People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) were definitely wrapped up in their message on Thursday.
PETA held a peaceful demonstration in Charlottetown, part of its North American-wide campaign to promote animal birth control.
Two of its members dressed as giant colourful condoms, one blue, the other pink to attract attention and it worked. They handed out leaflets on animal birth control and waved signs that read 'Condoms won't work - Fix your dog/cat'.
Emily Lavender, who works at the group's headquarters in Norfolk, Va., said it's a fun and upbeat way to remind people that preventing pregnancy for humans is as easy as wearing a condom but not so easy for thousands of cats and dogs.
"They can't open a condom wrapper so it's up to us to help save thousands of animals from an uncertain fate from our nation's already overcrowded shelters and that's by spaying or neutering,'' Lavender said.
According to PETA, 140,000 cats and dogs are currently living in animal shelters in Canada and of that number over 50,000 have been euthanized.
"Of those 50,000 euthanized, over 3,600 are healthy and adoptable animals and that's because there aren't enough homes,'' she said.
The group would also like to see people adopting their pets from animal shelters and not from breeders or pet stores.
"Every time someone buys an animal from a breeder or pet store an animal in a shelter loses the chance of finding a home.''
They argue that too many cats and dogs are abandoned on the side of the road to starve and freeze to death because their owners don't want them anymore or a pet had a litter and there aren't enough homes for all the cats and dogs.
Last year, PETA spayed or neutered 11,000 cats and dogs.
PETA's condom demonstration has been used across North America to hammer the point home. Thursday's event at the corner of University and Kent streets was met mostly with positive support from the public, save for two anti-PETA protesters across the street.
"We're trying to end animal homelessness by snipping it in the bud. People today have been compassionate and are upset by how many adoptable animals are being euthanized because there simply aren't enough homes. (Spaying or neutering) is a really easy way to help stop animal suffering.''
PETA is supported by donations right? How much was spent making those outfits? Is that where your money went? If PETA really wanted to make a difference, all that money could go to make spaying and neutering free. That's where the real difference would begin. A free service would be used. This display is to create "Public Shock" ! I wonder what the salaries are for those who work for PETA? And who wrote this article? how can 140,000 cats and dogs who are "currently living" in animal shelters in Canada, be living if over 50,000 "have been" euthanized. Wouldn't that mean less than 90,000 are living??