PETA undermines local animal shelters

Last week I scratched the surface on the new People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (a misnomer for sure) campaign spearheaded by the wife of Sir Paul McCartney to end fur trade with domesticated animals in Europe. Apparently, Heather Mills-McCartney fancies herself as the new Lady Di as she also campaigns against land mines (a noble cause I might add).

However, positioning herself with the radical group PETA should raise the eyebrow of any serious journalist. And that’s what is now happening.

PETA was embarrassed badly this past June when it was found that their people were euthanizing animals too, and dumping their bodies in a dumpster. Two PETA operatives were caught disposing of 31 dead animals, including nine puppies, in a shopping center’s garbage bin.

Actually, it turns out they’ve been killing more pets than facilitating adoption for some time.

The Web site petakillsanimals.com details that in 2004, the animal rights advocate group killed 86.3 percent of the animals it was brought, and found homes for just 13.7 percent of them, despite a war chest of $29 million.

One veterinarian gave PETA officials a cat and two kittens, which were killed within an hour. Not exactly an exhaustive search to find a loving home.

The fact that CNN reported this abuse on the Dec. 16 Anderson Cooper 360 show would hopefully put PETA in the proper light with most Americans. Cooper asked the tough questions that a Larry King wouldn’t dream of, lest he upset the “beautiful people” like Mills-McCartney, Alec Baldwin and Pamela Anderson who use hyperbole to make their point.

The problem with most radical animal rights groups is they play on the emotions of people who, of course, want animals treated ethically (who can disagree with that?). They use emotional pleas and outright propaganda to pad their own pocketbooks and defend their criminal activities in court, while only a tiny fraction of their funds go toward actual animal welfare.

They attempt to brainwash our children through various programs, including a comic book magazine called GRRR. Kids Bite Back. One comic depicted a woman stabbing a rabbit and was headlined, “Your Mommy Kills Animals.”

In a day and age when many people have conveniently forgotten that meat comes from animals and not the supermarket, this type of publication can get traction and do long-lasting damage to our children.

I’m concerned because these same activist organizations tacitly support eco-terrorism (ever heard of the Animal Liberation Front?) here in the United States. They’ve also set their crosshairs on legal and common practices such as hunting, fishing, and ranching — all quite popular in this neck of the woods.

And they undermine efforts by local animal shelters that by and large are genuinely concerned about animal welfare and finding good homes for pets.

It’s probably too late for this year, but for those well-meaning folks who donate to animal charities, I suggest you spend that money locally in 2006 where it will do some good and still be tax-deductible. The Dodge County Humane Society could put your money to much more efficient use.

I dare you to spend a minute at the Web site listed above. Like Lay’s Potato Chips, you won’t be able to limit yourself to just one. I’m convinced most Americans would drastically change their opinion of PETA and their ilk.