Readers Speak: Letters to the editor

Posted on Feb. 02, 2009, at 12:00 a.m.

In response to your opinion piece “PETA’s ‘sea kittens’ site makes me hiss” (1/29/09), it was interesting to read the author’s reaction to our tongue-in-cheek “Sea Kittens” campaign, which aims to remind consumers that fish suffer greatly when caught and killed for their flesh – just as all animals do. Most people would never dream of spending a family weekend torturing kittens, but hooking a fish through the mouth and dragging him through the water is the same as hooking a cat through the mouth and dragging him behind your car.

Clearly Ms. Long sympathizes with protecting the rights of animals thanks to some investigative research she did into the meat industry during her childhood. However, we must remember that not all people voluntarily make the effort to look at slaughterhouse practices, such as slicing the beaks off chickens, or dismembering cows while they’re still fully conscious. I commend Long for making such a compassionate decision early in life, but she is the exception rather than the rule. Sometimes we in the animal protection community are forced to use creative and eye-catching campaigns to remind people of the gruesome reality animals face.

With so many delicious and animal-free options available these days – including veggie barbecue “riblets”, vegan pizza, and even faux fish – it’s never been easier to cut cruelty out of your diet.

Ryan Huling

College Campaign Coordinator, peta2.com

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