Another thing that PETA does not publicize because it would hurt donations is that they are "morally" against people keeping pets (um- companion animals) at all: in their view house cats, dogs, etc. should be completely free of human dominance, which PETA realizes really means these domesticated animals would, in practice, be non-existent (allowed to die off). So helping it along a bit may not be a big deal as PETA sees it.
I have loved many pets, but until they offer to help with expenses and the mortgage they are pets and not companions in my view. That doesn't mean that I didn't and don't feel obligated to give them a very comfortable and pleasant life, one that is undoubtably much, much better than a wolf or a bobcat would have in the wild.
I also have noted that PETA has sought to gain publicity by highlighting "dreadful experiments on cats and dogs" to convince people that all lab animals are cruelly treated. Well, by far most lab animals are rodents, which most people are actively trying to kill in their garage and attic by use of cruel traps and poison. The rules on research using even these rodents are very, very strict- any use has to be proposed in a carefully worded, detailed multi-page document that needs to be pre-approved by a separate board that includes vets and non-scientists on it, they almost always question the approach and want it changed to avoid any potential discomfort for the animals, the care, watering, health, and feeding of the animals is supervised daily, the numbers used has to be strictly justified in advance. This had to be done even if the study is only to feed and weight them: to test them even on a balance beam has to be carefully documented as to potential risks to the animals and every means possible has to be used to minimize frightening or harming the animals in any way. In fact, often "toys" have to be provided to all animals (including mice, rats, fish and frogs) to keep them from becoming mentally stressed due to boredom. I am not making up any of this.
Do I have a problem with any of this? No- these lab animals, including mice and rats, should have as good a life as possible and should be highly protected (although the paperwork involved in the approval process often appears to be to be more directed at legal issues rather than real animal health issues). But it annoys me that PETA, who is killing many cats and dogs themselves, is willing to outright lie so much about lab research, which is really carefully regulated and is typically on mice and rats, to gain sympathetic publicity. They have even bombed and threatened people in their stunts (I guess people are not companion animals in their view). PETA is by no means who they claim and anyone can research it and find out. I support the SPCA far more.
