PETA on Delmarva: Slaughter Beach to euthanized pet Chihuahua
Carol VaughnA recent letter from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals asking Chincoteague to reconsider its world-famous pony swim and penning event in the wake of two recent horse deaths is not the first time the organization has appeared on Delmarva.
Here is a brief history of activities in recent years by the animal advocacy nonprofit, as well as other animal rights groups, on Delmarva:
The release explained that "Sanctuary Beach" would be a more compassionate alternative to reflect the beach’s status as an official horseshoe crab sanctuary.
Slaughter Beach Vice Mayor Ken Lewis said he and other officials in town are a little bewildered by the request.
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October 2014 — Animal-rights activists from Norfolk-based People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals came to rural Accomack County, allegedly took a family's pet Chihuahua, Maya, from a porch and euthanized it.
In August 2017, the family settled a lawsuit against PETA, ending an attempt to effectively put the organization on trial for euthanizing hundreds of animals each year.
PETA agreed to pay the family $49,000 and donate $2,000 to a local SPCA to honor Maya. The family had sought up to $7 million.
In January 2015, a former professional cage fighter from Michigan and two Virginia Beach women were charged with animal larceny after an incident in which an Accomack County resident said he saw a rental truck with two women and a man in it pull up to a Hopeton mobile home and take a pit bull mix from the front yard.
In November 2015, the last of the three people charged in the case was ordered to spend 10 days in jail and pay a $1,000 fine.
In a plea agreement with the commonwealth in August, Charlene “Shocky” Boyajian, 46, of Virginia Beach agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of petty larceny.
In October 2013, the Bethesda-based animal rights nonprofit group Farm Animal Rights Group demonstrated outside Perdue Farms Inc. headquarters in Salisbury on World Day for Farmed Animals.
Perdue spokeswoman Julie DeYoung said while Perdue respects Farm's right to voice their opinions, they obviously don't agree with ending the use of animals for food.
In December 2009, the Humane Society said it wanted two shark tournaments in Ocean City to stop, calling the events appalling spectacles that glorify suffering and death for creatures already vulnerable to extinction.
John Grandy, senior vice president for wildlife and habitat protection for the Humane Society of the United States, said "it's time to end" the Mako Mania and Ocean City Shark Tournaments because the species of shark targeted in the competitions are threatened with extinction.
The Humane Society also targeted the Shark Tournament in 2007, when it purchased newspaper ads and banners and began a letter-writing campaign to the Ocean City mayor and City Council, seeking to end the tournament.
In June 2005, it was announced that the Great North American Turtle Races in Bivalve, Maryland, were cancelled after complaints from animal rights groups.
The third Sunday in August was annual turtle race day at Cedar Hill Park in Bivalve, where hundreds of people would gather to either watch or compete. Organizers decided to call off the 27th annual race, blaming added expenses and criticisms from animal rights groups.
Turtle races financially supported Station 12, a volunteer fire and rescue department.
Complaints in recent years about hot asphalt surfaces on which turtles raced led organizers to stop supplying reptiles for the crawl's-pace contest that drew spectators from as far as New York.
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