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PETA's push to rename fish 'sea kittens'
By Cathy Alexander
AAP
January 9, 2009

A CAMPAIGN to rename fish as "sea kittens" in order to improve their image has been ridiculed by the Federal Opposition.

Outspoken animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is using the "sea kitten" name as part of its push to restrict fishing.

"Nobody would hurt a sea kitten!" the group says on its website.

"People don't seem to like fish.

"We're going to start by retiring the old name for good.

"When your name can also be used as a verb that means driving a hook through your head, it's time for a serious image makeover."

The website features images of fish with cats' whiskers and ears.

PETA is using the campaign to entice people to sign a petition calling on the US Fish and Wildlife Service to stop promoting "the hunting of sea kittens (otherwise known as fishing)".

Opposition fisheries spokesman John Cobb was not impressed with the campaign, nor with PETA.

PETA has offended some in Australia with is high-profile campaign against mulesing, the practice of cutting away the skin from a sheep's rear to prevent flystrike.

Mr Cobb said the group had little credibility.

"It is hard to take an organisation which wants to change the name of fish seriously," he said.

Many people might laugh at the sea kitten campaign, Mr Cobb said, but PETA's agenda was actually more sinister: destroying the meat and fish industries.

PETA has convinced a number of large companies to boycott Australian wool which comes from mulesed flocks.

The group argues mulesing is cruel and there are better ways to prevent flystrike.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,248...21,00.html

Why do their tactics have to be so insane? The desire for animals to have rights and not be tortured is appealing and understandable, but PETA does things that are ridiculous so often that it's not possible to take them seriously. If people don't take them seriously, then nothing changes. You can't insult people, or insult their intelligence, and then expect them to understand where you're coming from and sympathize with your cause.

ETA: PETA called for the death of all the Michael Vick pit bulls. Luckily, rescue/rehab groups like Best Friends and Bad Rap ignored PETA and have made wonderful progress with these dogs, many of them finding homes, and many of them loved and well-cared for at the rescue homes. I'm sorry, but that's far more humane than the dismissive death sentence PETA wanted.

PETA pisses me off. Recently there was a case of a pet store in PA where the owner who had already been convicted of animal cruelty had a sick kitten. I'm morally opposed to pet stores when there are so many animals in shelters. Anyway, the man decided that instead of getting treatment for the kitten he would take care of matters himself. He put the kitten in a freezer overnight, but it managed to live. His next response? He bashed the kitten against a dumpster until it was dead. Where the hell is PETA? Instead of whining about how "companion animals" are the same as slaves, why aren't they going after the prick who did this?

I detest PETA as well. Their tactics are increasingly bizarre.