PETA Awareness

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, is the largest self-proclaimed animal rights organization in the United States. With over 300 employess and 2 million members and supporters, PETA is a non-profit organization best known for its agressive media campaigns and dedication to wholeheartedly stopping the widespread torture and abuse of animals.

With a slogan like "animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment", PETA focuses on four main areas: Factory farms, Laboratories, Clothing trade, and the Entertainment industry. The organization works through public education, cruelty investigationsm research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, project campaigns, and also celebrity involvement.

Pamela Anderson, Kellan Lutz, Khloe Kardashian, Drew Barrymore, Alec Baldwin, Stella McCartney, and even Alicia Silverstone have all appeared in ads. Although there's a lot of controversy involving the women's ads being to racy, in fact women's rights activists have strongly worded their opinions over the years. Still billboards, magazines, and posters have been been flooded across the United States.

PETA activists have been seen at fashion shows across the world throwing red paint on the catwalk to protess against animal fur being used for the clothing. Also, undercover investigators have been sent into companies to spy on whether or not animal cruelty was happenning and a case could be made against them. One of the biggest and most publicized was the Silver Spring Monkey case.

The Silver Spring Monkey case first came to attention in 1981, which was a dispute about experiments conducted by Edward Taub. 17 macaque monkeys inside the Institute of Behavioral Research in Silver Spring, Maryland were being experimented on. The case led to the first police raid on an animal laboratory in the United States which triggered an amendment in 1985 to the United States Animal Welfare Act, and also became the first animal-testing case to be argued before the U.S Supreme Court.

As of late, I personally have commited myself to bringing awareness to this cause. How do you feel about the PETA organization? What sort awareness can you bring?

If you're following my joint blog The Attic Find, I will be doing a piece on faux fashions (Fur, leather, etc...). Feel free to check it out this Friday.

For more information you can visit their website at www.peta.org. There are volunteer opportunities that may also be available in your area. For more information on volunteering you can go to www.peta.org/about/volunteer.asp.  If you're a student ages 13-23 join the Street Team at www.peta2.com. There are ton of ways you can help. Visit the website to find a way. You can make a difference and help save the animals against all forms of cruelty.