Veggywood

Near Pure Luck.  Photo by Veggywood.

Near California Vegan.  Photo by quarrygirl – quarrygirl.com

* Spoiler Alert: I curse a lot in this post.

As much as it made me physically ill to read this shit, I decided to do a little research on the ignorant fucks putting up those “Protect Your Pets from Animal Radicals” around Los Angeles.  Supposedly there are about 100 all over the city.

The group is called “The National Animal Interest Alliance”.  Despite starting their nauseating billboard campaign in Los Angeles, the group is based out of Portland.  Their vague and ambiguous websites include: bewareanimalradicals.com, exposeanimalrights.com, and naiaonline.org .  They list that the billboards are being funded by “Southern California Professional Dog Handler,” Kathy Grayson, with “the support of Marion Bradshaw.”  Bradshaw has something to do with dog shows.  I don’t know anything about Grayson except that this campaign was apparently her idea according to this on their website.  As a 501 (3)(c) org (for their “animal welfare” work – despite not operating one shelter or sanctuary), they also ask for public donations.

Interestingly enough, the company seems to have adapted the advertising tactics of the animal rights group they hate the most, PETA.  Apparently in 2001 NAIA even lobbed President Bush to revoke PETA’s 501 (c)(3) status.  They have adapted PETA’s use of multiple websites, social networking, “provocative” billboards…  Oh, and they also offer some nifty banners to put up on your website.  Make sure and check those out here.

On their main website NAIA includes the following people on their board/staff/volunteer staff:

Thomas L. Albert – Vice President of Government Relations for Feld Entertainment, Inc., parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ® and the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation (CEC). (Of course he is. The “Center for Conservation” btw is just a front for where the animals are “trained” for their future days of slavery in the circus and is the target of a current cruelty investigation by PETA.)

Sharon Beck – A “fourth generation” cattle rancher and former president of Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. (Of course she is.)

Nancy Campbell and John Connolly - Dog Breeders. (Of course.)

Wendy Davis - Associate Coordinator of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program.

Anne Edwards - A former research assistant at the Harvard University Department of Chemistry. At Harvard, she raised and cared for laboratory animals and performed research in the use of radioactive tracers in cholesterol metabolism. (Fucking Christ. This is like a who’s-who of industries I find despicable. My nightmare is getting stuck in an elevator with all these people. )

All they are missing is someone from the egg indus… Ah, fuck!

Gene Gregory - President and CEO of United Egg Producers, a national organization with egg producers in nearly every state.

Kenneth A. Marden - Past president of the American Kennel Club who apparently has a “deep understanding of the negative consequences of animal extremism and terrorism.” (Sure.)

Paul Mundell - A consultant for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) assisting in a project to develop specialized search dogs that will remotely detect improvised explosive devices.

Well, at least they don’t have anyone having anything to do with rode– Fuck!

Cindy Schonholt – The Director of Industry Outreach for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Kristine Phillips – Who in her free time ”enjoys backpacking, running, biking, experimental cooking, and playing with her Labrador Retriever.” (WTF?)

Okay, to be honest, I got tired of reading the bios.  It would be humorous if it wasn’t so disgusting.
See the full list HERE

The organization was started by Patti Strand, a Dalmatin breeder, AKC judge, and co-author of The Hijacking of the Humane Movement: Animal Extremism. See her blogger profile and photo HERE.

Anyway, in my research, I was surprised to learn that this organization has been around for awhile, since 1991.

According to Sourcewatch, “The National Animal Interest Alliance is a front group and industry funded lobbying organization for animal commerce and agribusiness based in Portland, Oregon… NAIA receives its primary financial support from “member donations” from related businesses and associations in farm animal agribusiness, commercial breeding, hunting, fishing, trapping, fur ranching, animal testing, rodeos and circuses. The Fur Commission is a member of the NAIA.”

By the way, check out the group’s impressive Facebook Page.  They have a wopping 377 fans.  PETA has 592,057. HSUS has 236,779.

Read ALF’s blurb on NAIA HERE

Why this group is pissing me off so much is because they’re from fucking OREGON, and yet are there any of this billboards up there? No.  They’re down here in OUR city putting this shit up.

In addition, they are clearly choosing spots near vegan places.  California Vegan?  Pure Luck / Scoops?  What the fuck is that?

I did some research on this Vista Media place whose name is on the billboards.  I found out that the company (previously owned by Entravision) was taken over by Lamar Advertising in 2008, a company new to LA.  The dilapidated billboards are definitely a sore spot in LA according to a post on BanBillboardBlight.org.

As far as I can tell, this is the website for Lamar.  And this seems to be the LA advertising rep.  Feel free to call / email him and ask him to stop taking these wackos money.

Ray Baker
rbaker@lamar.com
5670 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1690
Los Angeles, CA 90036
P:(877) 655-2627
F:(323) 933-3225

And how about this shit?  In December, Lamar started taking down medical marijuana billboards that fell under Vista’s contract with another company.  Apparently, Lamar has a policy against placing any advertisements for alcohol, medical marijuana, or other content not suitable for children within 1,000 feet of schools or churches.  Well that’s rich.  So politically correct — but they’ll put up this crap?  Within 1,000 feet of vegan restaurants I might add.  Which some people might consider church.

But it gets better.  This article from July of last year notes that the company was fine with selling boards to an escort service, after “refusing to take the money of an atheist group in Alabama.”  Louise Betancourt, someone having to do with the company, commented: “We allow anyone to advertise with use as long as the copy on the billboard is in good taste.”

So, apparently this is a company that thinks these fucked up billboards are in good taste.

Anyway, the one positive sign is that these boards look like shit, and can’t even hold a candle to the size and the quality of the ones bought by PETA.  Who, by the way, should make sure they aren’t buying from these clowns.  Although most of the billboards I’ve seen from PETA, HSUS, and Best Friends I believe are Clear Channel or CBS Outdoor — the companies with the more desirable locations in LA.

I’ve read that there are apparently close to 100 of these boards up around LA but I’ve only seen three.  If there are any near you, consider leaving a comment below or posting a photo on my Facebook Page so we can get some kind of count.

Personally I think it would be such a shame if someone messed up these billboards… Such a terrible, terrible shame.

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