The deceptively named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is pushing a baseless conspiracy theory that a chimpanzee that was ordered to be turned over to them is being hidden in Missouri.
In July, PETA seized six chimps from the beautiful Missouri Primate Foundation in Festus after a judge ordered that the organization had standing to sue under the Endangered Species Act and seize the animals from their owner.
The “animal rights” organization did this despite warnings from the chimps’ veterinarian and primate experts that they were safe and such a move would place them in “grave danger.”
There were originally seven chimps involved in the lawsuit, but the owner and caretaker Tonia Haddix reported that one of the older males, Tonka, who was 29, passed away due to heart complications in May. The assertion was backed up by the animal’s veterinarian, her husband who handled the remains, and her attorneys.
PETA had seemed to accept that things happen and sometimes animals pass away, until they had seized the six chimps and seemingly decided that they wanted to continue harassing Haddix.
On August 9, PETA’s lawyer Jared Goodman filed a motion claiming that Haddix had failed to show proof that the chimp had died and that she was hiding him. However, in his motion he failed to disclose that her attorney John Pierce was present when the chimps were seized and offered to provide a portion of the cremated remains if they could figure out an appropriate way to test them.
They suggested both in court and online that Haddix was hiding him.
In an opposition motion filed by Haddix’ attorneys at Pierce Bainbridge and the National Constitutional Law Center, they slammed PETA for lying to the court.
“The Motion is fundamentally premised on a lie: it avers that Ms. Haddix has “provided no proof” of Tonka’s death. This premise is false, and was false at the time the Motion was filed: on July 28, 2021, Ms. Haddix’s counsel (Counsel) provided PETA an email from Jerry Aswegan, the man who cremated Tonka, wherein he expressly states that he cremated Tonka,” the motion says.
“Counsel also told PETA that Ms. Haddix Tonka’s remains, and that PETA could take a sample for genetic or other testing to verify their source. Since Ms. Haddix has provided proof of Tonka’s death, PETA is not entitled to any of the relief requested in the Motion,” the lawyer’s asserted. “Accordingly, this Court should deny the Motion.”
The motion went on to say that “PETA deliberately chose not to do such tests; instead, PETA elected to seek punitive sanctions against Ms. Haddix. This Court should not grant PETA any relief when it has deliberately spurned evidence that would prove Tonka’s death. Accordingly, this Court must deny PETA’s Motion.”
PETA claims that they have an anonymous whistleblower who told them that Tonka is alive, which Haddix’ lawyers shot down as hearsay.
Additionally, the organization put out a highly dishonest press release about the conditions at the facility. The Gateway Pundit traveled to Festus and toured the property, which featured a massive and beautiful outdoor enclosure, a series of tunnels so that they could move to different indoor areas, and a clean and air conditioned area where they could cool off, grab something to eat, and interact with Haddix.
Here is what PETA showed:
Here is what Gateway personally went and saw:
PETA referred to this lush and sprawling enclosure as a “decrepit facility” and claimed that the “stench of urine in one room was so overwhelming that a volunteer couldn’t enter—but there was no escape for the chimpanzees forced to live there.” The Gateway Pundit can confirm that there was no “stench” what-so-ever when we visited. These chimps were raised at this facility by a woman named Connie Casey whose love for them was very apparent. PETA had taken issue with her because Tonka modeled for Hallmark and American Greeting cards, as well as appeared in movies, which they believe is exploitation.
They were transferred to Haddix when Casey could no longer tolerate PETA’s relentless harassment. Their bond with both of these women was incredible to see.
PETA does not believe that any animals should be in human care, including domestic pets — which they kill at a rapid pace at their “shelter.”
The sanctuary that the chimps were moved to said that “Tammy, Candy, Connor, Kerry, Mikayla, and Crystal were transported safely two weeks ago and arrived in good condition.” They are reportedly taking great care of the animals.
In PETA’s press release, they paint a picture of some kind of bizarre horror show taking place, but admit that they had offered to let Haddix keep three of the chimps if she gave them four. Is this really about them being concerned for the animal’s safety? It does not seem like it from where we are standing.
— Those who wish to contribute to the historic legal battle against PETA can do so here. —
Fighting PETA will take some money, as the controversial organization received a whopping $2.6 million from the COVID Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in 2020.
Nearly $2 million of that loan was forgiven this June.
PETA Received $2.6 Million in COVID Bailout Money — Paid Back Only $676,317
PETA’s total revenue in 2020 was $66,277,867, according to financial records posted on their website.
How much of your tax dollars are funding this organization killing defenseless animals?
Documents uncovered by PETAKillsAnimals.com indicated that following an inspection of the PETA facilities, the Commonwealth of Virginia was so shocked by the number of animals that they kill each year that the state inspector attempted to revoke their license to operate a shelter.
Dr. Daniel Kovich, the investigator with the VDACS that conducted the inspection of PETA’s animal shelter at its Virginia headquarters in July, 2010 determined “the facility does not contain sufficient animal enclosures to routinely house the number of animals annually reported as taken into custody.”
It turns out, this is because PETA has never intended to keep animals that are surrendered to them.
“After reviewing two months worth of records, Kovich found that 245 of the 290 animals–84 percent–that PETA took into custody were killed within 24 hours. Only 17 were reported as adopted or in foster homes. Kovich noted that PETA’s shelter did not meet PETA’s own published guidelines for operating a humane animal shelter,” PETA Kills Animals reports.
In 2019, PETA killed 1,500 cats and dogs. The following year, PETA’s so-called “shelter” took in 2,650 animals and euthanized 67% of them — 1,763 animals.
You can watch PETA be confronted about their euthanasia program and proudly admit to it here:
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