Hugs for Puppies Not so Nice

A press release from the Center for Consumer Freedom announced Friday that the Taking Action For Animals conference, starting tonight at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, will feature an organization that has domestic terrorism ties. Sponsors for this event include the Humane Society of the United States, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and other leading animal rights groups. This event is prestigious among animal rights activists and gives leaders of animal rights organizations an opportunity to promote their cause.

One organization called "Hugs for Puppies" will be exhibiting at this event. "Hugs for Puppies" is the Philadelphia chapter of an organization called Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC). SHAC, and six of its leaders, was convicted last year in federal court for domestic terrorism charges that involved campaigning against medical researchers.

"Hugs for Puppies" currently has four different restraining orders filed against them to protect the public from potential harassment and threats. Back in November of 2006, the Hugs for Puppies director, Nicholas Cooney, was convicted of making "terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another."

Many are outraged by Hugs for Puppies presence at and participation in this animal rights event. Among them is David Martosko, Center for Consumer Freedom Director of Research. He said concerning the conference, ""There's no excuse for consorting with terrorists. The Humane Society of the United States and PETA should be distancing themselves from violence. But by welcoming their movement's most vicious activists with open arms, they're defending the indefensible."