White Coat Waste Project and members of its leadership team have posted several claims on social media that ads submitted by the organization to a Maryland transit authority are being censored. The proposed ad, shown below, targets the National Institutes of Health for addiction studies taking place in monkeys. 

White Coat Waste says it wants to place the ads on trains in buses throughout Maryland but according to the animal rights group, the agency that manages advertising for the Maryland Transit Administration declined the ad. White Coat Waste says the agency claims that the ad makes prohibited substances appealing to children. The story was covered by the Washington Examiner . 

However, that same story has also been corrected. This update was posted at the bottom soon after publication:

Using paid advertising to target animal studies is a longtime tactic employed by animal rights groups. PETA, In Defense of Animals and other organizations have been known to purchase bus, billboard and even local TV ads. So what can you do when you learn of a campaign targeting your facility? Here are a few tips:

Get All the Details.

Work with marketing and communications staff to learn more about the ads. Large research organizations, especially those with hospitals, often have close relationships with sales staff at advertising companies. They can often learn where and when the ads will appear and for how long. It’s also common for animal rights groups to distribute copies of their ads before they go public. Having this information is critical when deciding what to do next.   

Determine Whether the Ads Actually Cause Damage.

Many animal rights ads DO NOT target specific organizations. For example, below is a general billboard that PETA uses as part if it’s speciesism campaign: 

On Tuesday, we sent out an AMPNews alert to let you know about a new PETA initiative called the “Research Modernization Deal.” The plan is spelled out in a 54 page document. It includes the immediate elimination of animal studies focused on a variety of diseases including cancer, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. PETA’s plan is aligned with the EPA’s recently-announced directive aimed at eliminating the use of animals in chemical safety testing by 2035. The federal agency’s plan has been widely condemned by toxicologists and other health experts. 

Australian Animal Rights Group Loses Charity Status

An animal rights group in Australia that created an online interactive map listing thousands of farmers' addresses online has had its charity status revoked . A charities watchdog made the move following an investigation into the group. The database was placed online in January. Activists said they created it to help the public understand where its food came from. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously called the group’s actions “despicable.”

PETA Releases New “Children’s Book”  

Earlier this week, PETA announced that it is publishing a new children’s book for the holidays. It’s titled The Secret Lives of Animals but PETA actually says it is a “children’s book for adults.” It features a series of sound buttons that PETA says play audio of animals screaming. The book targets the use of animals for food, entertainment and research. 

PETA Accused of Distributing Staged Footage From Indiana Pig Farm

Police say graphic footage of an Indiana pig farm that was distributed by PETA on its YouTube page may have been staged . Authorities also suggest it may have been captured by hidden cameras planted at the facility following multiple break-ins. Claims of abuse surfaced in early October when PETA’s footage was first revealed. Following an Indiana State Police investigation, the farm was cleared and will not face charges.  PETA claimed the footage was captured by a government official operating anonymously. However, the whistleblower has not been publicly identified. 

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