103 replies to this topic

[Azayles]

I wonder about the supposed adults running PETA, too! You have to wonder if they've quite taken leave of their senses, some (most) of the stuff they do! These are supposed to be mature, level-headed intelligent people, so it really makes you wonder, and makes you a bit sad, too :(
Instead it just looks like some extremest group run by 4chan :(

[hamsterpuff]

And if they were more family friendly, (not caging naked women, violent mobs, attacking people with fur coats, etc.) and if they didn't kill 95% of animals they "save" they might have alot more support. They are just too extreme. And really, nowadays, what kid would go out and shoot animals to have a raccoon skin be like Mario. Heck! Kids don't go out and eat mushrooms like Mario! I think that the chances of kids eating mushrooms to be like mario (pretty slim) is even bigger than the chance of kids going out to hunt raccoons for their skins.

[abdulmuhsee]

Oh please; PETA are a group of devoted people.

When the PETA recommends spaying and neutering cats and dogs, their point is that there are thousands upon thousands of shelter animals which need homes. Why breed new animals when there are so many already alive who desperately need homes? And in order for pet stores to exist and be profitable, companion animals are bred in similar conditions to factory farmed meat. More breeding causes more suffering under the pet store model.

It is definitely true that there would be no hamsters to keep as pets if PETA had their way once the last had been adopted and cared for. While cats and dogs might naturally gravitate towards humans, things like hamsters are honestly happier in their natural environment, and anyone claiming otherwise is in denial. While adopting and taking care of a hamster that was already bred in captivity and is basically stuck there is a noble goal, continuing to breed them in captivity while they are endangered in the wild is boneheaded.

A true love for hamsters would involve protecting their natural habitats and ensuring their existence in the wild, not mass-breeding them in captivity and selling them in stores.

If there were no hamsters to buy at stores, or subsequently to adopt at shelters as people discarded them, where would you get one? Would you corner one in the wild and capture it so you could be entertained by its antics in a cage at home? The first one was captured for research, ate most of it pups on the way back, was researched, and finally introduced to the pet market.

Edit: Here's a video which shows some footage of hamsters being kept by major suppliers of pet stores, about halfway through. I'll leave it to reasonable people to judge if this is "symbiosis" or not.

Edited by abdulmuhsee, 28 May 2012 - 03:56 AM.

[Christmas_hamster]

Devoted to being over dramatic perhaps.

Most of us know about suppliers for pet stores, no one denies that mills are bad. That isn't the issue at hand right here. Some people do bad things to animals for their own sake, for profit. However there are different ways of approaching such things. I happen to disagree with the way that PETA attempts to get their message across. And let's face it, a lot of their messages are out there. Again I point out the video game thing. In an ideal world all habitats would be respected as they should, captive animals would only be bred by well versed breeders and we also wouldn't have war, or hate or anything else bad. But the real world is always going to have something wrong with it, something bad happening. The difference is how people will work to try and stop it and to help those in need. Doing ridiculous stunts isn't helping anyone, supporting groups like ELF or ALF isn't helping anyone, and their shelters certainly aren't helping many animals.

I agree that the horrors that face animals need to be addressed, however PETA's way is not the way to get through to the world.

Also I would like to share a picture of one of my past hamster's, Trixie, just after waking up from a nap in my hand. Tell me if this is "symbiosis" or not:

After her sister passed away she fell into a depression and only came out of it once I started 'grooming' her, waking her for feeding time and spending extra time with her. She enjoyed sleeping and cuddling in my hands and was indeed a heart hamster.

Edited by Christmas_hamster, 28 May 2012 - 05:26 AM.

[abdulmuhsee]

I'm not a member of PETA, and I also enjoy the raccoon suit in Super Mario Bros., but the way this entire thread pokes fun at the PETA is disgusting. Also, mills are definitely the primary and omnipresent issue at hand in pet forums such as this one.

Another organisation as devoted to the well-being of animals simply doesn't exist at the current time, and instead of having several pages making fun of the PETA, people should respect the lion's share of their excellent values if they are going to point out their more eccentric tendencies, such as the unproductive targeting of video games as you have mentioned. Portraying them as delusional nut jobs because of this seems like more of a cover to justify our own habits of, prime example, buying animals from pet stores.

[Christmas_hamster]

I do not buy animals from pet stores, nor do I advocate it.

There are plenty of organizations that advocate for animals and help them. And actually make a difference. They just don't pull off dramatic stunts to get attention and so are not often seen in the media. I could point to the rescue that rhapsody volunteers with as an example. Even this forum is full of members that research, advocate and educate others about proper pet welfare. I don't see PETA as actually doing much for animals, they may have started with good intentions but it isn't continuing with that. I see a lot more being done to promote their organization, that's about all. I do not support PETA. I may share some of their opinions (i.e animal cruelty is bad) but only in the broadest of senses. There are so many ways to spend your time that will help animals, and supporting PETA is not the only option. It's not even the best one out there really.

[MilkyFactory]

I agree with C_H.
What's wrong about this organisation isn't the message they want to pass on but the way they do it.
PETA has no rescues, no campains for adoption, they only point out what's terrible and dramatize everything.
They use fear and shock to get to people and all they seem to care about is sinking the domestic animal industry, bad and good aspects of it.
To me it looks more like they want to make money and sink a business than actually do something for the animals.

[abdulmuhsee]

Ok, well that message should be propagated in this thread then, i.e.: don't buy from pet stores, support local shelters and rescue operations, get involved in animal education, ect.

What does making fun of the PETA accomplish other than making people think that "nothing is wrong with the way things are being done?"

I'm just saying, instead of having a huge thread devoted to bashing the organisation, there should be a huge thread about how pet stores get their animals, how hamsters are endangered in the wild, and how breeding them en-masse in captivity does nothing to ensure the species' actual survival as a viable part of the world ecosystem.

Helpless animals, such as hamsters out of their element that cannot survive on their own, need caretakers, but no matter how nice we make their cages and toys, the species can only truly realize its potential as an independent player in the wild. Only by ensuring a habitat and viable wild population can we truly help hamsters to thrive in the world, and hopefully their legacy won't be limited to being captive pets.

I'm not specifically arguing with anyone or denying that PETA is not the gold standard in animal welfare, but if anything, taking pot-shots at an organization that literally stands for the ethical treatment of animals sends the wrong message. They are, after all, taking great pains to get the message out to people who were completely oblivious prior. Few of us would have seen an actual video of the inside of a pet store supplier if not for PETA investigations.

@CH and MilkyFactory: This is not a personal argument with either of you, but I strongly feel that the PETA should not be put under fire by people who will never be as involved with promoting the welfare of animals. People need to offer a solution and do their own part before making fun of others, and our current system of pet stores is a problem, not a solution; sinking the business would indeed do something for the animals mistreated by it.

Edited by abdulmuhsee, 28 May 2012 - 05:57 AM.

[Christmas_hamster]

There have been threads. They are around. It would be nice to have them set more prominently, that much is true.

The point of this thread was to question what is commonly considered the group for such information. Most of what I have learned about the true 'horrors' that go on with animals have not been learned through PETA. There are other sources out there, they just don't put out nude advertisements to show that.

[GoalieGotGame]

I'm personally part of PETA. Because, they give very good insights and recepies for vegatarians (I'm a vegatarian). Also, I agree with the ending fur and leather use meat and dairy consumption (I'm on my way to becoming Vegan!!!), fishing, hunting, trapping, factory farming, circuses, Animal testing for useless "experiments" (Why does a bunny need to put lipstick on or hamsters becoming malformed for new drugs to be tested) bull fighting and ending disection at schools. I don't always agree with their actions, because they are very extremmist. But, there basic ideas, I agree with 100%.

Edited by GoalieGotGame, 01 June 2012 - 10:32 PM.

[Christmas_hamster]

You can still believe in those things without being part of PETA. But to each their own. ;)

[Happy Hammie]

I too agree w/ PETA's ideas but i do not like the way they propagate it...i also think that their campaign in animal captivity is kinda overboard...considering that some animals like dogs and cats have been domesticated by our ancestors and now if they are left in the wild they can never survive...actually humans and animals should be able to live together in peace and harmony...there are some animals better left alone and some that actually need us..so we should consider these factors before stating our opinions

[HeadOverHamsters]

I've never heard of them wanting to spay/neuter all dogs. Sounds like PETA has some well-intentioned but not very well thought out ideas. I found it really hard to take them seriously after reading this: http://features.peta.org/mario-kills-tanooki/. Here they frame Mario for killing tanookis because of a known practice of skinning tanookis. And here I just thought it was a suit that looked like a tanooki. I see what the others say about PETA making up causes. I don't see how picking on an innocent plumber helps animals at all.

[Illa]

not a big fan, Peta is so extreme

I do agree with some PETA ideas tho

I cant pick a side

But they dont do anything really tol stop they only want money and too make businesses like Petsmart burn in flames

Edited by Illa, 02 August 2012 - 02:10 AM.