PETA vs. Dodge: Battle of the Chimps

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In summary: I wonder how many animals would be completely extinct without zoos or places where animals are held in captivity. Sure a lot of things humans have done with animals isn't the most humane or 'nice' things but I don't see how bull/dog fighting or circus abuse has to do with the dodge commercial.
  • #1
Evo
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When I first heard of PETA, I thought, aww, some nice people working for animal rights. Now when I hear about PETA, I think "what ridiculous thing have they done now?"

Here's the latest. Can't have chimpanzees on tv. I loved the chimp detonating the confetti in the Dodge commercial.

Auto company Dodge recently found itself in PETA's crosshairs after the carmaker aired a commercial staring a monkey dressed up like Evel Knievel. But, unlike many who draw the ire of PETA, Dodge fought back in a most amusing way.

Below, the original ad that inspired PETA to pen an open letter condemning Dodge for using a monkey, "given the well-documented abuse that young chimpanzees and orangutans suffer in the entertainment industry." PETA goes on to write, "Dodge isn't going to dodge a bullet on this one. It needs to pull the ad — and we've contacted the company asking it to do just that.

If you want to see Dodge's response to PETA, check out the new commercial.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93924?fp=1
 
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  • #2
Funny commercial! I've thought much the same about PETA.
 
  • #3
Wow, when I first saw the edited commercial (after having already seen the original) I assumed I must have been drunk and high. Good to know I was just drunk.

I do love PETA though.
 
  • #4
My only objection to the commercial is calling a chimpanzee a 'monkey'. I can feel my anthropologist friends cringing already.

[Edit: 'Ape' is the appropriate term, btw.]
 
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  • #5
Meh. I too do not feel the need to force animals to do things in order to satisfy my need for humor. But PETA does certainly have a way of polarizing people...
 
  • #6
It is not pleasing to see wild animals (even domestic) being used for some kinds of entertainments.

http://enextranet.animalwelfareonline.org/Images/resources_Animals%20in%20Entertainment_false_An-Overview-of-Animals-in-Entertainment-English_tcm34-11715.pdf

I can recall bull/dog fighting.
 
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  • #7
rootX said:
It is not pleasing to see wild animals (even domestic) being used for some kinds of entertainments.

http://enextranet.animalwelfareonline.org/Images/resources_Animals%20in%20Entertainment_false_An-Overview-of-Animals-in-Entertainment-English_tcm34-11715.pdf

I can recall bull/dog fighting.

I wonder how many animals would be completely extinct without zoos or places where animals are held in captivity. Sure a lot of things humans have done with animals isn't the most humane or 'nice' things but I don't see how bull/dog fighting or circus abuse has to do with the dodge commercial.

Has it been specifically proven/shown that the animal in the dodge commerical was not properly taken care of? Has it been treated inhumanely? The only objection I can really see just from the evidence provided is that people shouldn't have chimps as pets or keep them captive. In my opinion however, that isn't going to go anywhere.
 
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  • #8
zomgwtf said:
I wonder how many animals would be completely extinct without zoos or places where animals are held in captivity. Sure a lot of things humans have done with animals isn't the most humane or 'nice' things but I don't see how bull/dog fighting or circus abuse has to do with the dodge commercial.

Has it been specifically proven/shown that the animal in the dodge commerical was not properly taken care of? Has it been treated inhumanely? The only objection I can really see just from the evidence provided is that people shouldn't have chimps as pets or keep them captive. In my opinion however, that isn't going to go anywhere.

I was only presenting my agreement with dreiter post. It does not have anything to do with dodge or the PETA position.
 
  • #9
rootX said:
It is not pleasing to see wild animals (even domestic) being used for some kinds of entertainments.

http://enextranet.animalwelfareonline.org/Images/resources_Animals%20in%20Entertainment_false_An-Overview-of-Animals-in-Entertainment-English_tcm34-11715.pdf

I can recall bull/dog fighting.

I don't like to see animals "perform" for human entertainment, either. If a person is so bored with life they need to be entertained by an animal doing tricks, they need to get a better hobby, imo.
 
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  • #10
lisab said:
I don't like to see animals "perform" for human entertainment, either.

What about humans? Hoe do you feel about them performing?

Just curious.
 
  • #11
Personally, I'd like to see an elephant skin Pamela Anderson and wear her implants as earmuffs.
 
  • #12
CRGreathouse said:
What about humans? Hoe do you feel about them performing?

Just curious.

I wouldn't like human performance where the performer is forced to act without his/her consent.
 
  • #13
What mistreatment, what forcing? I happen to know that the monkey was given a very expensive cigar as compensation for his work.
 
  • #14
lisab said:
I don't like to see animals "perform" for human entertainment, either. If a person is so bored with life they need to be entertained by an animal doing tricks, they need to get a better hobby, imo.
Do you have pets?
 
  • #15
russ_watters said:
Do you have pets?

Yes, a cat. She knows no tricks, not one. Although she has taught me several.
 
  • #16
rootX said:
I wouldn't like human performance where the performer is forced to act without his/her consent.

That's my feeling too. And in a show like the circus or SeaWorld, where there is a paying audience, I very much doubt the "stars of the show" are given the option to perform or not.
 
  • #17
I love animal rights nutters, they make me giggle. They don't seem to make the distinction between bear baiting and dressing a monkey up in a dress.

That chimp in the dodge as was clearly loving it. Just like the PG tips monkeys loved it.
 
  • #18
This poor dog was forced to be in a sleeping pill ad. not

f5216v.jpg
 
  • #19
I have taught my dog to do things when I want him to. Not tricks, per se, but sit, lie down, stay, come, heel, stop, etc. It's good bonding for us because he loves the praise and reinforcement, and it might save his life if he headed for the road and I need to stop him.
 
  • #20
Seriously some animals love to perform. It has to be taken on a case by case basis.
 
  • #22
lisab said:
Yes, a cat. She knows no tricks, not one.
Does she use a litter box?

Is she allowed to come and go as she pleases? Eat anything she wants?
 
  • #23
russ_watters said:
Does she use a litter box?

Is she allowed to come and go as she pleases? Eat anything she wants?

I think it's similar to raising children. While they need restrictions on what they can do; however, sometimes parents don't make good decisions: reality/beauty shows.
 
  • #24
russ_watters said:
Does she use a litter box?

Is she allowed to come and go as she pleases? Eat anything she wants?

Yep, you got it. Except no litter box, she goes outside.

What the heck is your point? What does my cat have to do with the examples I gave, the circus and SeaWorld?

Or are you just looking for pointers on cat care?
 
  • #25
No, lisa, I'm not looking for pointers on cat care - I'm just trying to see where the line is for you. Most people who make such criticisms of animals in media don't view their animals to be in the same situtation, but they typically are. As a cat owner who doesn't use a litter box and let's their cat go outside, you give your cat a very unusual amount of freedom. Few pet owners do (and most veterinary professionals would actually say that freedom is bad for pets).

A cat using a litter box and a dog begging for a treat are in exactly the same ethical situation as the animals in the circus and SeaWorld, with only relatively minor variations in degree.

I go a few steps in the opposite direction, though.
 
  • #26
russ_watters said:
No, lisa, I'm not looking for pointers on cat care - I'm just trying to see where the line is for you. Most people who make such criticisms of animals in media don't view their animals to be in the same situtation, but they typically are. As a cat owner who doesn't use a litter box and let's their cat go outside, you give your cat a very unusual amount of freedom. Few pet owners do (and most veterinary professionals would actually say that freedom is bad for pets).

A cat using a litter box and a dog begging for a treat are in exactly the same ethical situation as the animals in the circus and SeaWorld, with only relatively minor variations in degree.

I go a few steps in the opposite direction, though.

I strongly disagree that a cat using a litter box is in the same situation as, say, a circus elephant. Not even close!

A cat will use a litter box without the slightest prompting; it's instinct to want to bury their pee and poop and kitty litter is made to suit their instincts. A circus elephant lives its life chained, standing on concrete, traveling in cattle cars. They are forced to perform whether they want to or not.

The two situations are not even within sight of each other.
 
  • #27
Why do people say the animals perform whether they 'want to or not'. Can all animals really make a decision like this? I highly doubt it.
 
  • #28
A circus elephant can poop whenever it wants to though.
 
  • #29
edward said:
This poor dog was forced to be in a sleeping pill ad. not

f5216v.jpg

That's a dog? Looks like a polar bear to me!
 
  • #30
zomgwtf said:
Why do people say the animals perform whether they 'want to or not'. Can all animals really make a decision like this? I highly doubt it.

OK, 'want to or not' may be anthropomorphizing.

But have you ever owned or spent time around animals? It isn't uncommon for a dog to know a certain trick, but then refuse to do it when prompted. He maybe just doesn't want to; who knows why, but he just won't do it. Most owners just shrug and say, oh he won't do it now. A show animal doesn't get that understanding, they're forced to perform. After all, there's an audience of paying customers waiting on them.

Animals appear to have moods, good days and bad days, and emotions. They appear to not always 'want to' do tricks on demand.
 
  • #31
PETA & HSUS both have an agenda that is very different from what they want the public to believe. Both use propaganda of plights of cute animals to appeal to the public and solicit money donations, but much of what these organizations actually DO & much of their funds are spent on furthering radical activists aka animal rights terrorists.

This link
http://activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/o/21-people-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-animals
gives references to substantiate the true agenda of PETA and also provides further links where you can see evidential proof of this for yourself

Nonprofit CEOs and Peta considered top on list of domestic terrorist groups by FBI
http://msexceptiontotherule.wordpre...-on-list-of-domestic-terrorist-groups-by-fbi/


Here is a link to a pdf file from the FBI's own site, which contains copies of actual evidence that proves PETA's terrorist affiliations & activities.
http://foia.fbi.gov/filelink.html?f...ople_for_ethical_treatment_animals_part01.pdf
 
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  • #32
RealityCheck! said:
PETA & HSUS both have an agenda that is very different from what they want the public to believe. Both use propaganda of plights of cute animals to appeal to the public and solicit money donations, but much of what these organizations actually DO & much of their funds are spent on furthering radical activists aka animal rights terrorists.

This link
http://activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/o/21-people-for-the-ethical-treatment-of-animals
gives references to substantiate the true agenda of PETA and also provides further links where you can see evidential proof of this for yourself

Nonprofit CEOs and Peta considered top on list of domestic terrorist groups by FBI
http://msexceptiontotherule.wordpre...-on-list-of-domestic-terrorist-groups-by-fbi/


Here is a link to a pdf file from the FBI's own site, which contains copies of actual evidence that proves PETA's terrorist affiliations & activities.
http://foia.fbi.gov/filelink.html?f...ople_for_ethical_treatment_animals_part01.pdf

Oh yeah, PETA is a bunch of loonies, for sure. But I still don't like animals being used to entertain humans.
 
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  • #33
lisab said:
I still don't like animals being used to entertain humans.

I agree with that; they're much better utilized as food. :approve:
 
  • #34
Danger said:
I agree with that; they're much better utilized as food. :approve:
People for Eating Tasty Animals
 
  • #35
Danger said:
I agree with that; they're much better utilized as food. :approve:

dogs, cats, elephants?
 

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