Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1  From the Washington Post:
RICHMOND — Nothing is warm and fuzzy in the world of Virginia animal-welfare organizations this year as shelters attack each other over a seemingly slight tweak to the state code that some activists say could put a major shelter out of business.At the heart of this fight is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and its record on euthanasia, which alarms other animal advocates.
PETA operates a large shelter at its headquarters in Norfolk, where every year the vast majority of cats and dogs taken in are euthanized. The shelter came under fire last fall after it euthanized a Chihuahua that was inexplicably snatched from its owner’s porch by a PETA contractor on the Eastern Shore.
So the timing was perfect for a bill put forward by Sen. William M. Stanley Jr. (R-Franklin) that has emerged from both houses of the state legislature and that defines a private animal shelter as “operating for the purpose of finding permanent adoptive homes.” Under the current code, that description is only one of several that can describe a shelter.
Supporters say the bill clarifies the law — but makes it harder for organizations such as PETA to euthanize animals without first trying to find them homes.
In 2014, according to state reports, PETA took in 2,631 cats and dogs. All but 307 were euthanized.
“It’s just impossible to consider that they are making an attempt to adopt out animals with that failure record,” said Debra Griggs of the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies. The proposal codifies what “all shelters in Virginia are already doing — except for PETA.”
“Because of the high number of unwanted companion animals and the lack of good homes, sometimes the most humane thing that a shelter worker can do is give an animal a peaceful release,” the organization says. They lament that “this selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them . . . has created an overpopulation crisis.”
Such pronouncements have drawn accusations of animal cruelty. Critics question whether PETA, despite a radical, pro-animal outlook that encourages veganism and abhors zoos, cares about pets at all.
“They make no effort to get them adopted, and they are wild now at the suggestion that maybe they should even try,” Robin Starr, chief executive of the Richmond SPCA, wrote in a blog post. “They want no impediment to their killing. . . . PETA is a huge, rich, mean bully.”
Perhaps eyes are beginning to open up and sight has been achieved! Praise the Lord, God bless all the shelter animals. Any and all efforts should be made to find original homes and if that is not possible, an effort should be made to adopt them out. "....despite a radical, pro-animal outlook that encourages veganism and abhors zoos, cares about pets at all...." HELLO!!!! There it is!! The ultimate agenda!!
Take some of the millions and millions of dollars collected on the premise of trying to help these animals, and actually do what you say you need all that money for! Help get these animals adopted out, help facilities establish therapy dog training programs....dont just sweep down and slaughter all these dogs that could be of great benefit to people that need therapy animals, simply because you are clearly against pet ownership, by your OWN admission.......“this selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them . . . has created an overpopulation crisis.....". Your means do not justify the ends, the fulfillment of your agenda. |