Here’s The Misinformation We Hear Most Often and Why It’s B.S.

Posted by Calvin on May 14, 2025

We really live in the misinformation age. 😒 You might have heard someone say weird stuff about PETA or the animal liberation movement and wondered if it’s true. So, let’s set the record straight—here’s the misinformation we hear most often and why it’s B.S.:

1. “PETA Kills Dogs”

PETA’s shelter in Virginia has a higher euthanasia rate than many other shelters. Why? Well, many other shelters have “no-kill” or “limited-admission” policies. They turn away horribly sick and injured animals, and other animals considered unadoptable for safety reasons, to keep their euthanasia rates artificially low.

PETA’s shelter accepts all animals without charging surrender fees or forcing desperate guardians to wait for appointments. Our expert shelter staff make decisions based on what’s best for each animal as an individual, whether that means transfer to a partner shelter for a chance at adoption, foster and adoption through our program, or euthanasia for humane reasons.

PETA’s shelter provides sick and dying animals with a peaceful, painless death in the arms of compassionate humans who truly care about them. ❤️ Many of these animals are brought to PETA by their own loving families who can’t afford to pay for euthanasia services at a vet clinic—where it can cost hundreds of dollars and takes weeks to get an appointment—and who were turned away by their own local publicly funded shelters, where employees specifically told them to call PETA for help. We help these families say goodbye to their beloved companions free of charge and are available 24/7 to help with emergencies.

For an idea of who these animals are, you can look at the images (WARNING: GRAPHIC) at the bottom of this page. We’re proud to offer this free community service to those who most need it.   

2. “Animal Skin is Better for the Environment Than Plastic”

It makes total sense to be concerned about your environmental footprint, which is why you need to hear this: Animal skin production is destroying the planet. According to the Higg Materials Sustainability Index, products made from cows’ skin contribute more to climate change, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions than any vegan options. 😳 Plus, skins rot, so companies treat them with tons of toxic chemicals. Yuck.

Companies often misrepresent the animal skin (leather) they sell as a byproduct of the meat or dairy industry to trick consumers into thinking that their shopping choices have no environmental impact. But that’s not true: Selling animals’ skins is profitable. A byproduct becomes a coproduct when its value increases, and as the market value of shoes, coats, and other goods made from animals’ skins is worth hundreds of billions of dollars each year, it’s safe to say that animals’ hides are anything but a “recycling” initiative.

To reduce your environmental footprint, seek out all-natural, state-of-the-art vegan leather produced without suffering or slaughter, like those made from apple, mushroom, pineapple, coconut, stone, waxed cotton, grain, flowers, orange, paper, leaves, or tree bark. One of the most impactful decisions you can make for the environment is going vegan—and that includes ditching animal skin.  

3. “Not Every Farm is Cruel to Animals”

Here’s a jaw-dropping stat: Today, 99% of animals raised for food in the U.S. live on factory farms where they’re torn from their loved ones, crammed into filthy spaces, and violently slaughtered.¹ 😰 Even in the 1% chance that the animals on your plate weren’t raised on a factory farm, they were still killed for their flesh, eggs, or milk. There’s no “humane” way to exploit animals for food. Period.

4. “Animal Liberation Content is Propaganda”

PETA and other animal advocates spit straight facts. Saying that billions of animals are abused and killed for food every year isn’t propaganda; it’s reality. The animal agriculture industry, on the other hand, is one of the biggest propaganda players in the game. Companies lie about the health benefits of eating animals and slap meaningless labels like “humane” or “cage-free” on their products to trick consumers.

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Big animal ag also does everything it can to smear PETA. Remember that “PETA kills dogs” misconception? KFC literally funds the front group that spews this nonsense. ☠️ You can’t make this stuff up.

5. “Vegans Shouldn’t Make Their Food Taste and Look Like Meat”

Being compassionate to animals doesn’t mean you have to give up your fave flavors. Vegan meats help us enjoy foods that comfort us or hold cultural significance without harming animals. Once you’ve found some tasty vegan meats, why stop there? See which vegan ice creams, yogurts, cheeses, and egg substitutes can replace animal-derived foods in your home.

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6. “Cats Should Have the Freedom to Roam Outside”

Cats who are left to roam outside are more likely to get hit by cars, attacked by other animals, and harmed by cruel humans. Many cats left outdoors also contract deadly illnesses or die from exposure to the elements. The best thing for your cat is to live indoors with you, and with the right stimulating games and toys, you can keep them safe and happy. 😻

7. “Sheep Need to be Sheared and Cows Need to be Milked”

Cows only produce milk after giving birth to feed their babies, just like humans, so farmers forcibly impregnate them over and over to steal their milk. Their babies are torn away from them, often within days of birth—the females are forced to enter the same cycle of misery as their moms, while the males are raised in cramped conditions and killed for their flesh (aka veal). If farmers stopped doing all this, cows would stop producing milk when their babies grew up, and those babies would grow up without being exploited for their milk or flesh.

Also, sheep have been bred not to be able to shed their coats like their ancestors could. If humans didn’t breed them, they wouldn’t need to be sheared. Animals need us to speak up for them, NOT exploit them.

*****

You can help change others’ opinions on animal advocacy by staying informed—here’s how to break the stigma!

Sources:

1. Ritchie, H. (2025, February 12). Almost all livestock in the United States is factory-farmed. Our World in Data.