In August, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested in front of Discovery Channel’s headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, with three buckets full of dead dogs and cats. PETA was protesting an “Animal Planet” show called “That’s My Baby” which PETA claims will lead to more pet overpopulation.
Interestingly, in July the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was horrified at a British citizen who put dead animals to an unique use. Replicating the practices of medieval Europe, Huw Kennedy hurls dead cows, pigs, and even a horse from the 60-foot siege engine he built (Huw also launches derelict cars and pianos as well).
Even though the animals are already dead long before Huw received them, the RSPCA maintained that nonetheless this constituted animal cruelty. According to an unnamed RSPCA spokesman,
Mr. Kennedy may say no suffering is being caused, but flinging dead cows and horses through the air hardly promotes a responsible attitude to animals. This kind of thing implies they are disposable for entertainment.
That the RSPCA is now concerned about the cow carcasses shows how far it has moved to the animal rights position. But, regardless, one wonders if the RSPCA will notify its PETA counterparts of the need to show the proper respect for dead animals.
Source:
PETA protest features dead pets. Janell Cowgill and Brian Baskin, August 13, 2001.
RSPCA attacks dead animal thrower. John Ezard, The Guardian (UK), July 17, 2001.