While the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)is the main thorn in animal agriculture’s side, I have to relay some shocking information that I had never heard about until recently. The original tidbit of information was from a friend’s Facebook status that made me dig a little deeper into what’s been happening in the state of Virginia.

According to the website PETA Kills Animals, that’s exactly what PETA has been doing, to the tune of 95 percent of the animals they took in, in 2011. Of the 1,992 animals PETA took in because they were unwanted pets, 1,911 of them were euthanized at PETA’s headquarters in the state of Virginia.

The PETA Kills Animals website also said in 2007, two PETA employees were tried for animal cruelty and littering in North Carolina after there were caught in a late night stakeout dumping the bodies of dead dogs and cats in a dumpster. Witnesses at the trial testified that PETA told them they “shouldn’t have a problem at all finding homes” for dogs left in their care. Other North Carolina shelter personnel testified that they were under the impression PETA would find homes for the animals they handed over to PETA. These impressions were incorrect.

PETA picked up dogs and cats from animal shelters in North Carolina and killed them before they even left the state.

So with this kind of information, what I want to know is; where are the YouTube videos? And why aren’t those splashed all over the news? Where is the mainstream media?  And why would an animal rights group kill animals?  Where is the outrage? Where is HSUS? Why isn’t Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS, hunting down the PETA leadership to chastise them for slaying unwanted pets? Where are the ballot proposals in Virginia and North Carolina to put a law on the books designed to put PETA out of business?

Maybe the reason we aren’t hearing anything about these slayings is because the group they hate the most – animal agriculture – is too busy taking care of their livestock and learning how to tell their story through social media to worry about being whistle blowers. 

Maybe we aren’t seeing piles of dead pets on the news is because we are not about a smear campaign, false advertising and obscene YouTube videos, we are more about being proactive with our profession. 

Not only is the world of animal agriculture constantly educating themselves on how to produce food the most efficient way possible and trying to find a niche market for their product, they are creating genuine relationships with the consumers around them, while keeping their finger on the pulse of the anti-animal agriculture movement.

PETA, let me introduce you to the world of agriculture, where we are tuned into growing food, growing families and enriching our lives through knowledge and application. Exploitation of animal cruelty has no room here.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.