‘If you can’t feed them, don’t breed them’: PETA slammed over controversial article on drought

ANIMALS rights group PETA has been slammed over a social media post criticising farmers forced to kill livestock because of Australia’s current drought crisis.

DEVASTATED farmers are struggling through one of the worst droughts they’ve ever seen but one animal rights group’s controversial message is “if you can’t feed them, don’t breed them”.

PETA has been slammed for its insensitive stance on the issue as nearly all of New South Wales suffers through the drought and several other states in Australia.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals posted an article that criticised farmers who have been forced to kill livestock because they could no longer afford to feed them and doing so is more humane than letting them suffer.

“Millions of animals are suffering in the big dry, but it doesn’t always have to be this way,” they posted to Facebook with an article titled, Australia’s Drought: If You Can’t Feed Them, Don’t Breed Them.

The piece highlights a recent front page of The Sunday Telegraph and News Corp campaign to help farmers, with one revealing he had to shoot 1200 starving sheep and bury them in a mass grave because of the crisis.

“Farmers are complaining that the big dry means that they have to kill animals prematurely and for no money,” the PETA article said.

“There’s no denying that millions of sheep bred into Australia’s wool industry are suffering in the drought. Unfortunately, their suffering is not unusual.

“From the farmers’ perspective, the problem is not that they have to kill animals — since they were going to do that anyway — but that they’re not getting paid to do so.”

Dry land everywhere at a cattle feeding operation on the property 'Toorawandi' owned by Coonabrabran farmer Ambrose Doolan and his wife Lisa. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

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The group has already long called for putting an end to wool and meat industries, claiming their emissions contribute to the climate change problem, and they want people to save the planet by going vegan.

Many people have taken to social media outraged with PETA’s latest view.

“There are farmers out there not only shooting their livestock but also their own heads because this isn’t just their job, but their LIVES,” one woman wrote.

“My hate for you grows with every heartless, low blow post and article you publish.”

Another man said the organisation just blew all credibility of being responsible, intelligent and reasonable.

“What a moronic take on a tragic situation for people and animals,” he said. “You are complete and utter dills with this commentary.”

Australians have been feeling for farmers, who have been vocal on their suffering and fear the ongoing effects the situation will have on consumers in the long run.

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The Jerry family farm 'Marlborough', 40km outside Coonabarabran. Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

“Not all farmers are monsters,” said one woman. “Most of these farmers love their stock, and feel they’re suffering terribly.

“This drought is near unprecedented — it is extensive and severe and is not something you can plan for. These conditions are out of their control.

“Have some compassion PETA, these animals are not suffering because of neglect or abuse. It is simply drought.

“Rather than berate the farmers, assist in the many avenues of fundraising to help ease their livestock’s suffering.”

PETA hit back, saying people who cared for animals could not stay profitable in the farming business.

“You don’t send ‘family’ off to the slaughterhouse,” they said. “Caring for them as a product is not the same as caring for them as individuals.”

Vegan supporters said it was a hard pill to swallow but the truth whether people liked it or not, saying they would only support plant farmers.

But this week National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) CEO Tony Mahar revealed even those farms had been reduced, with winter crops such as wheat, barley, oats and canola — which are essential for everyday items such as bread, biscuits and cooking oil — particularly hard hit.