In my first year working at a grossly substandard animal shelter in Maryland, I forced myself to go in early to euthanize dogs by holding them in my arms and gently helping them escape an uncaring world without trauma or pain and to spare them from being stabbed haphazardly—while they were fully conscious, terrified and aware—in the general vicinity of their hearts with needles blunt from reuse and left to thrash on the floor until they finally died by the callous people who would arrive later to do the job.

I always wonder how anyone cannot recognize that there is a world of difference between painlessly euthanizing animals out of compassion—aged, injured, sick, and dying animals whose guardians can't afford euthanasia, for instance—as PETA does, and causing them to suffer terror, pain, and a prolonged death while struggling to survive on the streets, at the hands of untrained and uncaring "technicians," or animal abusers.

Diamond was suffering from a painful facial tumor that was slowly eating away at his face

Sasha had a severely infected bite wound.

It's easy to point the finger at those who are forced to do the "dirty work" caused by a throwaway society's casual acquisition and breeding of dogs and cats who end up homeless and unwanted, but at PETA, we will never turn our backs on neglected, unloved, and homeless animals—even if the best we can offer them is a painless release from a world that doesn't have enough heart or homes with room for them. It makes it easy for people to throw stones at us, but we are against all needless killing: for hamburgers, fur collars, dissection, sport hunting, the works. PETA handled far more animals than 2,069 in 2012. In fact, we took in more than 10,000 dogs and cats and work very hard to persuade people to spay and neuter their animals and to commit to a lifetime of care and respect for them. We go so far as to transport animals to and from our spay/neuter clinics, where they are spayed or neutered and given vet care, often for free! Since 2001, PETA's low- to no-cost spay-and-neuter mobile clinics, SNIP and ABC, have sterilized more than 50,000 animals, preventing hundreds of thousands of animals from being born, neglected, abandoned, abused, or euthanized when no one wanted them. And on a national level, PETA is focusing on the root of the problem through our Animal Birth Control (ABC) campaign.

Big Girl was still alive when a field worker found her

If anyone has a good home, love, and respect to offer, we beg them: Go to a shelter and take one or two animals home. The problem is that few people do that, choosing instead to go to a breeder or a pet shop and not "fixing" their dogs and cats, which contributes to the high euthanasia rate that animal shelters face. Most of the animals we took in and euthanized could hardly be called "pets," as they had spent their lives chained up in the back yard, for instance. They were unsocialized, never having been inside a building of any kind or known a pat on the head. Others were indeed someone's, but they were aged, sick, injured, dying, too aggressive to place, and the like, and PETA offered them a painless release from suffering, with no charge to their owners or custodians.

Every day, PETA's fieldworkers help abused and neglected dogs—many of them pit bulls nowadays and many of them forced to live their lives on chains heavy enough to tow an 18-wheeler—by providing them with food; clean water; lightweight tie-outs; deworming medicine; flea, tick, and fly-strike prevention; free veterinary care; sturdy wooden doghouses stuffed with straw bedding; and love.

What we see is enough to make you lose faith in humanity. One pit bull we gained custody of, named Asia, looked like a skeleton covered with skin when PETA released her from the 15-pound chain she had been kept on for years. Asia suffered from three painful and deadly intestinal obstructions, which prevented her from keeping any food down. She faced an agonizing, lingering death, so our veterinarian recommended euthanasia to end her suffering. We pursued criminal charges against those responsible for her condition, leading to their conviction for cruelty to animals. That is just one of the dozens of cases we see every week.

The majority of adoptable dogs are never brought through our doors (we refer them to local adoption groups and walk-in animal shelters). Most of the animals we house, rescue, find homes for, or put out of their misery come from miserable conditions, which often lead to successful prosecution and the banning of animal abusers from ever owning or abusing animals again.

Santana had facial injuries so serious that his right eye was swollen shut and his jaw was ripped and hanging

This dog was suffering from advanced cancer

As long as animals are still purposely bred and people aren't spaying and neutering their companions, open-admission animal shelters and organizations like PETA must do society's dirty work. Euthanasia is not a solution to overpopulation but rather a tragic necessity given the present crisis. PETA is proud to be a "shelter of last resort," where animals who have no place to go or who are unwanted or suffering are welcomed with love and open arms.

Please, if you care about animals, help prevent more of them from being born only to end up chained and left to waste away in people's back yards, suffering on mean streets where people kick at them or shoo them away like garbage, tortured at the hands of animal abusers, or, alas, euthanized in animal shelters for lack of a good home. If you want to save lives, always have your animals spayed or neutered.

See more about how PETA saves animals.

Written by Ingrid E. Newkirk

As we mentioned previously, PETA's Community Animal Project (CAP) fieldworkers are out and about in Norfolk and the surrounding communities, helping animals hurt or stranded by Hurricane Sandy. And it's not just dogs and cats who need help. Take, for example, this unfortunate pelican.

The exhausted fella was obviously worn out after being tossed around by the storm. A kind soul who spotted him called PETA, asking what kind of food she could give him, convinced that nobody would be able to get out to help the grounded bird since her street had become impassible.

Well, CAP doesn't know the meaning of the word "impassible." When local animal control representatives said that they weren't sure they'd be able to get out there, PETA's staffers drove through the gusty winds and heavy rains to get this big guy and transport him to the Virginia Beach SPCA. Our good friends there will give him the needed rehab so that he can be released once the coast is clear.

Stay tuned for more news from the front lines. And to help keep PETA's work for animals afloat, make a donation today.

Staffers from its Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters and Washington, D.C., office have endured the impact of Hurricane Sandy's winds and storm surge, but that's not stopping PETA from doing everything in its power to help the animals in the storm's path. Community Animal Project fieldworkers are on call 24/7 and have already been hard at work helping animals left to fend for themselves against the storm and the flooding.

Of course, the best way to protect animals is to prevent them from being put in harm's way in the first place. That's why PETA sent out emergency-preparedness alerts to media across Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and other at-risk areas before the storm to remind guardians to be ready to allow animal companions to stay indoors and to take them along if forced to evacuate.

Unfortunately, not everyone has heeded this advice, and frightened, vulnerable animals like the dog you see here in Newport News, Virginia, have been left tied up outside to face the storm's onslaught. So PETA has sent urgent requests to the governors of all states likely to be affected by Sandy asking them to protect all their citizens—including the four-legged ones—by issuing immediate "no chaining" orders for their states.

The orders should require that all dogs be allowed to stay indoors and not be left chained outside, where they may drown, freeze, be strangled, or get hit by flying debris in the midst of the hurricane, as happened to Smokey, who died alone outside during Hurricane Irene on the chain that he had been attached to since puppyhood.

No matter what the governors decide, though, if Sandy is headed your way, please allow your dogs and cats to stay indoors with you, be prepared to take them with you if you have to leave, and urge your neighbors to do the same!

Update: Midnight has been adopted! Her gloomy past behind her, this free-spirited gal has now been renamed Indie. Her new family reports that she is relishing the safe, comfortable indoor life and that she acts like she has known her canine sister, River, who is also a PETA rescue, for years. Indie has discovered catnip, and she is so photogenic that her new family has started an all-Indie scrapbook. If you are interested in adopting a PETA rescue, e-mail us at Adopt@peta.org.

Originally posted September 20:

Midnight the cat had been trapped in a tree for 10 terrifying days. Her owners couldn't be bothered to lift a finger to help her. She had likely been frightened up the tree and didn't know how to get back down, which should have been apparent after the first few hours. A concerned construction worker reported the stranded, distressed cat to PETA.

Seeing as the people responsible for her seemed not to care one bit, one of our Community Animal Project fieldworkers climbed about 35 feet up the tree, secured Midnight in her arms, and made the slow, careful descent. After 10 days without food or water, Midnight was lucky to be alive and was shaken and severely dehydrated, but once on the ground, the grateful cat began to purr. Her owners never allowed Midnight inside and had no plans to do so now, even after her brush with death, but they agreed to allow the fieldworker to find her a new home where she would be safe indoors.

Now Midnight is settling in at PETA's Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters and is waiting patiently for the right adoptive family. She will be microchipped and spayed before adoption. If you are ready to make a lifetime commitment and give Midnight the safe, loving home that every cat deserves, please e-mail Adopt@peta.org.

When a woman contacted PETA with information about trucks jammed full of birds routinely driving through her area, she added that two chickens had fallen off a truck that morning. She had taken them home with her, where she gave them food, water, and bedding.

One of the injured birds had died, and the other was unable to stand. PETA's Cruelty Investigations Division urged the woman to take the surviving bird to a nearby veterinarian right away. The doctor found that the chicken was suffering from two broken legs and was so profoundly overweight (like many chickens raised for meat) that even if he were able to heal her legs, she would never be able to bear weight on them or have a decent quality of life. He recommended that the anguished hen be euthanized right away—a far gentler end than she would have faced in the pandemonium at the slaughterhouse.

What You Can Do

If you see any animal in trouble, please don't turn away—provide help, even if the kindest option is a humane release from suffering. You can also save lives by going vegan: Every penny spent on meat, milk, or eggs funds the institutionalized torture of countless animals like these two chickens.

The story is a common one but still heartrending: Deuce's owners bought him as a puppy, but when he got big—although still full of energy and enthusiasm—instead of giving him gentle guidance and abundant exercise, they kicked him out of the house and chained him to a tree.

A Chain Is Not a Home

Fortunately for Deuce, one kind soul saw that he was tied up in the mud without shelter on a rainy day and took pity on him. After other rescue organizations refused to help Deuce, PETA was contacted and immediately arranged to have the pup picked up—the uninterested family surrendered him to the rescuer—and taken to a reputable animal shelter.

That would be enough of a tail-wagger for many animals who are facing a similar plight, but Deuce's good fortune continued: Shortly after arriving at the animal shelter, he was adopted by a loving family, and now he spends every day indoors as a cherished member of the household.

What You Can Do

Both dogs and cats are happier and safer indoors. Please, if you spot an animal left outside, be ready to help—and don't take "no" for an answer!

They spent their days relegated to a carport, cast aside like old exercise equipment. The two dogs were locked inside crates from early in the morning until dusk without a chance to relieve themselves and no way to escape from the blistering Southern summer heat. The Labrador mix did not even have room to stand up.

A neighbor who had to watch the dogs suffer had tried calling animal control for help. And although officers went to the home and issued a warning, they refused to confiscate the dogs because the animals did not appear to be in immediate danger of dying from dehydration or heatstroke. Frustrated, the neighbor called PETA for help.

We called animal control every few days to file an animal welfare complaint against the owner. Each time animal control paid a visit to the house, officers issued the owner another warning. Realizing that he would either have to allow his dogs indoors or continually deal with animal control, the owner surrendered both dogs to the local shelter.

It took a lot of persistence, but now both dogs have a chance to find a new home with a guardian who understands that dogs belong indoors with the rest of the family.

PETA has a wealth of information on how crating is detrimental to dogs, which you can share with anyone you know who is considering using these cruel cages (for even a short length of time).

Some visitors to South Carolina turned their vacation into an opportunity to advocate for animals when they spotted two aquariums packed to the brim with slider turtles at a beach shop.

The aquariums were full of water, and the turtles had only a small bit of rock and cut-up pieces of a pool toy to climb onto to rest. Slider turtles can't hold their breath for long underwater, and the turtles were exhausted from being forced to swim constantly and surface frequently in order to get air. Reportedly, some of the animals had already died from their ordeal.

The tourists called PETA, and we contacted a reputable law-enforcement agency in the area. The responding officer immediately cited the store manager for cruelty to animals. The officer also ordered the store to give the turtles more space, provide each tank with sufficient items for the turtles to rest on, and closely monitor the quality of the water.

In court, the officer and an equally diligent prosecutor made an excellent case for cruelty charges, and the manager was convicted and slapped with the maximum penalty—more than $1,000. The court also appointed a reptile specialist to educate the manager on the proper care of turtles. PETA is pushing the store to stop selling turtles altogether.

This all happened because some tourists took a few minutes out of their vacation to help animals. Never let an opportunity pass you by—never be silent. 

Update: On August 20, Carole Van Wie, the operator of Bunny Magic Wildlife & Rabbit Rescue, Inc., was charged with 13 counts of cruelty to animals. The charges follow an August 8 raid on the facility—prompted by a PETA complaint—in which law-enforcement officers seized 222 rabbits. Officials reportedly had to don masks to rescue the flea-infested and sick rabbits from up to 4 inches of feces and urine. Investigators apparently found one rabbit dead in a cage and others denied food or water. According to news sources, seven of the rabbits rescued that day could not be saved.

Originally posted August 8:

Welcome news! Today, many, many rabbits are being removed by Calvert County, Maryland, officials from what could be called a sham "sanctuary," Bunny Magic Wildlife & Rabbit Rescue, Inc., in Lusby. The seizure was prompted by evidence gathered by PETA of systemic—and sometimes fatal—neglect of animals at the "rescue," following a whistleblower's tip-off.

Many neglected rabbits’ nails were overgrown. Some caught on wire cage bottoms while others curled dangerously toward the animals’ sensitive feet.

Disgusting Filth, Disease, and Death

PETA submitted evidence and a detailed complaint to Calvert County Animal Control and State's Attorney Laura Martin's Office, which has opened a criminal investigation into Bunny Magic, run by President Carole Van Wie. We thank law enforcement for acting promptly and PETA Investigations & Rescue Fund donors for providing us with the resources needed to follow up on the whistleblower's tip.

PETA found that Bunny Magic consisted of little more than Van Wie's garage, which reeked of ammonia, and a dark shed that was overrun with rodents. It had no paid help to care for its more than 200 rabbits and other animals. Van Wie deprived rabbits of needed veterinary care and left contagious animals in contact with others, risking the spread of disease. Photographs show that Bunny Magic was little more than a hoarding facility, amassing far more animals than it could properly care for.

Dead rabbits crammed into a freezer

Scores of rabbits kept in cramped, stacked cages

Rabbits (who are fastidiously clean animals) were unable to avoid stepping in their own feces, which was allowed to accumulate for days

One neglected rabbit, Rockette, suffered with a severely twisted neck, struggling to stand up on her own; she was denied nursing and veterinary care and left to languish and defecate on herself until she finally died. Another rabbit, named George, who had a months-long respiratory infection that filled his throat with pus, was rescued from Bunny Magic before PETA met with officials but could not be saved. A veterinarian recommended that George be put out of his misery.

What You Can Do

The rabbits are being rescued only because a courageous whistleblower reported how horrified he or she was by Bunny Magic, reminding us that we should never be silent when animals are in trouble.

Please be sure, before adopting any animals, that you're ready to make a lifetime commitment to caring for them. Beware of hoarders pretending to operate so-called "no-kill" rescues or sanctuaries who promise to care for unwanted animals but instead will only subject them to prolonged suffering and a prolonged, miserable death. If you take an animal to a shelter, make sure it's operated responsibly.

Victories like this one are made possible in part through the generosity of PETA Investigations & Rescue Fund supporters. To learn more about this vital fund and how you can support the rescue of more animals, click here! 

When this orphaned baby pigeon was brought into a parks department office, the woman who accepted the hatchling did the right thing and contacted animal control—but unfortunately, animal-control officers didn't do the right thing. Although they said they'd come get the bird, they didn't show up. So the tenacious lady made another smart move: She called PETA.

The little one was lethargic, having been without his parents for so long, so PETA's caseworker quickly called the agency responsible for rescue and rehabilitation for animal control and had it expedite care. You'll be glad to know that the pigeon was successfully rehabbed. His future looks bright—or, as the caseworker put it, "He is going to be a rock star among pigeons."

What You Can Do

If you want to be a rock star among pigeons (or any other animals), all you have to do is be ready to offer assistance when they're in trouble—and don't give up until they receive the help they need.