PETA by Gillian McDade

As an animal lover, I fully support the creation of websites, such as k9friendsunited.com, which help connect pet owners with like-minded people around the world. But for every happy waggy-tail story, there are a million more of heartbreak and distress that we don't see. As dog owners, many of you will be familiar with the scourge of puppy mills, commercial dog breeding facilities which put profit before the health, welfare and comfort.

There are many organisations which have grown up over the years to help protect the rights of animals who can't speak, or fight for themselves. It's important that websites campaigning against these activities, like k9friendsunited are rewarded with plenty of publicity. One of these is PETA (People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals) – it's the largest animal rights organisation that works to protect species in every country from mice to elephants.

It focuses on educating people, and gets involved in cruelty investigations, protest campaigns and animal rescue operations. Often controversial, its animal rights and protest campaigns range from the fur trade, slaughter, meat eating, fishing and dairy consumption. Primarily though, PETA seeks to raise awareness of factory farming and the unacceptable practice of animals used for experimentation in laboratories.

While the overwhelming majority of PETA members are strict vegetarians, there's no real requirement to become one, though you can so do and are encouraged to with help of the starter kit. I've been a vegetarian for the past 18 years because, apart form being against animal slaughter, I don't really find dead animals very appetising.

What is venison anyway? It may sound delicious from the culinary term, but in reality, it's just 'dead deer.' Not so appetising now? Furthermore, you're not going to eat your dog, so why eat a rabbit or a turkey? It doesn't make sense. PETA's literature will also remind you of the health benefits of vegetarianism, such as a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. There are also undercover videos which will give you a shocking insight into circuses and fur farms.

This is only a drop in the ocean of what PETA does, but dog lovers like yourselves will be of the same mindset as the rest of the organisation's supporters: that animal cruelty is wrong, unacceptable and has no place in society.

You can take action via the PETA website by petitioning governments around the world expressing your disgust at unacceptable activities taking place on their soil and urging them to put an immediate halt to cruelty. It's only by taking action that we can stop the brutality of the human race towards our animal companions. Visit the website www.peta.org.uk and take action now.

Gillian McDade is a journalist with the Mid-Ulster Mail, Northern Ireland, and writes at http://strictlywriting.blogspot.com/.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of K9 Friends United.