That animal shelter that won't allow pro-gun people to adopt pets? PETA is having none of it: 'What counts is that adopted animals are treated well'
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has taken issue with a controversial California animal shelter that refuses to let pro-gun people adopt its pets, Fox News reported.
What's the background?
TheBlaze previously reported on the Shelter Hope Pet Shop in Thousand Oaks and its strict policies against working with certain Second Amendment backers.
"We do not support those who believe that the 2nd amendment gives them the right to buy assault weapons. If your beliefs are not in line with ours, we will not adopt a pet to you," the shelter states. "If you lie about being a NRA supporter, make no mistake, we will sue you for fraud. If you believe that it is our responsibility to protect ourselves in public places and arm ourselves with a gun -- do not come to us to adopt a dog."
The shelter adds that "if you are pro guns and believe that no background check is necessary, then do not come to us to adopt. We will grill you before you even get an appointment and visit our rescue. If we ask you 'do you care about children being gunned down in our schools?' If you hesitate, because your core belief is that you believe teachers need to carry firearms, then you will not get approved to adopt from us. If you foster for us and believe in guns, please bring our dogs and/or cats back, or we will arrange to have them picked up. Shelter Hope Pet Shop in no way will continue to operate if we are even remotely part of the problem. We support teachers, children, and businesses who provide services to the public, but we've had enough of all the senseless killing."
What did PETA say?
Catie Cryar, assistant manager of PETA, told Fox News that the animal rights organization knows Shelter Hope does "good work" and is "sure" it has "the best intentions, but from PETA’s perspective, because there is a homeless animal crisis, what counts is that adopted animals are treated well and cared for and that is the criteria we feel is important."
'Fine, keep your money'
Shelter founder Kim Sill told NBC News some people have threatened to stop donating money if she doesn't drop the gun control inquiry from the pet adoption screening process.
"I say, fine, keep your money," Sill shot back, according to the network. "If I go out of business, as a result, I go out of business. But I have to do something. And this is the only thing I can do to make the point that mass killings by people armed with guns have to stop."
Sill — who's also an actress — added to Fox News that she's well within her right to discriminate against the pro-gun crowd.
"Adoption facilities like mine turn people down for all kinds of reasons," Sill told the cable network. "They can turn you down for the kind of dog food you tell them you're going to use on that dog you want, or the kind of cat litter. I mean, seriously, we are a private nonprofit, and we pride ourselves in trying to find the absolute best homes for the dogs and cats that we can."
She continued telling Fox News that "adding this question about gun control, I guess, has stirred up the conversation with those who don't believe that they should even have to tell me what their situation is. So I think that's the deal-breaker for most of them."
Sill added to the cable network that "your views on guns are relevant because, God forbid if you have a stroke, and your wife calls me up and tells me to come to your house and get the dog, I might not feel safe coming to your house, knowing that you are very radically opposed to me thinking it's not okay for an 18-year-old to have a gun."
She added to Fox News that she's received hundreds of death threats about the new policy but said she forgives them.
Pet adoption center adds question on gun control to applicationyoutu.be
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