Environment

New documents say PETA killed 95% of adoptable pets in 2008

by Amy Judd | March 31, 2009 at 12:41 pm

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New documents have arisen that state that PETA killed 95 percent of the adoptable pets in its care in 2008. These documents have been released by the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) and they say that the documents show that PETA killed about 6 pets a day at their headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.

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. Since 1998, a total of 21,339 dogs and cats have died at the hands of PETA workers.

However, this is not a new charge against the organization. PETA's 'why we euthanize'.
PETA does not run an adoption shelter and CCF is claiming that PETA does not even try to find homes for adoptable animals: they want their headquarters to be renamed as a slaughterhouse.

CCF Research Director David Martosko said: “PETA hasn’t slowed down its hypocritical killing machine one bit, but it keeps browbeating the rest of society with a phony ‘animal rights’ message. What about the rights of the thousands of dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens that die in PETA’s headquarters building?”

The pdf of the documents CCF is basing these accusations on.
PETA has yet to comment on this case, and this is not the first time they have been accused of such practices.
They do however have a policy that states they will euthanize the majority of animals surrendered to them, and for certain breeds of animals such as pit bull terriers.

According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA euthanized 1,946 companion animals (out of 2,138 animals surrendered to them or picked up as strays) in its home state of Virginia in 2005.[82] During that same year, 126,797 animals (out of 228,376 animals surrendered or picked up as strays) were euthanized at animal shelters in Virginia.[83] San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra J. Saunders reported that, according to PETA "In 2003, PETA euthanized over 85 percent of the animals it took in, finding adoptive homes for just 14 percent."[84]

PETA was criticized in 2005 for these practices and then dumping the bodies of the animals in dumpsters. The two employees found guilty of this practice was charged with 31 felony counts of animal cruelty, but both workers were cleared of all charges at trial.
The DEA is currently investigating how the organization handles the euthanasia drugs and they could face fines if any wrongdoing is found.

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Fred Miller

at 13:48 on March 31st, 2009

This is something I remember reading about a few years back and the issue doesn't seem to go away. PETA might have some more explaining to do but their cause will continue, in spite of half-dedicated workers in their organization who are dragging them down. There has been speculation that the organization has been infiltrated so it's possible there are 'insiders' enabling reporters to bolster the charges.

Jarrett Martineau

at 14:11 on March 31st, 2009

I find this really really hard to believe.

Swan

at 17:04 on March 31st, 2009

Hello Amy,

PETA is always so 'over the top' with their causes, however, this news eclipses any 'humane message' they try to get out to the public.

Thank you for this story Amy. I believe it's important and I really wish as a 'wrangler' that I had access to the 'more news wanted' stamp.

Just heartbreaking.
~ Swan

Uwe Paschen

at 17:11 on March 31st, 2009

I am surprised at the number of 95% however, I am not surprised that this is the case. Some of their extreme practices to lead into that direction.

A. Tran

at 18:08 on March 31st, 2009

It's a bit startling to read the number of pets killed. I wonder if PETA might consider on sending those animals to the Animal Shelter type of organizations instead.

Fred Miller

at 19:02 on March 31st, 2009

We can't find homes for starving, motherless babies because not enough is being done by those who can. What chance do the animals have anyway, with all the overcrowded shelters ?

Animal Rights Uncompromised:
Euthanasia

Every day in the United States, tens of thousands of puppies and kittens are born, and there will never be enough homes for all these animals. Shelters are stuck with the heart-wrenching job of dealing with unwanted animals. Euthanasia is a reality because of people who abandon animals, refuse to sterilize their animals, and patronize pet shops and breeders instead of adopting stray animals or animals from shelters.

Source: http://www.peta.org/campaigns/ar-euthanasia.asp

Read more here

Barbara McPherson

at 18:52 on March 31st, 2009

This is disturbing, coming from PETA. Some animals won't ever be pets and euthanizing them might be the route to go rather than keeping them in cages for years. Throwing them into dumpsters is way wrong tho.