Also known as, “Don’t Believe the Hype,” or “We Are More Into the Politics than the Animals,” or “People Encouraging Their own Agenda.”Link to the article: PETA Offers Unconvincing Defense For The High Kill Rate In Its “Shelter”
Frankly, I was surprised that PETA operates a shelter. PETA seems more interested in the vegan platform than in managing the issues of overpopulation of cats and dogs. My expectation is that this represents a token effort to include a shelter on the checkbox of their accomplishments.
This article provides data about the PETA “Open Admission” shelter in Virginia which shows that PETA euthanizes an average of 65% of the animals it takes in – which is a rate of as much as 13 times the state rate (for dogs) and more than 11 times the state rate of euthanasia for cats. 65% – let that number sink in. More than 6 out of every 10 animals delivered to this shelter are euthanized.
PETA does not dispute the findings – but tries to defend the statistics by saying that this shelter is an “open admission” shelter, as opposed to the much more selective “no kill” shelters. (PETA ironically uses the term “safe place” where no animal is turned away, ever) However, that claim is not supported by the facts. In Virginia, the average euthanasia rate for all other “open admission” shelters is 14% (cats and dogs) compared with PETA’s shelter euthanasia rate at 65% (cats and dogs).
The moral of the story is – don’t take your pet (or your money) to PETA. If they really cared about animals, they would spend more of their money actually saving animals – not euthanizing them.
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Many of the animals PETA takes in have been brought to them by desperate people who request euthanasia for their elderly, dying, suffering cat or dog because they can’t afford this service at a veterinarian’s office. PETA operates a shelter of last resort for animals who need euthanasia to end their suffering (many of whom have been rejected by other facilities). This includes dogs who are aggressive and unadoptable because they have been kept chained their entire lives; feral cats dying of contagious diseases; animals who are wracked with cancer; elderly animals who have no quality of life; and the list goes on. Please watch this short video to see some of the animals PETA has helped in its community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbzT6qi6ldc&feature=youtu.be
That may be true, but that does not account for the 65% euthanasia rate. PETA does not operate the only “shelter of last resort,” yet it has an astronomically high euthanasia rate compared to other similar shelters. Note that the statistics in the article compare with other “open admission” shelters, not just “no-kill” shelters.