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...
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

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