PETA Favors Kill Shelters Over No-Kill Shelters?

A recent op-ed posted on the website of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) which can be found here suggested that no-kill animal shelters were, in some ways, as damaging to animals as unnecessarily euthanizing them, stating that "euthanasia is often the most compassionate and dignified way for unwanted animals to leave the world."

 As usual, an organization that is known for extremist views and actions is using extremist scenarios to justify its own opinions. Critical observation of the article easily shows the flaws in their argument. While it is true that many no-kill shelters find themselves full and overwhelmed by the demand for space, when faced with a request to rescue they will network to find the space elsewhere. As with anything else the qualities of animal shelters lie along a spectrum from excellent to really really bad. The examples given by PETA represent those shelters that lie at the extreme end of bad.

Most no-kill shelters, while not perfect, attempt to provide adequate exercise and socialization for the animals in their care. Examples of animals living in a cage for 12 years, as given, represent an obvious rarity – perhaps more frequent than we would like, but still a rarity.

 No-kill shelters cannot save every animal in the world but they are doing their best. As with any group of people you will find some who believe they are acting in the best interest of the animals but may be ultimately harming them. I believe those shelters that are harming animals in the belief that they are actually caring for them are uncommon. These people, in fact, have more in common with hoarders than with true animal rescue shelters!

 PETA is viewed by many as a joke because of extremist views and extremist actions and statements like this will do nothing to change that opinion. Undoubtedly, they have the best interest of animals at heart but until the majority of people can take them seriously they will remain, in the opinion of many, a bunch of rabid loons who are ultimately defeating their own goals!