Editorial: Has PETA finally barked too much?
Artwork by Rebecca Holt
I adopted a puppy of my own this past April, and it was one of the happiest times of my entire year. Ever since taking on the struggles of caring for my own dog, I have found myself developing more of a respect and love for every creature around me, and for those who tend to and own them, as well.
For instance, when the Michael Vick dog-fighting-for-entertainment fiasco hit the headlines not too long ago, I hoped and prayed for him to feel the four walls of a jail cell for a minimum of several years. Now, big-time football stars make their apologies for their consistent mistakes, and…well…bygones are bygones. But a slap on the wrist can only hurt so much. This is where I take my stand, and I don’t stand alone. I stand alongside PETA, rallying, arguing, and holding back my anger at the injustices committed.
Now I discover that, somewhere along the way, PETA’s head got a little too big for its hard-hitting helmet. Arethey now condemning pet-ownership across the board? This is where I make my separation from the group and find myself rallying against the global two-million members with whom I formerly stood.
I enjoy being a pet owner as much as anyone else who has had the pleasure of the experience. There is something so fulfilling when my dog leans on me as I stroke her fondly between the ears; in fact it is so fulfilling that I am not willing to give it up. It is not only the joy I get out of spending time with her; it has also become about the joy she gets out of spending time with me. Man’s best friend has never rung so true for me. PETA’s International President, Ingrid Newkirk, was recently said, “The bottom line is that people don’t have the right to manipulate or to breed dogs and cats … If people want toys they should buy inanimate objects. If they want companionship they should seek it with their own kind.” This is where my rift gets that much bigger.
What would the world – or even just my life – be like without my dog, my best pal? It certainly would be much different than it is now; and don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of people who should never be allowed to own a pet (some of whom I have already mentioned in this article). Nonetheless, I find that it is a mutually beneficial relationship on both ends; it is not as though my dog is starving in my household, and I don’t ever find myself growing completely reliant on her companionship. If I were to turn my dog out, would she survive? That is a question I don’t find myself really having to answer, because that will certainly never happen.
Ingrid Newkirk states, “Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.” With this, PETA has gone too far. This is the last straw. From one thing to another, I have agreed with or at least tolerated their fits of complaints, but not anymore. Am I going to turn into one of those crazy dog people? No, but I am going to continue owning animals my entire life, and there is no way I will stand to allow PETA to get even remotely close to taking that away from me. My dog and I will continue to live happily, free of any criticism from Ingrid Newkirk and the rest of her PETA followers. Has PETA finally barked too much?
