Street people in mink: an animal-rights group gives fur coats to Toronto's homeless.

Report, The, February, 2003 by Lott, Jeremy

A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy." So, famously, said Ingrid Newkirk, co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). And if her organization's actions are any measure, she wasn't kidding. Over the last 20 years, PETA has fought against animal testing--even for life-saving medical research--fur wearing, ivory harvesting, meat eating, milk drinking and any and all forms of perceived animal exploitation. It even objects to the term "pet," preferring the term "companion animals."

PETA publicity efforts have dabbled in pop religion (a Jesus-was-a-vegetarian Web site), satire (mocking the "got milk?" commercial with one entitled "got breast cancer?") and even the recent Robert Pickton controversy (don't ask--it's probably under court ban). A PETA...