2. The client: PETA
Overview of the client.
PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The name of their organisation defines the works they
do appropriately. They work through use of peaceful protests and public rallies often online and in person.
They have a mega following of what they predict to be 3 million plus that spans the length of the globe.
The organisation acquired its first notoriety in 1981 in what has become known as the “Silver Spring
Monkeys” incident. This involved animal testing on macaque monkeys which ultimately ended in a police
raid on the lab, achieving victory for the protesters. This is impressive to think that only a year earlier in
1980 the organisation was established by two men; Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco. Today several
branches have opened up between continents, originally beginning in the USA, a European branch came into
existence and after a UK branch in 2009. The UK branch is the most appropriate client for my Humanity for
Horses campaign.
The organisation is a charity. They do not turn a profit, the people who work there most compile of
volunteers working because they have a personal obligation for the organisation’s case. They acquire the
funds needed to run the operation through donation that are received online and at events. The money goes
towards videos that spread their views, organised events, running a website etc..
They spend these resources to help animals who they feel are treated unethically. Currently displayed on
the PETA UK website is a article about animal fur to which they have made a public display to counter the
industry. This is an example of the type if issue they might get involved in. Their slogan "Animals are not
ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way” demonstrates the
objectives and views of the organisation. They operate using social media as their main method of
spreading their views. They hope to change peoples minds on whether certain practices are the morally
right thing to do. building up a following can lead to ultimately changes in the areas they take issue with.
Taking the campaign further into the public allows their horizons to broaden as they become televised.
http://www.peta.org.uk/about/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_for_the_Ethical_Treatment_of_Animals
3. The issues:
Your client might advocate on a number of different yet related issues.
What issues your client campaign on?
PETA would like to irradiate the cruel, unfair and abuse of animals globally. They
campaign on an incredibly wide spectrum of issues that cover all areas of the globe.
For example they currently have a campaign to free Orcas from SeaWorld, while at
the same time attempt to oppose poaching in Australia, the reach of PETA is
impressive. People tend to pity animals who are suffering which allows for great
support in PETAs favour. The common theme is a kind of animal rights movement. It
is easy for animal abuse to go under the radar as they cannot create their own
argument. Some battles have been fought since the organisation’s establishment,
this is one of these issues; a ban to use of animals in clothing, this is a partially
famous campaign. To raise awareness members and supports paraded the streets
wearing nothing with the featuring the motto “We’d Rather Go Naked”.
The issues as a whole can be split into five categories:
“We believe that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for our entertainment or abuse in
any other way”
-PETA
4. The issues:
What are some of the impacts they have managed to achieve?
I have viewed PETAs online page and it is clear that they have made a significant difference
to multiple issue across the world as they intended. Meaning that PETA is a very successful
charity. Firstly they address passive issues that they how have been impacted by their work.
An example of this is their “Go Vegan” campaign, they re not able to put these results into
statistic although they feel it is safe to say that people have taken their advice.
On a grander scale they boast of a successful under-cover investigation into pig farms in North
Carolina. They gathered evidence to prove animal rights were breached they farm workers
were convicted with felonies. This was the first time that had happened in history. They
managed oil transportation companies (Texaco, Shell etc..) to cover their exhaust stacks as
they were killing “millions of birds and bats”. Other victories included disputes with
McDonalds and fertiliser suppliers.
What are they still hoping to achieve?
They are always hoping to achieve more in terms of converting more people to vegan, and
other morality changes. More specifically their website displays current campaigns running.
Their motto describing the five defining issues are covered from head to toe. Firstly animal
testing covers issues on cosmetics, chemical testing and educational uses, the list goes on.
There is a prominent anti-bull fighting movement, this falls under their allowed
“Entertainment” category. The list could go on and on they help any animal in need of
support wherever and whenever.
http://www.peta.org.uk/issues/
5. Facts and figures:
As the relevant issue I am focusing on is horse racing i will keep acquired research relevant to only
PETAs “Entertainment” category. In horse race many horses do die due to direct causes from racing.
For example due to genetic engineering of the animals their bones have become low in mass. This
makes the animal lighter and therefore able to run faster, although their is a big price to may. The
horse’s bones become too weak to withstand a large amount of pressure resulting in breakages. The
kind of pressure needed to cause a brake of this kind can be easily reached in organised events as
the horses are not examined for safety checks such as this. This kind of injury however is most
common with large famous events such as the Grand National. The Grand National features a 4.5
miles run which the horse must endure at unsafe speeds with no respite for slender and now also low
in density front legs. Under these circumstances the animal will trip and can cause others to fall
alongside. The camera will cut away from these incidents and a physical screen will be wheeled onto
the track to block viewers eye line of the injured animal(s). If an animal does survive an injury such
as this they are unable to make profit for the owner, they will then do with the horse as they
please, this can mean they will be put down.
Other injuries can also occur during a race. For example pain reducing drugs are administered to
horses in some cases. The advantage of this means that the horse will not recognise when at the
point of lethal fatigue and will continue to run. This can end just as badly. Internal bleeding can
occur as well as major muscle tears and lactic acid build ups. I have found some statistics on horse
deaths on UK race tracks:
-9 horses have died at Weatherby in 2014
-Cheltenham and Worcester 8 deaths in 2014
http://www.horsedeathwatch.com/index.php
