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 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 supporters to donate heavily to ensure that animals are protected and given the rights they deserve. It is worth noting that the firm is an animal rights non-profit organization founded by Ingrid Newkirk in the year 1980 (PETA 1). Equally, PETA has 300 employees and more than 3 million supporters and members who give heavily yearly to ensure that the rights of animals are protected. In fact, it is considered as one of the largest groups based on animal rights in the world. The organization holds that animals are not only for individuals to consume, to make garments, to use as entertainment apparatus, or to experiment even if the experiment is going to produce a cure for deadly diseases such as cancers and HIV/AIDS. Notably, there are four main areas that PETA focuses on based on the belief that these areas are the places where 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 human populations (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 animal rights and the fact that it receives a huge amount of donations, it has flaws that hinder the very rights they 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 the firm is not an animal association.
To begin with, the main reason this organization was 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, the amount did not include the money collected from merchandise sales as well as other revenue. Rather than allocating the money on things that would benefit animals, most of it was 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 killed more than 1500 cats and dogs and only gave shelter to 19 animals as indicated in the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. On being interviewed on this, their response was that the animals were unadoptable. In fact, this is a clear indication that the organization is more devoted to publicity shows as opposed to ensuring that animals are accorded the best care. Therefore, rather than 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 on various occasions argued that religious institutions have been misinterpreting their scripts, for instance, the Jews. In addition, the organization has also mocked some religious groups in various ways. For instance, they have put a billboard portraying a pig with readings that “He died for your iniquities” and also referring to turtles and birds while conveying the message that Jesus preached that says “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 preaching about protecting animals and giving them the rights they deserve. However, this does not give PETA’s leadership the rights to compare animal agriculturalists to 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 child abusers as they did in the 2002 campaign (PETA 1).
Finally, PETA exploits people suffering from various illnesses through opposing research aimed at saving lives. The organization has actively advised that drinking milk and other animal products 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 research on animals because they are subjected to physical restraints and forced annihilation as well as deprivation of food and water. However, animal researchers have had numerous contributions to a wide range of life-saving treatments and cures. In addition, animals have initiated medical breakthrough over the past one 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 in fact, it is not an animal welfare association. Indeed, PETA has not made a significant contribution towards helping deal with the environmental and conservation issues. As a matter of fact, what this organization has done is to harm the surroundings. Notably, what the organization is doing is to continue coercing beliefs on individuals through the creation of laws and regulations. Moreover, instead of accepting their actions and faults, they go ahead to give false information to other organizations for their very own actions. Finally, the 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.