Knock me over with a feather this morning when I actually got an email from Ms. Ingrid Newkirk herself:
FROM: “Ingrid Newkirk” [IngridN@peta.org]
TO: Me
DATE: Sun, Apr 10, 2011 at 7:48 AM
SUBJECT: Thank You.
mailed-bypeta.org
Thanks, we will look at that right away.
Also, thank you very much for your adoption of the beautiful cats and for suggesting people help their local shelters. We are not in favor of “no kill” terminology as it leaves the dirty work to the open admission shelters. You might enjoy our other website, helpinganimals.com. We operate three full time spay/neuter clinics for indigent people’s animals, and others who will not or cannot afford full price. It not only does spays/neuters, but helps with fleas, ear cleanings, even surgeries for animals who spend their entire lives chained to a dirt patch or living under a trailer, etc. You may wish to look at and pass on the links of some of the animals who are taken in, that “no kill” shelters will usually not touch as they are not adoptable. Someone has to touch them. We get a lot of criticism for being so “impure” as to do so rather than leave the dirty work to others. Some of the pics are tough to look at…
[Ms. Newkirk included a list of links that I’ve truncated here for space.]
I’ll definitely be following up this week to make sure the link/reference has been removed from their Features directing page. EDIT: As of 12PM EST Monday, April 11th, the language has been removed. I can now consider this a complete victory.
We have been heard indeed, from the highest level of PETA.
I’m so incredibly humbled by and proud of this community right now.
More thoughts tomorrow.
Read the complete series of posts:
- An Open Letter to PETA
- Update 2: PETA’s Response
- Update 3: Close But No Cigar
- Update 4: Victory!
- Update 4a: Thank You, PETA
- You Are Here: Update 5: A Response from PETA President, Ingrid Newkirk
- Update 6: Why This Mattered
What a tremendous success! Thank you so much for your efforts in supporting and advocating for our community!
Congratulations! And yet, her response just shows that she cares little about anyone's plight. Her response should have been a caring and sincere apology instead it was still all about what you can do for her. Truly tactless and crass.
Again, well done and a giant thank you!
I feel so lucky that we have you as an advocate and a sister in IF. I'm not that religious, but I have heard something along the lines of "God gives adversity to the people who can handle it", and we have proven our strength yet again. Kudos to you!
Fantastic. So proud of this community 🙂
You are such a fabulous advocate! Way to go!
You are so, totally awesome. 🙂