{"id":1045405,"date":"2022-11-14T10:00:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T18:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peta.org\/?p=1045405"},"modified":"2025-07-17T12:46:25","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:46:25","slug":"is-peta-extremist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peta.org\/news\/is-peta-extremist\/","title":{"rendered":"PETA Works to End the Extreme Injustice Faced by Billions of Animals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What\u2019s extreme about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) U.S., the largest animal rights organization in the world?<\/strong> Maybe our size and success in campaigning for animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PETA entities have more than 10.4 million members and supporters globally and operate under the simple principle that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. PETA U.S. informs policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promotes treating animals with kindness\u2014there\u2019s nothing extreme about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Courtney
PETA invited members of Congress, their staff, and the public to celebrate 25 years of vegan progress with a giant veggie-dog cookout in Washington, D.C.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PETA works to dismantle speciesist<\/a> systems that support the belief that all other animal species are inferior to humans. Many people who derive pleasure or profit from animal exploitation feel threatened by our work to protect animals, and\u2014since they can\u2019t justify their own actions\u2014they spread false and misleading information about us in a sad attempt to discredit our work or paint PETA as extremist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PETA is an advocacy organization that informs the public about the horrors of animal suffering through entirely peaceful means\u2014unlike our opponents, we don\u2019t commit acts of violence against anyone, human or nonhuman. We work to stop cruelty to animals through investigative newsgathering and reporting, pamphlets, billboards, letters, advertisements, articles, peaceful demonstrations, litigation, humane education in schools, and provocative campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joe\u2019s
In Miami, protesters at Joe\u2019s Stone Crab urged diners to leave animals off their plates after a PETA video showed workers tearing the claws off live crabs for the restaurant\u2019s supplier. Take action at PETA.org\/Crabs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PETA Is Opposed to Extremely Cruel and Wasteful Experiments on Animals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Right now, millions of mice, rats, rabbits, monkeys, cats, dogs, and other animals are locked inside desolate cages in laboratories across the U.S. They waste away in pain, ache with loneliness, and long to be free from experimentation. Instead, all they can do is sit and wait for the next terrifying and painful procedure. After enduring a life of pain, frustration, and fear, almost all of them will be killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PETA is at the forefront of stopping this abuse. Our dedicated team of scientists and other staff members work full-time to expose the cruelty and scientific failures of animal experiments<\/a> in order to ensure their imminent end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"UMass<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PETA collaborates with members of Congress<\/a> to replace the use of animals in laboratories<\/a>, instigates hard-hitting eyewitness expos\u00e9s and public campaigns that have been pivotal in shifting public opinion against animal testing, and persuades major corporations, government agencies, and universities to abandon animal tests in favor of modern, effective, animal-free methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PETA Has a Problem With the Extreme Impact of Using Animals for Food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Is PETA extreme for pointing out that more than 29 million cows<\/strong> suffer and die in the meat<\/a> and dairy<\/a> industries every year? Or for noting that in the U.S. alone, approximately 9 billion chickens<\/strong> are killed for their flesh and 305 million hens<\/strong> are used for their eggs each year? Did you know that more fish are killed for food each year than all other animals combined, as tens of billions<\/strong> of fish and shellfish<\/strong> are slaughtered annually?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of resources<\/a>. Two-thirds of all agricultural land in the U.S. is used to raise animals for food or to grow grain to feed them. Chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals are the primary consumers of water in the country: A single pig consumes 21 gallons of drinking water per day, while a cow on a dairy farm drinks as much as 50 gallons daily. Farms produce billions of pounds of manure daily, which ends up in lakes, rivers, and even drinking water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
In West Palm Beach, Florida, a PETA supporter informed passersby how much water is used to produce steak and slices of cheese\u2014and came \u201cclean\u201d that the solution is to go vegan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is no nutritional need for humans to eat any animal-derived product. All our dietary needs\u2014even as infants and children\u2014are best supplied by a meatless diet. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics notes that eating plant-based foods reduces the risk of suffering from many chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including heart disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PETA believes that whether you go vegan<\/a> for animals, the environment, or your health, you have the power to change the world, simply by changing what\u2019s on your plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Order a Free Vegan Starter Kit<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

PETA Exposes the Suffering of Animals Used for Clothing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every year, billions of animals suffer and die for clothing and accessories. Cows and other animals are killed and skinned to make leather, birds are held down while fistfuls of feathers are ripped out of their sensitive skin, and small animals like minks and foxes are caged for life before being killed for their fur. Sheep are often beaten and mutilated by workers stealing their wool and their skin for shearling. Seems pretty extreme, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"minks<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, wearing animal-derived materials is on its way to becoming a thing of the past, thanks to PETA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our dedicated supporters have exposed systemic cruelty inherent in the leather<\/a>, wool<\/a>, down<\/a>, cashmere<\/a>, exotic-skins<\/a>, mohair<\/a>, and fur<\/a> trades. Investigations by PETA U.S. and other PETA entities into these industries have repeatedly exposed widespread and relentless animal abuse. Our advertisements and demonstrations against these bloody industries are famous for shocking the public, turning heads, and initiating action. We also work hands-on with companies behind the scenes to persuade the largest names in fashion to ditch clothing and accessories made from animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 21st<\/sup> century, vegan fashion is booming<\/a>. Clothes and accessories made from hemp, bamboo, Tencel, organic cotton, and other animal-free materials are now commonplace. They can also be made from innovative and sustainable materials such as cork, mushrooms, pineapple leaves, apple peels, other fruit waste, or recycled plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"latine-owned<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With so many different materials to choose from, there\u2019s no excuse for anyone to harm or kill animals for clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ending the Exploitation of Animals for Entertainment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

PETA U.S. is determined to get animals out of the entertainment business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our dedicated staff members work full-time to expose and end animal abuse in the entertainment industry, and their work is paying off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to ending circus cruelty<\/a>, PETA is doing the following:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n