PETA Mission Statement Analysis

• Company: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
• President: Ingrid Newkirk 
• Year founded: 1980
• Headquarters: Norfolk, Virginia, USA
• Number of Employees: 600+
• Type: Nonprofit Organization
• Annual Revenue (2023): $85.76 Million

Products & Services: Animal Shelters | Mobile Animal Clinics | Counseling for Pet Owners | Veterinary Care | Animal Cruelty Investigations | Shopping Guide for Cruelty-free and Vegan Products | Doghouses | Public Education | Pet Supplies

Competitors: Animal Welfare Institute | Best Friends Animal Society | Mercy for Animals | Defenders of Wildlife | Cruelty-Free International | World Wildlife Fund | Greenpeace | Conscious Bunny | Sierra Club | The Nature Conservancy | Ethical Elephant | Wildlife Conservation Society 

Did you know? PETA is the world’s significant animal rights organization. PETA has over 9 million members and supporters worldwide.

PETA is a nonprofit organization focused on animal rights. The Virginia-based organization is led by co-founder Ingrid Newkirk and opposes factory farming, fur farming, animal testing, and exploitation of animals. These objectives reflect PETA’s mission, vision, and principles. In 1981, PETA’s first case resulted in America’s first arrest and criminal conviction of an experimenter on animal cruelty charges. The Silver Spring Monkeys case led to the first confiscation of abused lab animals and the first US Supreme Court victory for lab animals. [1]

PETA is the world’s prominent animal rights organization, with over 9 million members and supporters globally. It is funded almost exclusively by member contributions.

In 2023, PETA generated $79.22 million in annual revenue, including $74.84 million from contributions, $146,128 from merchandise sales, and $4.23 million from interest, dividends, royalties, and other income. 82.84% of PETA’s 2023 operating expenses went to programs fighting animal exploitation, 15.92% to fundraising efforts, and 1.24% to management and general operations. President Ingrid Newkirk earned only $37,346 in FY2023. [2]

To understand why PETA is the leading animal rights organization, here is a comprehensive analysis of its mission statement, vision, and principles:

PETA’s Mission Statement

To stop animal abuse worldwide.

PETA states, “Our positions may be controversial, but they are always true to our driving mission: to stop animal abuse worldwide.” [3]

PETA’s driving mission is a simplified version of its complete mission statement: “PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses on the four areas in which most animals suffer intensely for the longest periods: in laboratories, the food industry, the clothing trade, and the entertainment business.” [4]

Here is our analysis of PETA’s mission statement:

1. End animal abuse worldwide

PETA is committed to stopping animal abuse globally. Its 2021 undercover investigation into Envigo’s beagle factory farm exposed animal cruelty, shutting down the facility. In 2024, Envigo was convicted and ordered to pay over $35 million in penalties. Nearly 4,000 dogs were released for adoption. Envigo’s case was PETA’s first-ever federal criminal conviction of a supplier of animals for experiments.

PETA partners with local organizations to stop animal abuse globally. For example, PETA-supported Animal Rahat launched its mechanization program in India to save donkeys from hard labor. This initiative has rescued 360 donkeys and replaced them with tractors and trolleys at 34 brick kilns. [5]

2. Oppose speciesism

PETA aims to end speciesism in the food industry, clothing trade, entertainment business, and laboratories. Speciesism is the notion that humans are superior to other species. PETA believes speciesism promotes animal abuse and exploitation. Co-founder Ingrid Newkirk was influenced by writer and animal rights activist Peter Singer. Singer’s book “Animal Liberation” helped Newkirk articulate her feelings about speciesism. PETA sees all animals as equals and doesn’t treat one animal’s life as more valuable than another’s. [6]

PETA uses activism to oppose speciesism. For example, PETA UK works with NEO 10Y to encourage people to eat vegan foods and avoid leather products. NEO 10Y is an activist and recording artist specializing in songs that amplify love and consciousness. “Speciesism is the root of all oppression because it normalizes the subjugation of living, feeling beings,” says NEO 10Y. [7]

3. Combat animal exploitation

PETA is committed to eradicating animal exploitation globally. It has partnered with many A-list celebs to achieve this mission. For example, P!nk and PETA collaborated to remind President Barack Obama to follow through on US Department of Agriculture cases against Ringling Bros. Other celebrities on PETA’s activist list include Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands, Viola Davis, Martha Stewart, Olivia Munn, Cloris Leachman, Jenna Fischer, Kellan Lutz, Gloria Steinem, Tommy Lee, Demi Moore, and Charlize Theron. [8]

PETA strives to protect animals from exploitative practices. The organization achieves this mission through protests, public education, investigative newsgathering, and activism. In Jan 2024, upscale brand Tory Burch confirmed that it will banish the use reptile skins. This decision came after a PETA Asia investigation into a snakeskin facility in Vietnam revealed cruelty to snakes by skin harvesters. Over 100,000 PETA supporters have joined the call to urge LVMH to ban the use of skins from reptiles and other wildlife. [9]

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PETA’s Vision Statement

To establish and defend the rights of all animals.

PETA states, “PETA is dedicated to establishing and defending the rights of all animals.” [10]

Here is a breakdown of PETA’s vision statement:

1. Establish animal rights

PETA uses lawsuits, complaints, legislative campaigns, and other legal channels to advance animal rights. It has many victories, including the 1981 Silver Spring Monkeys, National Watermelon Board, and Ferrero International & Agropur cases. Each win establishes precedents for deciding similar cases in the future. For example, in Oct 2023, PETA won against North Carolina’s undercover gag law in the Supreme Court. This victory advances animal rights by countering efforts to prevent undercover employees from documenting animal cruelty in farms, slaughterhouses, and other workplaces. [11]

2. Defend animal rights

PETA is known for its uncompromising, unwavering views on animal rights. Its activists use unconventional strategies to defend animal rights. In Jan 2025, two PETA activists were arrested while attempting to dump manure outside the offices of ASPCA. PETA is protesting against ASPCA’s backing of an animal welfare certification program that promotes products from factory farms and other locations with a documented history of cruelty. [12]

3. Strengthen compassion for animals

PETA is known for its uncompromising, unwavering views on animal rights. It goes the extra mile to strengthen compassion for animals, including pointing out the uncomfortable truth, making difficult comparisons, and saying unpopular things. For example, in Oct 2024, PETA released a new video, “It’s Not Classy,” slamming Pharrell Williams for using animal skins and fur in his Louis Vuitton collections. This move unveiled an uncomfortable truth: Louis Vuitton and its creative director, Pharrell, disregard animal rights and condone animal exploitation and cruelty. PETA also offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in compassion and kindness. [13]

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PETA’s Principle

Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. [14]

How does PETA implement its principle?

• Not ours to experiment on: PETA is synonymous with the US movement against animal experimentation. It became famous after winning the 1981 Silver Spring Monkeys case. The organization has set its next target on the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 2023, the Colombian environmental agency (CVC) seized 108 tiny owl monkeys and 180 mice from NIH-funded labs based on PETA’s damning 18-month investigation. PETA exposed the NIH research conglomerate. The court ruled against the experimenters and fined both labs millions of dollars. In Jan 2025, PETA urged Trump’s new government to stop funding NIH’s cruel experiments on animals. [15]
• Not ours to eat: PETA promotes veganism through public education, celebrity involvement, and research. Its shopping guide helps consumers access cruelty-free and vegan products. But can you eat meat and work at PETA? PETA only hires vegan employees for roles that advocate vegan food choices, such as Lettuce Ladies. Applicants for other positions are not required to be vegan. “Since the best thing anyone can do to help animals is not to eat them, we encourage everyone to go vegan,” says PETA. [16]
• Not ours to wear: PETA encourages everyone to choose animal-free clothing. Its shopping guide recommends cruelty-free apparel brands and products. The organization campaigns against fashion houses that exploit animals for their skin, fur, down, or wool. In Oct 2024, H&M confirmed its plan to stop sourcing new down for its brands to protect ducks and geese from exploitation. This decision came after PETA organized demonstrations at H&M stores globally and appealed to its shareholders. Over 150,000 PETA supporters sent letters and protested against H&M, the world’s second-largest clothing retailer. [17]
• Not ours to use for entertainment: PETA believes animals shouldn’t be used and exploited to entertain humans. It strives to save animals abused for entertainment. For example, PETA persuaded Miami-Dade County to terminate Miami Seaquarium’s lease. PETA investigations provided the mayor’s office with substantial evidence of violations at the Miami Seaquarium. In Mar 2024, the county terminated Miami Seaquarium’s lease. This decision allowed PETA to save abused animals, including three parrots. [18]
• Not ours to abuse: PETA opposes all forms of animal cruelty. The organization encourages consumers to assess their choices and change the ones that hurt animals. It uses investigations and lawsuits to capture and punish perpetrators. For example, PETA investigated Plainville Farms in 2021. 10 former Plainville Farms workers were convicted for cruelty to turkeys from Jun 2023 to Jul 2024 based on PETA’s evidence. [19]

References

1. PETA’s History: Compassion in Action. PETA.org
2. PETA (2023, Jul 31). PETA: 2023 Financial Statement. PETA.org
3. PETA (2024, Aug 15). Uncompromising Stands on Animal Rights. PETA.org
4. About PETA: Our Mission Statement. PETA.org
5. Newkirk, I. (2025, Jan 8). President’s Message: Annual Review. PETA.org
6. PETA (2022, Apr 4). What Is Speciesism? PETA.org
7. Munro, C. (2024, May 31). Speciesism Is the Root of All Oppression. PETA.org
8. PETA (2025, Jan 17). Celebrities Stand Up for Animal Rights the Old-Fashioned Way. PETA.org
9. Colley, M. (2024, Jan 22). Victory! Tory Burch sheds Reptile Skins following a push from PETA. PETA.org
10. All About PETA: Our principle. PETA.org
11. AP News (2023, Oct 14). The Supreme Court leaves in place a court victory for PETA over North Carolina’s undercover gag law. PBS
12. Offenhartz, J. (2025, Jan 25). PETA activists arrested after trying to dump frozen manure outside rival group’s office. AP News
13. Waldman, E. (2024, Oct 9). Leave Animals in Peace, Not in Pieces! Pharrell Dissed Over Animal Fur and Skins Use at Louis Vuitton in New PETA Video. PETA.org
14. All About PETA: Our principle. PETA.org
15. PETA (2025, Jan 22). NIH Rains US Dollars on Overseas Monkey Laboratory—Apparently Without Ever Seeing What a Mess It Is. PETA.org
16. Colvin, C. (2023, Dec 4). Can you eat meat and work at PETA? How personal values intersect with work. HR Dive
17. Colley, M. (2024, Oct 4). Big Victory for Birds! H&M bans all new down following PETA’s push. PETA.org
18. Perle, D. (2024, Mar 7). PETA Celebrates Termination of the Miami Seaquarium’s Lease. PETA.org
19. Perle, D. (2024, Jul 31). Breaking: 10th Conviction in Plainville Farms Criminal Cruelty Cases. PETA.org
20. Featured Image by Jorge Maya