This Guy Rips Apart PETA In His Twitter Thread; Questions The Organisation’s Ethics.
Since 1980, PETA has made a name for itself as the number-one authority on animal welfare. UK-based YouTube vlogger Calum McSwiggan, however, wants people to consider otherwise and recently used a scathing Twitter rant to sound off on the organization’s true colours.
After recent investigations, PETA has come under fire for a lot more than just the scantily clad women they use for marketing. In a March 2017 press release, the Center for Consumer Freedom revealed that PETA euthanized more than 1400 cats and dogs at its Norfolk, Virginia shelter in 2016. PETA defends their actions as ethically and economically necessary, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that their attention-grabbing media presence may be more important to them than the lives of animals.
McSwiggan’s thread, which has now attracted over 6 thousand respective likes and shares, is both shocking and resounding with Twitter users, most of whom had never dared to question PETA before. Follow the entire story below, and weigh in with your views at the end!
Meet Calum McSwiggan, a British YouTuber who vlogs about LGBT rights, mental health, and other social issues
Recently, he posted a scathing Twitter thread about PETA, and what he wrote may shock you. Read it here:
While wasting thousands on absurd PR campaigns, they kill 97% of the animals they "rescue" because they "can't afford" to take care of them.
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
In the past decade alone PETA have killed over 30,000 healthy cats and dogs brought into their care because it's the "kind thing to do."
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
Some of the absurd ways they spend their money includes developing a mock video game to criticise Pokémon for encouraging cruelty to animals pic.twitter.com/raCmuRQbqB
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
They even tried to claim that super mario was supporting the fur industry and further criticised him for supposedly being cruel to turtles. pic.twitter.com/uvaN1Vsexn
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
And remember the guy the internet celebrated for saving his dog from that kangaroo? PETA tried to have him prosecuted for animal cruelty… pic.twitter.com/NJWP827lk2
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
And they're currently financially ruining a photographer by claiming the copyright of his famous monkey selfie belongs to the monkey 🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/oXSCu1pBCV
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
They even attacked everyone's favourite ice cream dads @benandjerrys and tried to get them to replace their dairy products with human milk 🙄
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
They advocate for people feeding their cats a vegetarian diet despite knowing full well that it is essential for cats to eat meat to survive
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
And instead of targeting those who are actually cruel to animals, they instead try to shut down independent farmers and small businesses
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
Even their work in trying to convert people to veganism is undermined by their insistence on trying to guilt people into giving up meat.
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
Instead of gently encouraging people to try a vegan diet, they instead fill our social feeds with videos of animals being tortured & killed.
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
It causes a lot of people a lot of distress, it's unethical to market to people in this way, and most importantly: it doesn't work.
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
Don't support an organisation that cares more about itself than the animals it claims to protect. Support a worthy charity instead ❤️
— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) July 14, 2017
The thread since then had got a lot of traction and had attracted more than 10,00 times retweets and 9,500 likes. For users, the revelations was a surprise:
They R more focused on shedding a light on the animal cruelty that we don't see or haven't ever really thought about as "cruel"
— Katherine (@katmemory) July 21, 2017
The Simpson's even mentioned it already how ridiculous they are. i never supported the org cause of their ridiculous propaganda
— Gaby (@gabyisme) July 21, 2017
You are absolutely right .. Government should ban these type of organization they are doing more harm to animal than to save..India example
— shekhar (@shekharkushwah) July 21, 2017
If he suddenly goes "missing" we all know who's responsible 👀
— RIP Chester 🖤💔 (@kales_18) July 21, 2017
Their ads are also horrifically sexist. They're just gross.
— Eve (@kirkentitties) July 22, 2017
there was 2 peta employees who made animal porn videos IN THE ANIMAL KENNELS AND SHELTERS and who are now banned from being near animals
— Chmarr walcott (@chmarrwalcott) July 22, 2017