BUT shelters DO NOT go into other shelters and take animals promising to find homes for them and then KILL them. Animals that have been lost, and the owners look for them are not the normal animals that end up in the shelters as unwanted animals. When PETA dresses up like KKK members, just what do you think they are portraying? Our country had a civil war over the practices of people that were KKK, and there was plenty of blood shed. Guess PETA wants that to happen all over again over their beliefs.

The second link is not an opinion, but a fact. The people were caught and charged, how do you figure that is someones opinion? As for kill and no kill shelters, they will always exist, both ways, as long as we are lucky enough to have companion animals as our pets. Course, if PETA gets it way, that will come to an end.

You are talking about 2 different things. I have not seen any evidence of peta employees taking healthy dogs from shelters, promising them homes, and then killing them. As to the second point, I already said that I did not agree with that for whatever that's worth.

The second link is an opinion column written by an editorial writer, not a journalist. They are two very different jobs. I have not seen any report of that incident written by a journalist stating peta did this. I am very open to seeing one but couldn't find one myself. Editorial writers not only do write opinion and conjecture- that is what they are expected to do. Journalist have to report facts.

I don't have the time to read through the entire thread but did the person post a source from when they claimed PETA was/is putting antifreeze in water in the water bowls at dog shows?? I was curious to hear about that.

I don't think so Kyle, it seems like it is pretty made up. I can't find it anywhere either???:confused:

I looked hard for that one. The only mention of it I can find is on forums or blogs in the context of, "I heard that...". I can't imagine that a major animal rights group poisoned dogs and the media never reported it anywhere.:rolleyes:

You wouldn't want it done outside? So inside is OK? I don't want my toy dogs running around inside at a dog show where they are suspectible to being harmed by other dogs or slipping out a door while they are looking for me-- people are in and out of doors at dog shows or have them propped open constantly.

My dogs are relaxed and safe inside their crates at shows and no one better mess with them, regardless of wanting to make a "point" about crate training. Hand out some flyers or carry a sign outside the building (on public property) for goodness sakes.

The bottom line is PETA does a lot of good for animals around the world. Yes, many of their campaigns are outrageous- many times I've shaken my head and thought, oh no. Fortunately, I don't have Ingrid Newkirk's ear because how I would personally handle things wouldn't get 1 tenth of the advances for animals that peta does. People who mistreat animals fear peta because they know, due to peta's shocking campaigns, that peta has the media's attention and they will be exposed.

If their campaigns make you uncomfortable, trust me, I understand and I know it is not a group everyone is going to feel comfortable supporting. I completely respect your right to choose who you do and do not support. They are one of many animal organizations that I support (both rights and welfare) because they get the most done. These are their victories for 2009 and we are only at the beginning of April. About PETA >> Some Recent Victories Here is what they accomplished last year- About PETA >> Some Recent Victories I support peta because these are issues that are important to me.

Anyone can call themselves a peta member. Trust me, Ingrid has no ability to control what I do while wearing a peta shirt. From my personal experience with peta activities, I have never ever met a fellow supporter who would do anything, including letting dogs out of cages, that would hurt an animal. That is my personal experience. If it isn't listed on peta's website under action alerts, it is not something they are asking their supporters to do in their name.

PETA is a radical organization. Their tactics are radical, their politics are radical, and their rhetoric is radical. Once you understand that, it's very difficult to support them. We don't need radical, we need pragmatic. We need solutions. This demonstration was organized, publicized and endorsed by PETA. It's not rumor but fact. This type of radicalism sows the seeds of hate that cause people to "set free" shelter dogs or dogs at dog shows or put anti-freeze in their water. Whether or not they condone, support or organize these acts, their extreme, radical rhetoric gives tacit approval and support.

PETA dresses in KKK garb outside Westminster Dog Show - USATODAY.com

PETA dresses in KKK garb outside Westminster Dog Show
Updated 2/10/2009 2:24 AM


By Gene Farris, USA TODAY

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals knows how to grab attention. And show off its laundry.

The animal rights group, which every year stages a protest at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, had two of its members dress in Ku Klux Klan garb outside Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Their goal, according to a post on the PETA website, was to draw a parallel between the KKK and the American Kennel Club. "Obviously it's an uncomfortable comparison," PETA spokesman Michael McGraw told the Associated Press.

But the AKC is trying to create a "master race" when it comes to pure-bred dogs, he added. "It's a very apt comparison."

The group passed out brochures implying the Klan and AKC have the goal of "pure bloodlines" in common.

"I can't speak for everyone, but the vast majority of the people exhibiting and handling and showing at Westminster are more interested in the health of dogs than anything else," Westminster spokesman David Frei told the AP.

"We want to produce the next generation of healthy and happy dogs," he said, "not just for the show ring but for the couches at home."

Bystander Fatima Walden told the AP the KKK imagery was inappropriate no matter what the message.

"They could have used something else as an example," she said. "You should be considerate to everybody."

Other than a shouting match during the hour-long protest, police said the scene remained calm.

I'm not sure what more you could consider to be pragmatic than this. About PETA >> Victories

Again, I did not like that particular demonstration. I don't have to agree with every single thing an organization does. I never have with any organization and I doubt I ever will. Many people here like to lump the HSUS in with PETA and what's funny is they disagree on many issues. They support each other because they both help animals in a very big way. For that reason I support both. Can anyone think of another organization that has done more for animals?

There is a big difference in not liking their campaigns, not supporting them and passing on misinformation about them. I honestly think a lot of people have the actions of another animal rights group confused with PETA. It is not one I personally support but since all I know is rumor and conjecture about them I'm not going to name them. For some reason the general consensus here is that if anyone does anything it must have been peta. A while back a girl threw flour on Lindsey Lohann and everyone was up in arms- peta's at it again!! The girl was not wearing or carrying anything peta related and never said a word about peta yet somehow peta was to blame?

What I really don't understand is that I, along with most every peta supporter has said on most of these threads; I understand it isn't for everyone. I respect your right to support whatever group you choose. It would be nice if that respect went both ways.

Heck, I don't want them doing it inside or outside:( but when you have people leaving their dogs in crates for hours on end after just being in a crate over a long road trip and about to start on the same again, a flyer would never change their ways. I'm not saying all show people and they don't pinpoint people who are attentive to their dogs so you don't have to worry.

I'm sorry but that was on the news on TV also, not an opinion. They were caught in the act doing their horrible deeds. Fact, honey, Fact.

Do they need to take your dogs and kill them before you believe the truth? I'm sure given the chance they would.

Even though we disagree, I am trying to be respectful. There is no need to be patronizing. I am not doubting that something like that might have been done by somebody. I am saying there is no reason in the world for me to believe it was done under the authority of peta as an organization and that as a supporter, I have never meat or even heard of somebody that would do anything remotely like that and as a supporter know that would not be endorsed by peta.

ETA: If it is fact, could you please link an article that was not written by an opinion writer? I love editorials too but I don't count them as an unbiased news source.

This year at the Louisville Cluster there were two dogs that were left in their crates for an excessively long time and had messed their crates and had been left without water. Fellow exhibitors that were in the grooming area saw this and complained to the show committee. The show committee held a hearing that day as required by AKC rules and decided on a suspension and a fine for the owners of the dogs, I can't recall the amounts but they were pretty substantial and definitely not the lowest available under AKC rules.

Show exhibitors as a whole care very much about their dogs and others' dogs and are quite willing to stand up to those people who are not respectful or caring towards their pets. They also have the support of the show-givers and the AKC in doing so.

I do have to say that I have a really hard time understanding how people who have purchased their dogs from breeders can still send $$$ to PETA-- I'm not saying that they have to be opposed PETA but I can't imagine why someone would send their hard earned money to an organization that uses it to produce this like this: PETA.org // PETA's Guide to the ABCs

There are some stances that PETA takes that I agree with but as someone who does breed dogs, I could not support an organization that was apparently so disgusted by me and my "puppy people" to spend money on ads like that.

I guess I have never understood PETA's focus (with regards to companion animals) on people who are breeding animals on purpose. I see very little of anything other than "please spay/neuter" with regards to the people who are really causing problems-- the people that just let their intact dogs wander around and breed at random and the people that get a dog and fail to train it to be a good housepet and then dump it when it isn't cute anymore. The great majority of pets in shelters are mixed breeds who were never intended to be born, and most of them are "teenagers" brought there by owners of individual dogs, not breeders. Many of the dogs in our local shelters are "repeats," animals adopted out as puppies who get to 9 mos old and are eating the furniture or someone is all of a sudden allergic and voila, the dog is back where it came from.

If PETA would focus on encouraging people to be more careful when making a decision to even get a dog in the first place-- any dog-- and encouraging them to take obedience classes once they have the dog, I would be far more sympathetic. I think their aim is off if they really meant to keep dogs out of shelters. I volunteer at our local obedience club by teaching classes to the public, and I am guessing our group has kept far more dogs out of our local shelters than PETA has...

I completely 100% understand that a breeder would have a huge problem with the position on breeders. It's not an aspect I agree with and I do wish they focused on responsible breeding rather than NO breeding. I understand their perspective but I don't agree with it. They do, however focus on other issues regarding companion animal other than spay/neuter. Here are some companion animal victories- About PETA >> Some Recent Victories And here are some ads for campaigns regarding companion animals. PETA Media Center > Print Ads > Companion Animals They do focus a lot on spay/neuter but I think we can all agree it's a pretty big issue. They also focus on dog fighting, chaining your dog, leaving a pet in a hot car, not buying from pet stores or buying a pet for a Christmas present.

My local animal rights group, ARFF, had a mobile free spay neuter vehicle. Unfortunately after offering this service for many years, they were unable to continue and sold it to peta. So I know peta is doing more than just saying spay/neuter, they are offering the opportunity as well.

I really can see it from a breeder's perspective though and I personally, appreciate and have nothing but respect for responsible breeders. Unfortunately, you are in the minority.

BTW, that is awesome!:thumbup:

This is so heart breaking... :(

I know this is very true. The wonderful show breeders out there that try to do everything right know what I am talking about and are embarrassed about it as well.

I go to dog shows nearly every weekend in the summer and rarely see anything that makes me uncomfortable about how the dogs are cared for. I think that is why this particular episode was so shocking. I can only think of one other incident that I was like "that's NOT GOOD" and that involved some people that rented one hotel room for themselves and one for the dogs. They did not crate the dogs and the dogs apparently used the room for an ex pen. I think an event committee was called about that incident as well as the show committee can hand out punishments for the hotels listed in the premium lists as well.

To be very honest, there is not very much that goes on at a dog show to be embarrassed about other than sniping between exhibitors :cool:

Thanks to those on both sides of this issue who made efforts to be respectful and maintain a thoughtful discussion. It is much appreciated. :thumbup:

I'm closing this thread due to some members who are choosing to post, but not choosing to follow the basic rules of YT. This thread has run its course and it's probably time to move on.

I'd like to end this thread on a positive note and these last few posts are a good example of that. Thanks everyone for a good discussion! :)

Hello, my name is Kimberly and I SUPPORT PETA and the HSUS! I'm not ashamed to admit it. If I could marry either one of them I'd slap on a white dress and say "I DO" :)