From reforming the “pet” trade to bringing animal abusers to justice, PETA is revolutionizing the way that society perceives and treats domesticated animals.

PETA’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) campaign expanded in 2008 with the addition of a second mobile spay/neuter clinic; three new provocative ads, which were seen by millions on television and on the Web, challenging the ethics of breeding dogs and cats; and activist support for mandatory spay/neuter legislative initiatives around the country. We enlisted high-profile celebrities, including singer Vanessa Carlton, Men in Trees star James Tupper, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba, and actor Fred Willard to star in a variety of public service announcements promoting dog and cat sterilization.

Following years of effort by PETA— including an undercover investigation— All Creatures Great and Small (ACGS), a “no kill” pseudo-shelter/hoarder in North Carolina, was shut down for good. Hundreds of cats and dogs who were languishing at ACGS in mud-filled pits or tiny crates without exercise or veterinary care were transferred to reputable animal-sheltering organizations.

With PETA’s help, criminal convictions were won in numerous animal abuse cases across North America, including the conviction of a 19-year-old California man who posted an online video of himself throwing two rabbits and a dog 30 feet into the air and allowing them to slam to the ground. On average, PETA handled several hundred individual cruelty-to-animals cases each month.

PETA’s undercover investigation of one of PETCO’s and PetSmart’s animal suppliers, Rainbow World Exotics (RWE), revealed horrific conditions for rabbits, birds, and other small animals. We documented that live animals were thrown into the trash, rabbits underwent botched castration surgeries, and animals were housed in filthy conditions and routinely denied desperately needed veterinary care. PETCO pledged to reduce the number of animals for sale in its stores by 30 percent nationwide and to improve its certification standards for liveanimal vendors.

PETA also mobilized activists to protest and send thousands of e-mails to PetSmart about the company’s sale of rabbits—who had been bred by RWE—condemning many to neglect or abandonment by impulse buyers. PetSmart announced shortly thereafter that it would stop selling rabbits, which prompted RWE to stop breeding them.

Starring in PETA ads to promote kindness and raise awareness about the link between animal abuse and violence against humans were Dexter’s Julie Benz, Battlestar Gallactica’s Tricia Helfer, and Judge Cristina Perez of Cristina’s Court.

“[PETA] is certain to grab headlines with their new ad, which calls attention to the importance of neutering pets by parodying the parental sex talk. ... The ad is really well-made and funny ....”

—Alternet.org, July 18, 2008