PETA

As you may have read in this week's Activist Alert Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is coming to Eugene to speak at 7 pm Monday, Nov. 17, at Borders in the Oakway Center.

I'm wondering if there will be a protest.

PETA is perhaps one of the most well-known animal rights organizations around, and I have to say it very often does good work exposing animal abuses. And Newkirk should find a good audience given all the animal lovers and activists we have in Eugene. But a lot of those animal lovers are pro no-kill and anti doggie-prejudice.

I was surprised to learn that PETA supports breed specific legislation (aka bans by cities and countries on owning specific types of dogs), a practice some animal advocates have linked to racism. Cesar Millan, the dog whisperer himself, told the EW that doggie prejudice and human racism aren't that far apart.

PETA president Ingrid Newkirk has written that she supports not only pit bull bans but killing pit bulls.

PETA is also anti no-kill and in fact euthanizes a large number of animals at their shelter in Norfolk, Va. In according to Newsweek, PETA has killed 85 percent of the animals it has taken in since 1998.

As Nathan Winograd, one of the founders of the no-kill movement points out in the Newsweek story, with a budget of over $30 million a year, PETA "could become no-kill in no time." He says PETA and the Humane Society of the United States "have become leading killers of cats and dogs, and the animal-loving public unwittingly foots the bill through taxes and donations."

Every once in a while, with all the sustainable, organic and local options around, I wonder why I'm still a vegetarian. Then PETA comes out with another one of its undercover videos and I remember that there's a lot of meat produced in the world that isn't from grass fed cows and happy free range chickens.

Word of warning if you follow the link and watch the video. It's graphic. I was ok through the parts where they kicked the pigs and beat them. It was the part where they guy laughs while he smashes piglets into the floor and then the cute little things squirm and struggle, clearly not dead, that pretty much did me in.

The pig farm in Iowa where the video was filmed supplies pork to Hormel, the maker of Spam. PETA is encouraging it's members to write to Hormel and demand humane treatment of the pigs used to supply their pork.

Hormel's website responds: "We expect all current suppliers to adhere to the proper animal handling standards from day one and continue to do so throughout our relationship. We are working with our supplier to ensure this activity is no longer taking place."

(Full disclosure: I'm not PETA's biggest fan. Their stance on pitbulls and breed specific legislation isn't something I agree with, but someone has to go out there and defend the Wilburs of the world.)

Pizza Research Institute now has another award to hang next to their handful of Best of Eugene certificates: The delicious pies and slices have led the tiny, tempting-smelling joint to be selected as one of the country's Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Pizzerias. They're sitting nicely in the middle of the pack at number five; the press release from PETA says:

The Pizza Research Institute is a much hipper place than its name implies. However, with all the one-of-a-kind pizzas they offer, you would think that there really were a staff of scientists in the kitchen. Health-conscious diners will find on the menu such items as the Chef's Choice, which redefines “veggie lover;” the "3P" with pears, potatoes, and pineapples; and toppings as far-out as corn on the cob.

Congrats, you guys! Funny, now I think I'm hungry for pizza...