Target: Tracy Reiman, President of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals
Goal: Help protect black cats from Halloween-inspired abuse and torture.
When authorities discovered a dead cat in Glasgow, the animal became part of an unfortunate trend that often sees incidents of cruelty, torture, and slaughter of black cats rise in the weeks leading up to Halloween. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a tragic tally of such cases. In a Texas town, a black cat was scalped and the mutilated body left in the yard of the cat’s pet parent. The mutilated corpse of another black cat was reportedly hung up and photographed as some kind of grotesque social media display in North Carolina. In Phoenix, a black cat was left nearly eyeless after being struck in the face with a blow dart. And urban legends, which in some cases may have a grain of truth, about ritualistic sacrifices involving black cats circulate yearly.
The abuse is not always violent in nature, but it inflicts harm nonetheless. Many instances of black cats being adopted out around Halloween only to be abandoned after the holidays have been documented. Animal welfare advocates theorize the cats may be used as props for Halloween festivities and then discarded when their “jobs” are completed. Incidents and rumors of black cat abuse recently compelled a town in Spain to suspend all adoptions of black cats during the month of October. Several shelters in the United States have invoked the same policy.
Sign the petition below to encourage a nationwide public awareness and legal advocacy campaign that will help protect these long-suffering victims of human superstition.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ms. Reiman,
PETA advocates know, perhaps better than anyone, the unfair discrimination and dangerous targeting black cats must endure simply because of the color of their fur. Centuries of association with witchcraft, bad luck, and evil intent have taken a deep toll on these innocent animals. They have been exploited, mutilated, and massacred in large numbers in “celebration” of a holiday.
Please leverage your influence and your platform to educate the public far and wide about the risks these cats face and what steps everyday people can take to ensure their protection. Moreover, advocate for a more widespread adoption of shelter policies that safeguard black cats during the month when they often face the most risk: October. No more animals should have to suffer because of human ignorance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Katarzyna Modrzejewska
