Protect Your Right To Own a Pet Billboards

[Not Afraid]

I've been seeing billboards all over town that say "Protect Your Right To Own a Pet" and they include no PETA and no HSUS signs. The web site is www.exposeanimalrights.com. The site is sponsored by the National Animal Interest Alliance.

The mission of NAIA is to promote the welfare of animals, to strengthen the human-animal bond, and safeguard the rights of responsible animal owners.

They have features stories on their own web page like "Animal Welfare: Allow science, not emotion, to tell us whether farm practices are humane" and "Animal Testing: A View From the Labs".

I get why people are outraged by PETA. I've always felt there extreme methods would cause an equally extreme backlash in the opposite direction. But, I don't get the outrage over the HSUS and I'm really concerned about this backlash. I know what it is in response to....We've had several laws passed locally about spaying/neutering/breeding, chaining your dog, as well as the recent chicken law that requires larger cages for poultry. Also, there has been a lot of attention given to the film "Food, Inc." (which is great, BTW). When people's eyes are opened to certain practices that are disgusting (IMHO) of course there will be a backlash.

I believe this campaign has been started in LA but has plans to move nationwide. Has anyone else seen these billboards? Your thoughts about the campaign?

[€uroMeinke]

From their website, it seems they are mostly about being against PETA and the humane society, you have to dig to find out what they are really for. The links on their site take you to other extremist sites that seem to undermine their "we really looking after the animal's best interest" message.

[Kevy Baby]

They make some interesting claims about HSUS fundraising and how little of it is applied to actual animal activism, but offer zero substantiation. Just seems like another extremist organization that I have a hard time taking seriously.

[JWBear]

Not surprising.

(NAIA) is a front group and industry funded lobbying organization for animal commerce and agribusiness based in Portland, Oregon.