Why I would Discourage People from Donating their Time and Money to PETA
It is common for charity organizations to request individuals to exercise their giving spirits through offering donations. In fact, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals art-based as a non-profit organization (PETA) has not been left out in this endeavor. Indeed, every year, the PETA joins other non-profit organizations in requesting its members to donate heavily to ensure that animals are protected and given the rights they deserve. It is worth noting that the firm is a non-profit organization fighting for animal rights and was founded by Ingrid Newkirk in the year 1980 (PETA 1). Equally important, PETA has 300 employees and more than 3 million supporters and members who put many efforts to ensure that the rights of animals are protected. In fact, this charity organization is considered as one of the largest groups striving for animal rights in the world.
The organization claims that animals are not only for individuals to consume, to make garments, to use as entertainment apparatus, or to experiment even if the test is going to produce a cure for deadly diseases such as cancers and HIV/AIDS. Notably, there are four main areas that PETA focuses to decrease the large numbers of animals suffer. Particularly, they include the entertainment industry, laboratories, and factory farms as well as the clothing and textile industry. Additionally, this organization works on various issues related to animals, including the exploitation of backyard dogs, cruel killing of weaver birds, and other living organisms that are termed as pests by humans (Linda 754). As such, the main channels that PETA works through include protest campaigns, cruelty surveys, research, and public education programs as well as special events and celebrity involvement. However, despite the fact that it is the largest organization based on fighting for animal rights and the fact that it receives a huge amount of donations, PETA has flaws that hinder the very rights that are supposed to give to animals. Therefore, it is unwise to donate time or money to PETA organization because it disregards common human decency, exploits people suffering from various illnesses, and discriminates the name of animal association.
To begin with, this organization has mainly been formed to protect the rights of animals. However, the big question would be whether it is an animal benefiting organization. In essence, PETA devotes less than one percent of its total annual multimillion dollar financial plan on helping animals. Other amounts are used to satisfy their needs as well as other undertakings aimed at increasing their fame. For example, in the year 2010, the organization received a total of 33 million dollars donation. Notably, this amount did not include the money collected from merchandise sales as well as other revenues. Rather than allocating the money to things that would benefit animals, most of financial assets were spent on criminal cases and their legal defenses as opposed to other programs that would help animals.
Secondly, the group has been killing the very animals they are supposed to protect. In the year 2003, PETA killed nearly 2000 which were more than 85% of the total number of animals it received that year. In addition, in 2012, they also slaughtered more than 1500 cats and dogs and only gave shelter to 19 animals as it was indicated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. On being interviewed on these figures, their response was that the animals were unadoptable. In fact, such policy is a clear indication that the organization is more devoted to publicity as opposed to ensuring that animals are accorded the best care. Therefore, instead of giving donations to PETA, individuals should be urged to support their local humane societies that can directly give support and care to animals (Linda 754).
Consequently, PETA has been distorting religious doctrines and teachings while assaulting common decency. On one hand, this organization has argued on various occasions that religious communities like Jews have been misinterpreting their goals. In addition, PETA has also mocked some religious groups in various ways. For instance, they have put a billboard portraying a pig with the line that “He died for your iniquities.” In addition, the charity institution has also referred to turtles and birds while conveying the message that Jesus preached by saying “Do unto other people as you would want them to do unto you.” On the other hand, this organization has been in the frontline in calling for protecting animals and giving them the rights they deserve. However, the active position for preserving the wildlife does not give PETA’s leadership the rights to compare animals with cannibals and serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer. In essence, they also do not have a right of accusing parents who feed their kids with animal products as PETA did in the 2002 by launching a big campaign (PETA 1).
Finally, PETA exploits people suffering from various illnesses through opposing research aimed at saving human lives. The organization has actively advised that drinking milk and other animal products may cause cancer and a wide variety of illnesses including allergies, obesity, and diabetes. While these products offer the body with rich nutrients that even protect it from acquiring diseases, some people have stopped consuming the product for fear of contracting the diseases from animal products. In fact, the company even went ahead to convey a wrong message that meat consumption caused Alzheimer’s disease.
Moreover, the organization has opposed the use of animals during medical research. The main argument surrounding the initiative is that it is inhumane and cruel to conduct experiments on animals because they are subjected to physical restraints and forced annihilation as well as deprivation of food and water. However, the researchers experimenting on animals have had numerous contributions to a wide range of life-saving treatments and cures. In addition, animals have initiated medical breakthrough over the past century as well as contributing to the understanding and treatment of various illnesses (Atkins-Sayre 309).
As it is evident from the analysis, it would be unwise to donate time or money to PETA organization because it assaults common human decency, exploits people suffering from various illnesses, and discriminates the name of an animal welfare association. Indeed, PETA has not made a significant contribution towards helping to deal with the environmental and conservation issues. As a matter of fact, what this organization has done is to harm the surroundings. Notably, PETA continues coercing beliefs on individuals through initiating the laws and regulations. Moreover, instead of accepting their actions and faults, they go ahead to give false information to other organizations on their own activities. Finally, the charity organization should, therefore, stop forcing the rest of the world into the so-called ethical treatment for animals because PETA has not offered the basic protection of animals yet.