Who's who in activism
A sample of groups opposed to animal research, and how to tell them apart
Name: |
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) |
Website: |
http://www.peta.org/ |
Key Features: |
Says it's the largest animal rights group worldwide, with nearly 2 million members; opposes all forms of animal testing; has been accused of using its assets (more than $31 million in revenue) to fund more militant groups, ALF and ELF; sends people undercover to document alleged abuses |
Known for: |
Threw pie at Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who promotes fur in fashion; compared factory farming to the Holocaust; captured footage of Huntingdon Life Science researchers allegedly abusing animals |
| Name: |
Animal Liberation Front |
| Website: |
http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ |
| Key Features: |
Calls itself the "most active liberation group," made up of underground activists, favors direct action (such as removing animals from labs), is considered a terrorist group by the FBI |
| Known for: |
Set fire to a diagnostic laboratory at the University of California, Davis in 1987, causing $4.6 million damage; used arson to destroy toxicology and nutrition research at Michigan State University in 1992. Together with ELF (below), ALF has committed hundreds of criminal acts in the US since 1996, causing tens of millions of dollars in damages, according to the FBI |
| Name: |
Earth Liberation Front |
| Website: |
http://earth-liberation-front.org/ |
| Key Features: |
Favors direct action (destroying property) to subvert actions injuring people, animals or the environment, sometimes called "ecotage" |
| Known for: |
Committed arson at Vail ski resort, resulting in $12 million in damages; was accused of setting fire this year to five luxury homes outside Seattle |
| Name: |
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine |
| Website: |
http://www.pcrm.org/ |
| Key Features: |
Is an association for doctors and non-doctors that opposes the use of animals in research and promotes vegetarian diet; has been linked to PETA. |
| Known for: |
In 2004, doctor and PCRM member Jerry Vlasak, said: "I don't think you'd have to kill too many researchers. I think for five lives, 10 lives, 15 human lives, we could save a million, 2 million, 10 million non-human lives." |
| Name: |
Animal Legal Defense Fund |
| Website: |
http://www.aldf.org/ |
| Key Features: |
Is a non-profit animal rights law organization that files lawsuits to protect animal rights |
There are a number of other groups based in the UK.
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV)
LINK
Dr Hadwen Trust
LINK
Animal Aid
LINK
Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME)
LINK
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