Thomas on Groups for Animal Rights

In his condemnation of the upcoming animal rights convention in Washington (Column Right, June 19), Cal Thomas made numerous false and misleading statements about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The facts are these: PETA neither supports nor commits “terrorist” acts. We may sit down in a fur designer’s office in peaceful civil disobedience, but the most “violent” thing we’ve ever done was toss a tofu-cream pie, vaudeville-style, at Ronald McDonald. We are dedicated to peacefully and lawfully exposing the abuse of animals in the food, clothing, experimentation and entertainment industries.

Thomas’ implication that PETA was founded to shelter animals is also incorrect. PETA was begun to document and bring to public attention the exploitation of animals in the above-mentioned industries. We do this through investigations and high-profile publicity campaigns to draw attention to animals’ plights. Even so, PETA has not turned away from animals in shelters. We have completely rebuilt two shelters from the ground up, one in South Carolina and one in Puerto Rico. Additionally, PETA has brought charges against an animal shelter in Ohio for its inhumane euthanasia methods.

Many thousands of scientists, physicians, ethicists, disease victims and others agree with PETA that animal experimentation is not only cruel, but that it is not the most effective method of fighting disease. PETA supports modern methods of scientific research in which sophisticated computer, test tube and epidemiological studies are employed to unlock the riddles of disease.

KATHY GUILLERMO

Correspondent, PETA

Norfolk, Va.