[bloodrayne]

Shelters Upset PETA Killed Animals Instead Of Adopting Out

Norfolk, West Virginia -- Two North Carolina counties have stopped turning over shelter animals to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Officials said they were surprised to learn the group euthanized cats and dogs instead of trying to find them homes. They said they believed the animals were being taken for evaluation, and were being adopted out -- and that euthanasia would be only a last resort.

PETA said unfortunately, even some healthy animals may be euthanized if PETA cannot find them homes. Documents show PETA euthanized about 6,100 domestic animals from 2001-2003.

Two PETA employees have been charged with animal cruelty for dumping dead animals they collected in eastern North Carolina into a shopping center's garbage bins.

Investigators had staked out the bin after discovering dead animals had been dumped there each Wednesday for the past four weeks. Neither police nor PETA have offered any suggestion on why the animals might have been dumped.

The organization said the two had been picking up animals to be brought back to PETA headquarters to be euthanized. One of the employees has been suspended. Both are free on bond, and are set to appear in court Friday.

The group's president said PETA would be "appalled" if the pair did dump the animals in the bin.