PETA apologises for euthanising girl's pet chihuahua

Chihuahua was euthanised in violation of state law which necessitates a five-day grace period

A family settled a lawsuit against People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) after it took a nine-year-old’s pet dog and euthanised it.

The settlement ends an attempt to put Peta on trial for putting down animals every year. Peta was sued by Wilber Zarate for taking his daughter’s chihuahua from a mobile home park on the eastern shore of the state and euthanising it before the completion of a mandatory five-day grace period. Zarate accused Peta of having a policy of euthanising animals because it “considers pet ownership to be a form of involuntary bondage”.

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The allegation was denied by Peta, which said that the 2014 incident was a 'terrible mistake'. Victoria Carey and Jennifer Wood, women associated with Peta, claim that they visited Accomack, Virginia, because a mobile home park owner had complained about wild dogs and feral cats.

Maya, the chihuahua which was a Christmas present for Cynthia Zarate, was captured by the two women while it was unattended and unleashed. The dog was euthanised later that day, which was a violation of the state law which necessitates a five-day grace period. A $500 fine was imposed on Peta for the violation.

A trial was set to begin in September, where Zarate’s attorneys had planned to challenge the organisation’s euthanasia policy. The Zarate family had initially sought up to $7 million. Peta later said it would pay $49,000 to the family and donate $2000 to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Maya’s honour.

The family’s attorney, William H Shewmake, said, “The Zarates felt that the settlement reflects the grievous loss of their beloved Maya. And it allows the Zarates to bring some closure to a very painful chapter of their lives. They’re glad the case has been settled.”

A joint statement by both parties said, “Peta again apologises and expresses its regrets to the Zarate family for the loss of their dog Maya. Mr Zarate acknowledges that this was an unfortunate mistake by Peta and the individuals involved, with no ill will toward the Zarate family.”

Peta is well known for its campaigns against factory farming and animal testing, exposing illegal practices through undercover operations. It also owns a functional shelter at its headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. The shelter often employs veterinarians to look after animals, but also puts down those it considers too sick, aggressive or feral for adoption.

According to Peta, the animals it euthanises are often those which are rejected by other shelters. Several low-income pet owners bring in their elderly or sick animals whom they cannot afford to take care of.

The organization claims that it helps around 25,000 animals each year, neutering and spaying many free of cost. However, the shelter’s euthanasia rate – it put down between 1,400 to 2,000 animals in 2016 – has been the subject of criticism from the ‘no kill’ shelter movement. Peta claimed the ‘no kill’ activists were behind the lawsuit.



Shelters which follow the ‘no kill’ policy usually only put down those animals which have incurable health issues or pose a grave safety concern. In some cases, they also place the animals on waiting lists or get them transferred to other shelters.

Peta defends its euthanasia rate by claiming that it accepts animals which are turned away by other shelters.

“We’re never going to be the folks who turn animals away,” Daphna Nachminovitch, Peta’s senior vice-president for cruelty investigations, said. “If you saw those animals, there would be nothing controversial about it.”