Dear Editor,

Please allow me to correct some misinformation in Tori Feldman’s Feb. 1 opinion piece.

PETA is the world’s largest animal rights organization, and we work to stop cruelty everywhere—from shearing sheds in Australia, where sheep used for wool are kicked and punched, to Canadian ice floes, where baby seals are beaten to death for their fur. We also roll up our sleeves to help suffering dogs and cats in the communities surrounding our headquarters in Virginia.

Last year alone, we spayed and neutered almost 12,000 cats and dogs on our mobile clinics at little to no cost to their guardians, thereby preventing more animals from being born into homelessness. In total, we’ve sterilized more than 123,000 animals. We even transport animals to and from their appointments free of charge for guardians with no transportation.

Many people in the communities that we serve can’t afford veterinary fees of hundreds of dollars to give their beloved elderly or ailing animals a peaceful end, so PETA helps with free euthanasia services for them. We save animals from languishing in misery during their final days, and we’ve received countless thank-you notes and hugs from grateful guardians.

At our shelter, we also welcome animals other shelters reject because they’re unadoptable: the aggressive, sick, aged, injured, and feral animals for whom a painless end is a kindness. We are the only area organization that is on call 24/7 to give relief to abused and suffering animals. We are also the only private shelter that takes in emergency cases without appointments, waiting lists, admission fees, or restricted hours.

PETA’s animal shelter has always found homes for adoptable animals, either through our own efforts or via transfers to high-traffic shelters. Among hundreds of others, we adopted out an inseparable mother-and-son dog duo, Chickpea and Potato; Justice, a 7-month-old puppy whom we found chained up outside like an old bicycle and whose collar had cut deep into the growing dog’s neck; and Eve, a loving stray cat.

Because of PETA, thousands of impoverished families have been able to keep their animals instead of giving them up. We’ve provided free medical services and free counseling regarding behavioral quirks or housetraining difficulties and also delivered free doghouses, straw bedding, flea and flystrike prevention, food, water buckets, emergency treatment, and more.

I invite readers to help us reach the day when animals all have loving homes by spaying and neutering, adopting, and supporting shelters whose doors are open to every animal in need. Visit PETASaves.com to learn more.

Sincerely,

Teresa Chagrin, Animal Care and Control Specialist, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)