Yearly PeTA rant

[draggonlaady]

It's that time again, folks. This year's begging/self-aggrandizing from PeTA:

Last year, PETA provided more than 400 sturdy doghouses, thanks to generous "Angel for Animals" sponsors. With many more dogs in urgent need and temperatures dropping fast, we want to top that number this year, and I hope that we can count on your support. There are so many ways that you can help, including the following:

* Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $265 can provide a doghouse to one needy dog.

* Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $530 can provide doghouses to two neglected dogs.

* Your "Angel for Animals" sponsorship gift of $1,325 can provide doghouses to five lonely outdoor dogs.

So I called down to the local feed store, and looked on Amazon. It seems I can get a small dogloo for less than $80, or a large one for about $90. So for $265, shouldn't they be able to supply 3 small or 2 large dog houses? Why only 1? and it GETS WORSE as the amount gets bigger! For $1,325, I could buy FOURTEEN large dogloos. FOURTEEN! Why can their esteemed volunteers only acquire and distribute five?
So unless I totally fail at math, PeTA received over $100,000 through this drive last year. And managed to use half again my entire yearly salary to get a mere 400 dog houses. And they're PROUD of it. What is WRONG with these people?

Moral of the story: Don't send them your money. Buy three doghouses with it instead, and take them to the food pantry or local humane society to give them to the needy. They are equally as tax-deductible that way, and you've helped out three times as many dogs, and not funded the psycho bullshit that PeTA pulls.

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Comments

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

Of course, if you were any kind of carpenter, you could go down to the lumber yard and build a doghouse, probably for even less.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed, except that's expecting people to put out effort. It's MUCH easier to believe they'd write a check than that they'd spend a day or two building things to give away.
Also, I myself am too lazy to look up plans and material sheets and cost estimates for making them, so if I can't be bothered to provide easy links, why would any of my friends be bothered to do so?
I'm trying to be a bit realistic with my idealism. ;)

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

I think my mind might be trapped in the 40s/50s.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

How so?

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

Well, y'know that classic image of family life back then: a man with a pipe and his son, both smiling like loons, having a bit of good clean fun by building a doghouse or treehouse or something.

Or maybe I'm just crazy.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Yep, I think you're crazy. My boyfriend and his son would look at me, and say "Nah, we're gonna go play Rock Band. Wanna sing?"

Or, you know, if they were in a good mood, they'd maybe work on building a chicken coop or something that's useful to us directly, and let me donate all the dog food and dogloos I want on my own time.

[evil-egg.livejournal.com]

Well obviously you'd do that sort of thing now because nowadays the world doesn't have to be pieced back together after some of the blackest days in mankind's history.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Give it a few years, we're working on driving the economy that way :)

[elegaer.livejournal.com]

bet you could find a local scout / guide pack to make a few though as a project!

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Hmm. That's a thought. There is a Boy Scout troop around here that's been selling popcorn and stuff...

[elegaer.livejournal.com]

PETA is so much more of a vitriolic campaign society than actual help for animals. I wish people would give money to local rescue centres / charities that will actually help animals more than just shout and vilify a lot of people who don't deserve it.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Yes indeedy. That's exactly why I do this yearly rant. :)

[elegaer.livejournal.com]

Good for you. Peta are a nightmare. I have a personal grudge against them as they picketed and threatened to firebomb a set of labs I was working at at the time. Apparently we tortured crocodiles in there, according to the demonstraters. Needless to say, the biggest thing we kept in there were mackerel.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

But you WERE torturing them, RIGHT? You big, mean ichthophobe!

[jacksontwobears.livejournal.com]

You've pretty much ensured that they'll never get a dime from me.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Excellent. My plan is working. Seriously though, the Humane Society over there gave dog houses and dog food to people with no money on a regular basis; was not at all uncommon for people to call and say they were out a job or whatever and couldn't afford dog food this month, could we help. So dropping things like dog houses or beds or supplies off there is a pretty good way to get them to someone needy, without having to worry that they'll go towards burning a medical facility or trashing a university lab.

[brainweevil.livejournal.com]

Or, you could donate to Wayward Creatures Relief Agency, I hear they're on the web (www.petfinder.com/shelters/wa388), and also tax-deductible.