PETA is known for their animal rights movements and protesting cruelty to animals. They have millions of support and followers on their social networks, not to mention millions of dollars in donations. You'd think they are a well-organized support group, until you do some research.
I recently emailed PETA with my SPOT Cheetah Conservation campaign, requesting their verbal and written support. About two weeks later this is the email I receive:
"Thank you for writing to PETA and for sharing your great design work with us. We are always inspired by compassionate people like you! It sounds like you have a lot of important ideas. Because we are an animal rights organization, we do not encourage captive breeding programs or any projects where wild animals are held in captivity. The most effective and humane ways to protect wild animals include habitat conservation, education, and enforcement of existing laws. For more thoughts on animals in captivity, please see http://www.PETA.org/issues/
We appreciate your enthusiasm and wish you the best with your projects"
I'm leaving the name of the "correspondent" anonymous. I fished around on their website and read their mission statement and nowhere could I find anything that supported this email. Not only that, but responding to me as if I was a 2nd grader with a grandiose idea soon to be forgotten. Needless to say, I was going to respond.
"It has come to my attention, and after doing some research on my part that nowhere in PETA’s mission statement does it say anything about captive breeding. I feel like the email that was replied was aimed at a juvenile. Maybe it was misinterpreted when I said “captive breeding as well as the release.” Perhaps it was me saying my goal was to boost population by mixing up the gene pool in the cheetahs. They can’t expand their gene pools by themselves because of humans blocking them with industry and landowning. Cubs have low mortality rate and the captive breeding program keeps them in a large “enclosure” similar to that which would be in the wild. If it weren’t for human interception cheetahs and probably as well as tigers would be extinct. Poor genes, low cub mortality rate, and human ignorance would have killed them off a while ago. Only 7,000 remain in the wild. That is way too low and I would assume PETA would have supported this cause I have set up. This is more than just a “project”. I have dedicated my life and all my income to this and it’s very disappointing that someone at PETA couldn’t see past some extremist views that some people at PETA have.
Is it competition? PETA isn’t the first organization that has shot me down. Panthera denied me a scholarship for funding for this. There is nothing inhumane about what I intend on doing. I am the last person on earth that would be inhumane towards an animal. I rescue reptiles and rescued a cat that was being torn apart by dogs. (And yes, I do feed the snakes frozen mice.)
This being said, and your last email denounced the animals being in captivity. So rescued animals being rehabilitated shouldn’t be? As I said before, I’ve donated my time and design to the Avian Conservation Center ( http://www.
On a different topic, what scientific research has PETA done? I’m not talking about statistics. I’m talking about ecosystem research and species research- any reasons (other than humans) that are killing animals. The case studies I’ve read on post-mortem cheetahs have proven that it’s more than just humans; it’s disease and poor genes. Poor genes have the biggest impact on the teeth- the teeth in developing cubs grow up into the nasal passage and block air during kill suffocation.
I’m no longer looking for verbal support and recognition from PETA but I hope that I can encourage that PETA changes some views and not be so closed-minded about the ecosystem and take a “risk” to promote ideas and efforts that have a positive impact on the environment and species. If PETA isn’t willing to reevaluate the organization, at least rework the mission statement to reflect everything that is a PETA belief.
You don't have to respond to this— just contemplate it as an individual and separate yourself from PETA beliefs."
I'm not bashing PETA, but instead of posting pictures of miserable animals on their Facebook page and website, maybe put a more positive spin on what they are accomplishing, not guilt-tripping everyone into donating or supporting. Their mission statement is:
" PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in the clothing trade, in laboratories, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds, and other "pests" as well as cruelty to domesticated animals." -www.peta.org
My prediction is that they will be their own downfall.
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