PETA Patter

The animal activist group, PETA, has irked me this week.

It started off when Google did a Google Doodle to celebrate what would have been Steve Irwin's 57th birthday on Friday.

Irwin, if you recall, was the famous zookeeper from Australia who had shows called The Crocodile Hunter among other titles. He was killed in 2006 after he was stung by a stingray while filming one of his shows at sea.

PETA took exception to Google honouring Irwin with the following tweets:

'Steve Irwin was killed while harassing a ray; he dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile and wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Today's Google Doodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats.'

And:

'Steve Irwin's actions were not on target with his supposed message of protecting wildlife. A real wildlife expert and someone who respects animals for the individuals they are leaves them to their own business in their natural homes'

The group then added:

'It is harassment to drag exotic animals, including babies taken from their mothers, around from TV talk shows to conferences and force them to perform as Steve Irwin did. Animals deserve to live as they want to, not as humans demand - the Google Doodle should represent that.'

If PETA's actions were to make me think, the only thought I have is to believe whoever sent those tweets is lacking some awareness.

For a group that wants as much support as it needs, it's going about it the wrong way in my opinion. Taking shots at a dead man is not going to win my support.

And this isn't the first rodeo this week. On Tuesday, PETA's condolences to the family of fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, went like this:

'Karl Lagerfeld has gone, and his passing marks the end of an era when fur and exotic skins were seem as covetable. PETA sends condolences to our old nemesis's loved ones.'

There's something totally unclassy about this group in my opinion.

Even if it sends a good message in other ways, it loses any respect from me when its PR doubles down on dead people.