blufraser

I watched this video on Petsmart called Petsmart Dirty Little Secret that some girl in PETA did. I personally do not like Peta because they seem to value animal life like cows, birds, etc. over human life.

I don't know if I believe the video or not about it, but basically she's saying that they buy from some shelter that abuses and kills animals and cramps them up. And if Petsmart has a sick animal they just let it die in the back of the store. Now it could be a bunch of bologna and she could be taping some place in another country. If you've ever seen the video do you believe it/did it phase you?

I don't mean to get people worked up or anything here, ahah. Just wondering if you think it's just another one of Peta's scams or not.

Red1313

I don't like to talk about PETA. But I'll leave a brief 2 cents.
There is potentially a small bit of truth in what she's saying but at the same time this is the group that has a video of a cancer eye cow and are calling it BSE.
I can't comment on Petsmart's dealings but I wouldn't call PETA a credible source.

blufraser

Yeah I understand that some people wouldn't, it starts tiffs with people who like PETA, but then again I thought, well wouldn't true PETA followers hate the idea of keeping a fish in a tank?

treve

PETA'
i do believe alot that goes on with animals in pet stores is not right or humane but with the history of PETA i dont believe much of the statements or info they come out with.and like above they probably think we are cruel for keeping fish in tanks?

agabr123

well put and i agree 100%

Tavel

I am a naturalist, I donate to the WWF, and I have total respect for all animals and plants. I won't even turn over a log in the woods because I don't want to disturb all the animals. That single action could be the difference between life or death for some of those animals...why should I have such power?

Given that...I absolutely do not like PETA.

1. Peta only values the cute and cuddlies, and couldn't care less about the suffering of wild animals, or the wellbeing of invertebrates (the really valuable animals on this planet -- and many people don't even consider them "animals." if they're not animals...what are they?).

2. Peta impedes conservation biology all over the world, making it very difficult for scientists to get funding for very important studies and programs.

I couldn't say it any better than this article by Discover Magazine.

The last paragraph follows:

"Whether PETA activists are the victims or the perpetrators of emotional and misleading polemics is ultimately beside the point. As an animal lover, I wonder: Where are the animals in this? The extinction of a species could be considered the ultimate cruelty, but neither PETA nor the Center for Consumer Freedom has much to say about the well-being or viability of animals in nature. This is a shame, because stress and suffering in individual wild animals due to the encroachment of humans is contributing to the demise of whole populations. If either of these two organizations was sincerely interested in the full range of alleviating harm to animals, they would find a place in their agendas for this real issue rather than focusing on campaigns of bullying and half-truths."

Mary C. Pearl. Natural Selections: Animal Wars Discover Magazine, April 2007.

Mary C. Pearl has a PhD in Conservation Biology.

(You can find the story on Discover Magazine's webpage, but fair WARNING: It does contain graphic images.)


On a more personal note, I applaud some of the efforts to reduce animal cruelty around the world. But that message will NOT be heard if PETA keeps playing the fanatic with an emotional vendetta.

People do not listen to fanatics, they listen to reason.

blufraser

I read the article in the link you sent me. PETA does favor the cute and fuzzy things, and they like attention too. You'd get more attention for stopping important research than to set loose stock that was going to be slaughtered.

Angela_96

You know I really have an issue with PETA. I think there is a line between loving animals and completly being insane. Peta is on the insane end of things.
Yes I agree to spay/neuter my pets, I agree that they should have the best possible lifestyle I can give my pets, and I also love a good 12oz steak, side of shimp, and tilapia. Then ice cream for desert. Yes, I do belive we should be able to eat animals, but kill them only for food, not fun.

They have took it so far that the cattle before they are killed have mood enhancing music played for them, massaged, etc (CRAZY!)

Tavel

Maybe the massages improve product quality, hahaha. Gross.

On that note: I really don't like how tightly they pack birds in poultry farms. There's really no reason for it and it's definitely cruel. (they die because they're too dense).

But you know PETA would put that on the theatrics stove top and crank the hype...and by the time they're done, no one would believe them. And those who do believe them wouldn't care because PETA's "just a bunch of crazies."


-I've actually heard people say that when I talk to them about conservation and animal suffering in general. I have to first convince them that I'm not with PETA (and why i'm not), THEN they start listening.

sirdarksol

The big chains definitely buys from animal mills, which do treat their animals horribly. I would never buy any animal but fish from Petsmart or Petco, and I don't even like doing that.

On the other hand, PETA goes way too far. In my opinion, not with regards to how we treat the animals that we kill to eat (I feel that I owe such creatures plenty of comfort and happiness before their lives are ended. Because of them, I live), but rather in other areas, such as releasing farm-raised mink into the wild (just as cruel of a death, considering they froze, starved, and were caught because they didn't know how to hide from predators), burning down labs that do "genetic testing" (one such lab was actually maintaining a huge stock of an endangered tree, and was "testing" for the viability of each line of tree, to best reintroduce them into the wild), and assaulting people. I'm all for the less violent aspects of PETA, but as long as they endorse people who take actions that hurt or kill people/animals in the name of "ethics," I will not support the organization.

Tavel

I totally agree. The shotgun approach to activism definitely hits the wrong people very hard. And of course, violence is NEVER a viable option, ever. We talk about our views, we don't violently impose them. If we did, the most violent people would run the world...and that isn't a very good thing.

aside: a biologist would never release a domestic population into a wild population. As you said, the domestic population will all die within a few weeks. but in that time, they will probably transmit diseases that will kill the wild population too! Then the predators will all die because the food supply was cut!

Yay for activism, you killed three times as many animals. wohoo.

prairielilly

There are groups all over the world that take an extreme approach to proving their respective points. Their collective lack of success (to me) speaks volumes.

There's a definite line between humane treatment of the creatures of the earth, and doing illogical, senseless things because the 'respective points' have become too large and overriding to allow for seeing the big picture. The end result is more harm than good, and ultimately defeats their original purpose. As someone who formerly worked in veterinary medicine, I saw both sides of that, and frankly the whole deal disgusted me.

I will continue to eat meat for dinner because I am human and humans are omnivores. I will continue to get my cats from the local shelter, and spay or neuter them, so less animals will have to be euthanized. And I will continue to give my business to fish stores that treat their stock in a humane fashion, so they can continue to do good business, while I provide the best life I am capable of giving to all these creatures once they are under my care. (I no longer buy fish stock from Petsmart - but bc of how I see them treat their fish, not because of any video or any report by PETA).

Animals do not get a say in how mankind treats them as a whole, and some groups, thinking they are being 'pro-active' for animals' care don't seem to realize the far-reaching effects on other animal populations of their actions. I would support any initiative for treating animals with dignity and compassion, but never one that 'crosses the line'.

goggles2

hmmmm good topic

everyones already laid out the dirt on PETA here already but ill share my opinion

i think that on a rare occasion they are actually right about some issues but 90% of the time they just over hype the most moronic little things in order to call attention to themselves rather than the actual animal cruelty problems in this world

they steal the spotlight from more important issues to further thier own utterly insane agenda (cow massages was an good example :P)

in otherwords a bunch of nutcases

Angela_96

The sad thing is they cannot just be an avocate for fair treatment of animals, they have to avocate insanely over the top treatment of animals.

Have you all read the stuff on them wanting Ben and Jerry's to use human milk for their ice cream? Thats crazy!

Yea, I get the point after a child stops nursing it doesn't need milk, however milk is a great source of vitamins, etc for humans.

Now going out and shooting an animal just to do it, or the poultry farms that massivly overstock I can see doing something about it.
Def have a prob w/ tatooed fish, puppy/kitty mills... and so on.

Their is a happy medium between loving animals and doing whats right for them and what I feel is worshiping animals.
No one will listen to PETA which is a sad thing for an organization that should be able to help animals out that are really being mistreated.

Now the ASPCA, I have a lot of respect for. I wish they would avocate on the fish care issues, being tatooed for one.

goggles2

i still find it so disheartening that fish dont seem to count as living things to some people if it was puppies crammed into tiny boxes up to thier ankles in thier own feces we hear about it.... but with its a betta living in a plastic bag filled with poo no one cares....

all living things deserve at least some degree of fair treatment even creeping, crawling, slimy things

fish included