for Pitbull - think of all the other shelters not listed.) Let's help the breed by supporting spay/neuter and adoption, not breeding. There will always be some backwoods jack$#% breeding somewhere that will inevitably need a home.
And while you are only using the CCF website for statistics it's still promoting their agenda by sending traffic to their site and giving them the ability to gain advertising money, which only hurts animals.
I must sign off anonymous for fear of retaliation from PETA's legal team. Hopefully one day soon I will come forward with my story, not in hopes that they shut down but in hopes that they change their outdated stance on Pitbulls and euthanasia.
My husband and I helplessly fell in love with a 1 1/2 year old, 39 lb. pit bull we found neglected and starving in a field in 20 degree temps. From second one, she has been the most loving, brave animal I have ever met. She survived starvation, being used as a puppy mill, heart worm, parasites, and infections with the best of attitudes (and no small cost to Mom and Dad).
She loves my 2 other pound puppies - all mutts - and displays a wonderful helicopter tail wag around people in general. My husband frequently refers to her has his hero. Had she been found by animal control in Dekalb County, outside Atlanta, she would be dead right now. It makes me want to cry in sadness and frustration at the ignorance. Thanks for looking out for our buddies.
I realize that almost everyone commenting here is eyeball deep in pitbull issues, but try to pop up to the surface and see the meta-picture.
PeTA doesn't seek the extinction of pibbles. It seeks the extinction of dogs. And all domestic animals.
They use the bullies as a propaganda wedge, the demon dogs that they can sell to the public as monsters/victims. The locking-jaw killer story has worked for quite some time, but is losing its power. If the meme "We have to exterminate the pitbulls because they are all abuse victims"* can needle its way into regular citizens' minds, next it's farm animals, and sooner or later, they come for the poodles.
After all, when they get their hands on any animal, they are an equal-opportunity back-of-van killer.
What would I say if a Petan told me that my pibble had "taken" a home from a more deserving dog?
I'd just point out that all the poodles he'd eaten had made room for the adoption of scores of shelter dogs, so what's the problem?
__________
*I first heard this lil' gem fifteen years ago, from a member of the then-mayor of Pittsburgh's animal rights task force or advisory committee or whatever. Because you know, the wrong sort of people owned these dogs, so to protect them from these "urban" owners they must all be killed.
When I told her exactly what I thought of her, she tried to get me fired from my job as an editor.
Well, she didn't get her wish, either in the "firing" or the pibble ban. That mayor is long gone, along with his little committee. And the shelter with the Pittsburgh animal control contract is no longer permitted to kill every bully that walks in the door.
I am constantly surprised that my offer to foster a bust dog has had such far reaching repercussions. Uba is not just my dog; he is my exercise partner, my shadow, my bed hog, my personal comedian, the destroyer of my backyard, a playmate to the other dogs, the victim of my cats’ evil plots and my very, very best friend. My days would not be the same without his joie de vivre, gentle hugs and wagging tail. It therefore horrifies me to know that there is a large and occasionally influential group that continues to believe that my dog should be dead. The HSUS has rescinded their automatic condemnation of bust dogs, and it is my hope that peta could eventually have a similar mea culpa moment and acknowledge that pit bulls, and bust dogs in particular, can be included in the definition of adoptable pets. Walking past a float promoting a peta campaign it was impossible not to verbalize that hope and see if peta had in any way softened their rhetoric. Sadly I was informed, I believe by Jeff H the writer of the now infamous and disappeared yelp review, that my dog should be dead. Its one thing to know in theory that people want your dog dead, it is another to be face to face with a true believer that the world would be a better place without your precious little buddy in it. I was perhaps naively sickened and horrified and I was also jarred into realizing that although we have come a long way in the past three years there is still a long way to go. I hope that this sometimes difficult discussion can move us all, regardless of our affiliations, further towards a broader consensus that sheltered pit bulls and the victims of dog fighting deserve compassion and to be evaluated for adoption as equals to Newkirk’s “lovable mutts”. Pit bulls are relying on us to be as persistent and resilient as they are in our quest to secure their future.
Fucking PETA. I hate that as soon as I say I am Vegan I get clumped in with those nutters. Oh, this post makes my blood boil. So many Vegans disagree with Peta, I wish they would stop using Veganism as a front for their business.
Good for you guys for not being wimps and kindly approaching them. I am very sorry they treated you all like that.
Gah, they make me sick. Such ignorant jerks.
(part 2)
PeTA is absolutely dead set on eliminating all domestic animals - period. They don't want farm animals to be raised for slaughter, don't want laboratory animals to help us discover new medical treatments. (Byetta wouldn't be treating Type 2 Diabetics if not for research on Gila Monster venom!) They don't want people to have service animals, like seeing eye dogs, they don't want our law enforcement and military to have K9 cops.
Someone already said it, PeTA is a cult, pure and simple. They warp the minds of all their followers and especially of their employees. I try to educate as many people who are animal owners supporting PeTA because they don't know any better - yet.
as a final note: Ever really look at the PeTA logo... just as I've typed it here, the "e" is always lower case... that's e for ethical, and it's the least important word in their title, or they would have their whole logo in CAPS. They have no ethics, don't care about pets. Murder could never be called a viable "treatment" of animals. They truly are "People Euthanizing Trusting Animals" and it is disgusting.
I don't have dogs or cats, but I do have snakes, lizards, degus, frogs, toads, a finch, and 3 tanks of fish - All of which are on both PeTA and HSUS hit lists.
Along with USARK, I would suggest checking out Responsible Exotic Animal Owners www.REXANO.org for some good info on breed specific legislation that they are always on the watch for and fighting, as well as fighting any legislation that PeTA or HSUS pushes to make any exotics illegal. They also are an excellent resource for statistics on just how many human deaths have occurred due to animals. Remember, PeTA and HSUS have multi-faceted attacks against all pet owners, whether they have domestic or exotic animals, and they won't stop at anything less than every human being forced to become Vegan, with no animal companionship of any kind. Domestic and Exotic pet owners must all stick together to fight PeTA and HSUS. One breed or species lost to legislation is one less we all have to love and cherish.
The fact that PeTA and HSUS both seem to be working toward the same ultimate goal is not surprising when you learn that each of their Board of Directors one or two people in common.
More to come...
PETA doesn't care about animals. They cleverly found an unsaturated niche in the market where they could make money and anything that stands in the way of that, ie keeping animals alive, goes against their business model.
pits are great animals when they're taken care of properly- i've met plenty who would never harm a fly! and i've seen plenty of labs and yes, even a poodle, who have snapped and bitten people for seemingly no reason, but there's always a cause for such an outburst. i was even bitten by a rabid jack russell while on a bike as a kid- anything can happen- and after all those shots to my stomach at the hospital, i'd hang with a pit any day. they don't just turn for no reason- and even the long-term affects of heinous abuse can be reversed in a loving home. every animal deserves a chance a good life, no matter what- especially if people have already mistreated them. you wouldn't kill off foster kids, would you? no- they need the most help. and while they don't always get it, you don't rob them of a chance at a better life down the road. wake up, PETA- if this is true, you should be ashamed.
I'm a vegan, and I HATE PETA with a passion. Please do not lump all vegans in with that sideshow. They are not animal lovers....they are a fundraising machine that exploits women to make money.
I am all for saving pit bulls--it is not the dog, it's the stupid idiot who "owns" the dog. People are irresponsible, with their kids and dogs. It's only the dogs that get euthanized, unfortunately. Euthanizing healthy pitbulls is a crime and it should be stopped. Thanks for your good work.
Good job BADRAP!!! Thank you for standing up for these awesome dogs...I have two Pitties that I adopted from a shelter and I wouldn't trade them for the world...
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