Peta sent me 5p

[Mr Flibble]

Since ordering from the animal aid shop I've been recieving all sorts of spam through the post from them and other AR charities. (They and vegan store are the only poeple I've ever given my current address to who are likely to pass on details)

Yesterday I got a 5 pence piece from PETA. It came with a 2 page propoganda letter and an 8 question questionaire. The questionaire actually doesn't have any useful questions on it, it's just rigged to make you feel bad, then answer the last question as "Yes, I will change my shopping habits".

Why are they wasting their money sending letters to people who are obviously already vegan and know all this stuff already?

I'm moving house in a couple of weeks and want to continue ordering from/supporting animal aid, but I will think twice about it now.

[karmadust]

I get so much crap from PETA and it drives me crazy. I get petition after petition after petition (which I also get online, so I don't need the paper copy), followed by endless pleas for money, and about a million address labels that *never* have my name and/or address spelled correctly. Talk about generating a ton of waste.

[RedWellies]

I've had a similar thing happen with Animal Aid. Not only do I get sent their mag (which I never asked for and don't even want to read because some parts are so upsetting) but I also have had a few "begging" letters. I'm sure these people/organisations have got my name and address from Animal Aid. I keep meaning to call them and tell them to stop doing it or I will stop buying from them.

Edit... Oh, this is under Peta. Are we discussing them or Animal Aid or both?

[Smoothie]

You SHOULD call them and tell them to stop. it's crap, to send stuff out to people who doesn't want it. i mean, if it is just send out, for the hell of it.. danm. it's not okay.

[Lilac Hamster]

You should ask Animal Aid and Veganstore if they in fact do pass on details to PeTA, as this is not OK without your permission. Did they give you a box to tick to say you did not want your address passed on when you ordered from them? They are supposed to give you the option, there are laws on Data Protection after all.

[Gorilla]

i get all kinds of begging letters from various charities despite always saying i don't want my details passed on by any organisations. i wrote to Peta asking them to stop sending me all this stuff but it still keeps coming. i don't know if i can do anything because i have supported Peta in the past, and i believe you can't make a company stop writing to you if you've had personal dealings with them in the past. if your details were passed on by someone else though that's probably different.

[Lilac Hamster]

NO if you ask them to stop they have to stop, regardless of previous dealings with them! It can be considered a form of harassment if they ignore your request repeatedly.
Good luck.

[puffin]

I got the 5p to. I also got 2p from them last year They must have more money to waste this year.

[Risker]

I got 5p too, the survey that came with it was very short though, only about 8 questions. The last question pretty much just said "will you give us some money?"

[Kevster]

Well if everyone sends the 5p to a group that's more useful......

I order from Animal Aid and they haven't passed on my info to anyone, can't remember if they have those check boxes somewhere about??? But i wouldn't think they'd pass on your details to Peta, as much as we'd like groups to co-operate some do and some don't i've never heard of Peta being close to Animal Aid, unless they chuck them a load of 5ps.

I like the Animal Aid mag though, there's plenty of interesting stuff in there, they are my favourite campaigning group in the UK! I think they manage to strike a good balance.

[Troutina]

5p?
Seriously,what is the point?

[Roxy]

I'm in Canada and a couple of times a year, I get the same letter with 5 cents glued to it. I keep the 5 cents and the 2 page letter gets filed in the trash.

[Barley]

Well if everyone sends the 5p to a group that's more useful......

I order from Animal Aid and they haven't passed on my info to anyone, can't remember if they have those check boxes somewhere about??? But i wouldn't think they'd pass on your details to Peta, as much as we'd like groups to co-operate some do and some don't i've never heard of Peta being close to Animal Aid, unless they chuck them a load of 5ps.

I like the Animal Aid mag though, there's plenty of interesting stuff in there, they are my favourite campaigning group in the UK! I think they manage to strike a good balance.

Good post Kevster... Why are we knocking AR organisations for trying to help animals? Cancer Research organisations etc do it - it's how charities survive... I got stuff from Animal Aid which I didn't ask for, and decided to support them because they stand against horse racing and stand up for rats - lots of AR organisations stick to fluffies, which is fine because we want the fluffy brigade's money too.... Yes, I sometimes dread opening the magazines and if I'm having a bad day I might put it away for later, but sooner or later I'll look because I'm lucky - I have the choice, animals don't

[puffin]

I like the animal aid mag, after all they are there to educate. Sending money is pointless as far as i am concerned and we all have no clue how much they sent out. I wouldnt like to think money i gave them was sent out as 5p's around the country, i want it to go to help animals. I would prefer emails with animal news on though.

[Gorilla]

Good post Kevster... Why are we knocking AR organisations for trying to help animals? Cancer Research organisations etc do it - it's how charities survive... I got stuff from Animal Aid which I didn't ask for, and decided to support them because they stand against horse racing and stand up for rats - lots of AR organisations stick to fluffies, which is fine because we want the fluffy brigade's money too.... Yes, I sometimes dread opening the magazines and if I'm having a bad day I might put it away for later, but sooner or later I'll look because I'm lucky - I have the choice, animals don't

true, but personally i object to these marketing letters being sent out because if i want to give money to a charity i will choose one myself of my own accord, not because they send me begging letters with silly gimmicks like sticking 5p pieces onto the letters.

[karmadust]

My issue isn't receiving information. Information is good. My issue is the mass amounts of paper waste generated by these campaigns. I'm aware that not all animal rights activists also care about the environment and the overuse of resources, but a large number do, and it really turns me off to an organization to get envelope after envelope full of stuff that most people toss before it even gets opened!

[Barley]

true, but personally i object to these marketing letters being sent out because if i want to give money to a charity i will choose one myself of my own accord, not because they send me begging letters with silly gimmicks like sticking 5p pieces onto the letters.

I expect you will find that for the vast majority of charities this is the ONLY way they survive. You open an envelope - you see a picture which distresses you - you send some money. I can agree with you at some level and when I receive 'begging' letters about anything not concerning animals I can get very angry, but if someone gives money to help animals who wouldn't normally, because they've seen how animals are treated in this world via unsolicited mail, then I'm glad.

[Barley]

My issue isn't receiving information. Information is good. My issue is the mass amounts of paper waste generated by these campaigns. I'm aware that not all animal rights activists also care about the environment and the overuse of resources, but a large number do, and it really turns me off to an organization to get envelope after envelope full of stuff that most people toss before it even gets opened!

I can agree with you, but see the last sentence of my reply to Gorilla's post... All we can do is recycle.

[Gorilla]

i understand that many charities get their main source of revenue from writing to people, but when i've repeatedly asked organisations like Peta to stop writing to me, and they've ignored it, it annoys me that they're wasting their money and resources.

[Mr Flibble]

My reason for creating the thread (which may have been lost) is the fact that I'm a supporter already. I'm also already practicing the things they are spending money trying to persuade me of.

I understand that charities have to create revenue, but there's some pretty poor marketting going on here. In this case PETA are sending out a letter like this which has been recieved by no non-vegans I know - the only people I've found so far are all vegan already! If I got a letter asking for money towards an impartial education campaign (i.e. not shock tactics and propoganda of equal treachery as the opposition) for non vegans then I'd be a lot more receptive to it.

[Gorilla]

i used to be a Peta supporter, but didn't feel they were spending my money as effectively as they could be, so i switched to other charities. i told them so and they ignored me completely.

[karmadust]

same here

[aubergine]

I recieved the letter too. I would assume it's because I requested a 'Vegetarian Starter Pack' when I was looking into going Vegan.

I don't see the point of this letter other than to get some really skewed results on a poll which doesn't help any of us in the long run.

[dreama]

I get annoyed with these letters too. Not just the PETA ones either. Although the 5p doesn't impress me one bit.

Even with groups I actually support such as VIVA. I notice they sent me an email about the Demo against M and S selling factory farmed pigs and their response which was fine. I even passed it on to friends, but they also sent exactly the same thing in letter form. I'm all for VIVA but I wish they would stick to emails as then it doesn't waste valuable resourses in sending such stuff or paper either.

[lysi]

I've been told that Animal Aid is sharing their data, for example with the League Against Cruel Sports and other similar charities.

The only way to get your name removed I think is to tell each one of them or you'll get passed on again. They should theoretically check their databases to see if you haven't registered to be excluded from marketing materials, so if you haven't done that, you could give this a try too.

[Risker]

I got another 5p letter again today, what are they thinking?!

[cobweb]

^ so did i, PATHETIC!

[RedWellies]

I've been told that Animal Aid is sharing their data,.

Ah, that explains why I got the 5p letter today! I shall have to have words with Animal Aid. The trouble is, these mailing lists are worth a lot of money to people.

[Maisiepaisie]

I get the Animal Times magazine from PETA but I've never received any other mail from them.

[Gorilla]

i haven't had the 5p letter recently, but Peta do keep sending me letters asking for money with really upsetting photographs in them.

[xwitchymagicx]

I get letters from Animal Aid, Viva! and PETA...

I don't even like PETA? I'll get a pound soon if they keep sending me money, shouldn't they spend money on helping animals?

[Kiran]

I get the Animal Times magazine from PETA but I've never received any other mail from them.

Same here. But instead of getting one issue, I get about 3. They send the same issue again and again, like I need convincing about what they are saying.

[RachelJune]

Does anyone else think that their letters are totally out of order?

I'm all for giving to charities, and perhaps a simple reminder letter to renew your membership would be fine, but instead they send out what I find to be very rude and upsetting letters demanding money I'm sure others will probably know what I'm talking about.

[Greenboy]

I understand the frustration at receiving paper mail from these companies, and emails, but as you are probably on the list of both they are sent out automatically. I have found out quite a few charities that i wasnt aware of by them passing on my address to other charaties, so must other people, so this obviously works. Also if you do not want the paper mail, do not just stick it in recycle, give it to a friend or relative who may not otherwise bother looking on the internet at these things.
The more the message gets out there the more likely it is that people will wish to help.
But, aside from all that i didnt understand the 5p thing, they would surely lose money this way, as the income from this campaign would more than likely be less than the outgoing, as a lot of non vegan and even some vegans would probably throw it in the bin, not everyone has a tenner to throw at every charity that drops through your door, i know i dont, as much as i would like to.

[twinkle]

I sent PETA an email saying I thought it was an annoying way of collecting and asking them to stop sending them to me, and they sent a response saying their research had that as the most effective campaign but that they would take my response on board. They didn't say they were going to stop sending me begging letters but I haven't had one since.

[Gorilla]

i told them i felt the same way, but i didn't even get a reply and the letters keep coming.

Greenboy, i don't know anybody who would willingly read the sorts of letters Peta send me. they're often disturbing and upsetting.

[xwitchymagicx]

They are, I ignore messages from peta, and so would most non-vegans as peta aren't a company many people seem to like.

[Risker]

FFS! They sent me another one!

[twinkle]

Me too

[xwitchymagicx]

I put mine in the charity box...a charity that doesn't keep sending me 5p.

[Mr Flibble]

Where's mine? huh?

Cherry's getting spammed by other questionable animals charities now at our new address now after using animal aid mail order.

[BlackCats]

I just got a second (or third maybe) letter from Peta with 5p attached.
It came with a survey about animal testing.

[cobweb]

Where's mine? huh?

Cherry's getting spammed by other questionable animals charities now at our new address now after using animal aid mail order.

I'm not using a couple of the well known animal charities that i used to buy from. I'm fed up with bad orders, things missing, silly 'credit notes' written on slips of paper, being made to feel awful if i complain because my son's chocolate is bad when he gets it.................

[Risker]

silly 'credit notes' written on slips of paper

I got one of those too, since it's from an online store and there's no way of using it online it's pretty much just theft.

[cobweb]

I got one of those too, since it's from an online store and there's no way of using it online it's pretty much just theft.

i agree, it incensed me - is it sooo hard to simply refund for one item??. And i don't feel able to make much fuss because it's a vegan charity . Thats a good customer that 2 charities have lost now, though.

[Gorilla]

I got one of those too, since it's from an online store and there's no way of using it online it's pretty much just theft.

me three. i didn't like to say anything either.

[Risker]

Sounds like they do it as a matter of course, I think I may try and get something just for the principal of it.

[Mr Flibble]

Where's mine? huh?

It's in my pocket now

[puffin]

I have been sent another 5p

[Manzana]

I sent them their 5p back with their questionaire and told them that I could not support a charity that advocates animal "welfare" without taking a vegan stand in the matter...
I know veganism allienates some people but if you are serious about animals you cannot support their exploitation and being vegan is a must.