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The contemporary animal rights movement is believed to have started in Britain during the 1800s, attracting a growing number of supporters, including many abolitionists. The movement's initial aim was to stop animal abuse and neglect while promoting better living conditions. By the late 1800s, numerous animal shelters and organizations began to form, many of which continue their work today. Over the years, the movement has taken on various forms, with many groups opposing the use of animals in cosmetic testing, fighting against the use of fur in fashion, and advocating for the protection of endangered species.
The animal rights movement today consists of a variety of often opposing factions. Some people believe that all true animal lovers must abandon meat consumption, while others focus on ensuring animals are humanely raised and slaughtered. Some insist that being vegan is the only way to avoid exploiting animals, while others argue over whether hunting should be allowed. With so many different views on the best ways to treat animals, there are times when activists inadvertently cause harm. Below are ten instances where this has happened.
10. Sheep Shearing
Sheep shearing came under scrutiny when the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released footage showing a few cruel shearers, portraying these incidents as the standard. However, in reality, sheep are rarely harmed during shearing. While minor accidental injuries do occur occasionally, the extreme and violent methods shown by PETA are not representative of the practices followed by most sheep farmers.
Sheep are sheared for their wool, and this process actually benefits them as well. Domesticated sheep cannot shed their wool naturally, and without regular shearing, they face serious health risks. Overgrown wool can lead to trapped dirt and waste, which attracts harmful insects and causes infections. If left unchecked, the sheep may even suffer from heatstroke or become more prone to being trapped.
One famous case involved a sheep named Chris, who wandered the wild for years. His wool grew so thick—reaching a staggering 40 kilograms (89 lb)—that it hindered his vision, overburdened his hooves, and caused severe skin issues due to trapped urine. Chris was eventually rescued and sheared after being tranquilized, as he was fearful of humans. Anyone intentionally neglecting their sheep to this extent, as some do, would undeniably be inflicting unnecessary suffering, regardless of any justification for the supposed inhumaneness of sheep shearing.
9. Mink Farm Madness
In July 2017, more than 30,000 minks were released into the Minnesota wilderness by vandals, likely animal rights activists. These minks, bred for their fur, live miserable lives. However, their escape only resulted in greater suffering. Hundreds of minks perished shortly after the release, and those that weren’t caught would likely face the same fate due to their inability to survive in the wild. The surviving minks also posed a danger to local ecosystems by threatening native prey populations.
There were numerous other options available to the vandals. They could have simply refrained from buying mink fur or eyelash extensions. They could have organized a protest or even adopted a farmed mink as a pet. Instead, they made a hasty decision that led to the minks facing a much slower and more painful death.
8. PETA’s Euthanasia Spree
PETA, known for its campaigns against animals in zoos and the consumption of cheeseburgers, is also responsible for a significant number of animal deaths through euthanasia. The PETA shelter in Virginia takes in far fewer animals than most shelters, yet the majority of those brought in do not leave alive. In 2014, over 88% of the animals in their care were euthanized, and in previous years, the euthanasia rate exceeded 90%. When this information became public, Virginia lawmakers voted to pass a bill that would prevent PETA’s facility from being recognized as an animal shelter, given its high euthanasia rates.
PETA defended their actions by claiming they were rescuing unwanted animals, but for many, the end result was death. Most people would not consider euthanizing an animal a successful rescue operation. Adding to the controversy, one small dog was reportedly kidnapped from its owner and euthanized. If PETA truly aims to help animals, they should allocate more of their budget towards finding homes for them rather than focusing on controversial campaigns.
7. Mice Theft
Italian scientists were shocked in April 2013 when animal rights activists broke into a laboratory and stole dozens of mice, causing chaos. The activists likely gained access by stealing electronic cards used to unlock the laboratory doors and attempted to take control. Although they didn’t manage to steal all of the animals, 100 mice were taken. These mice, with their weak immune systems, likely perished soon after the incident.
While animal testing undeniably causes suffering and death for many animals, the actions of these activists endangered lives unnecessarily. The stolen mice might have lived longer and passed away more peacefully in the controlled environment of the laboratory, where there were at least some standards for their care. Furthermore, the valuable research on psychological disorders that had been conducted in the lab was lost. It’s a disservice to the mice who died for this research to let their sacrifice go to waste. In the future, protesters should consider the consequences of their actions before acting in ways that could harm the very animals they wish to protect.
6. Dissections Over Birth Control
When European zoos face an excess of lions, one of the methods used is public dissections. American zoos, however, do not engage in this practice. The reason for this difference lies in the use of birth control. Many European zoos reject birth control for animals, opting instead to cull excess animals if no other zoos are willing to take them. The justification for this practice is that it allows the animals to live more naturally, similar to their wild counterparts, without the intervention of birth control.
The lioness was put down out of concern that her father might mate with her. While that is an unsettling reason for euthanasia, the zookeepers also chose not to integrate her into another pride, fearing the other lions might kill her. In the end, they killed her and publicly dissected her for educational purposes for Danish children. Perhaps Europe could learn from the United States in the future, as birth control seems a better alternative to death. Or they could simply send their extra lions and giraffes to the many US zoos that could use them.
5. Cruel Animal Shelter
Animal shelters are meant to care for animals, but sadly, that isn’t always the case. While not all shelters resort to mass euthanasia, some simply neglect and mistreat their animals. The Toronto Humane Society, for example, was found guilty of such practices.
Although only six percent of the animals were euthanized, many others endured long, painful deaths. The shelter’s conditions were shocking, with starving animals, filthy cages, and inadequate medical care. Even the dying animals were left to suffer without euthanasia to end their pain. The surviving dogs were often malnourished and sickly, and in one tragic case, a dog even cannibalized another. Sadly, all of this suffering occurred just so the shelter could brag about keeping their euthanasia rates low.
4. Buried Dinner
In many places, cats are considered beloved pets, but in Vietnam, they are unfortunately seen as a source of food. Although the consumption of cats is illegal, the practice of frying and barbecuing them still persists. In February 2015, thousands of cats, which had been seized from China to be sold as dinner, were buried alive to prevent their fate.
Among all the possible ways to die, being buried alive might be one of the most terrifying and agonizing. Even being eaten seems more merciful. These cats, crammed into a truck and transported from China to Northern Vietnam, were killed because they were deemed a threat to local wildlife if left to roam free. However, some of these cats could have been rescued, and the authorities should have found a more humane way to handle the situation. Despite the Vietnamese police’s efforts to save them from the fate of becoming dinner, they ended up buried in the ground.
3. Safety Is Only For Dolphins
After the release of harrowing footage in the 1980s showing dolphins trapped in fishing nets, the public's outrage led to a boycott of tuna. This led to the establishment of 'dolphin-safe' tuna as a legally regulated marketing term. Consumers felt reassured that by choosing dolphin-safe tuna, they could enjoy their meals without harming dolphins.
The reason tuna fishing led to so many dolphin deaths was because fishermen discovered that fishing near dolphin pods yielded larger catches. As the demand for dolphin-safe tuna grew, fish aggregating devices (FADs) became widely adopted. These devices are used by fishermen to attract fish to their nets, providing a form of shelter while also helping to reduce the deaths of dolphins.
Unfortunately, these devices have become too effective and attract unintended species, including animals like turtles and sharks. FADs are even believed to be contributing to the endangerment of certain marine animals. Consumers who buy dolphin-safe tuna may be surprised to learn that while the tuna may be safe for dolphins, it could be harmful to other marine life.
2. Real Fur
For those who enjoy the appearance of fur but want to avoid supporting animal harm, faux fur is often seen as an ethical alternative. However, in some cases, fake fur products are found to contain real fur. This was the case in April 2017, when British fashion brand Missguided was caught using cat fur in their so-called ‘faux’ fur items. The brand claimed the use of real fur was not intentional, and they subsequently stopped selling the affected products while investigating how this error occurred.
Some brands that claim to be fur-free are still selling products made from the fur of animals ranging from rabbits to raccoons. Well-meaning consumers are misled into buying items that contain real fur. For those looking to avoid supporting fur, it may be best to avoid any product claiming to be faux fur, as it could still contain the real thing.
1. Pet Controversy
Many of us cherish our pets. We shower them with love, spend time and money caring for them, and treat them as family members. However, there are some who believe that humans shouldn’t have pets at all. To these individuals, keeping domesticated animals is akin to playing God and denying them their natural freedom. Some even advocate for replacing pets with robots.
Sadly, this movement to eliminate pet ownership is harming animals. People often abandon their pets, but they typically do not survive in the wild. Domesticated pets are not equipped to fend for themselves outside and rely on us to care for them. If the anti-pet activists had their way, millions of pets would be abandoned to face death.
The bond we share with our pets is mutual; we love them, and they love us in return. They bring us joy, companionship, and affection. Rather than debating the morality of pet ownership, we should focus on providing our pets with the love and care they deserve.
