Hardcore Animal Rights Groups

Hardcore animal rights groups go to extremes to prevent mistreatment of animals.

Some people feel that animals should be treated fairly and, when they feel that animals are being wronged, they stage peaceful protests to try to make a change. However, not all groups that fight for animal rights do so in a peaceful manner. Some hardcore animal rights groups commit crimes in the name of fair treatment for animals, while others use graphic images and unusual protests to stop mistreatment of animals, such as in lab experiments and to make fashionable clothing. Regardless of their methods, the main goal of these hardcore groups is to raise awareness of how animals are treated by various companies.

Actions

The actions taken by hardcore animal rights groups are often seen by the public to be extreme and sometimes cross the line. Instead of staging peaceful protests, these groups often create graphic displays that are meant to shock viewers. Some of these groups have also been known to commit acts of arson and vandalism to get their points across. Some people believe that the actions seem to ignore the rights of humans in favor of protecting the rights of animals. Others feel that extreme measures are necessary to get the point across. Because these groups cannot pay to get their message across, they create campaigns that attract the media to help spread the word about their cause.

Animal Liberation Front

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is a hardcore animal rights group in the United States that uses ecoterrorism to fight for the rights of animals. Their goal is to inflict economic hardship on businesses that profit from the misuse of animals, to show the public the horrible things that are happening to animals and to protect animals from harm. Many of the actions they take are considered illegal. However, they pride themselves on having never inflicted physical damage to any human or animal since they began in 1976.

Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty

In 1999, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) entered the United States when its cause became connected with a New Jersey lab. The main goal of SHAC is to shut down Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), a lab that uses animals for experiments, and to cut off all the businesses that support the lab. According to the Anti-Defamation League, some SHAC activitists have taken responsibility for bombings and other extreme measures in the name of stopping the lab's use of animals. SHAC uses hardcore tactics to place pressure on businesses that help keep HLS running, causing many of these businesses to either close their doors or stop doing business with HLS out of fear.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

While People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), is not as hardcore as some of the other groups, they still use extreme tactics to gain attention. They do not participate in illegal activity like some of the other hardcore groups, but they do often stage protests with graphic images and strong messages. PETA's campaigns focus on factory farms, laboratories, fast food chains and clothing and entertainment industries. Their goal is to stop the torturing and killing of animals by encouraging alternative choices for food, clothing and entertainment.

References

• Anti-Defemation League: Ecoterrorism: Extremism in the Animal Rights and Environmentalist Movements
• Animal Liberation Front: Who is the ALF?
• Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty: Introduction to SHAC
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: All About PETA
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: Why Does PETA Use Controversial Tactics?