How does PETA spend their money? We are scrupulous about spending donations, which fund our vital lifesaving programs—not cushy offices or extravagant salaries. We pride ourselves on our moderate salaries, including at the executive level.

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We believe that animals have an intrinsic worth of their own, quite apart from their utility to humans, and should not be treated as commodities, so it’s no wonder that our motto is “Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way.”

PETA condemns the use of animals in laboratories, where they’re kept in barren cages, subjected to painful procedures, and denied any happiness or comfort. We expose what happens to the billions of sensitive animals who are abused and killed by the food industry every year. We push society to evolve past the use of materials derived from animals’ skin, fur, feathers, or hair, and we campaign vigorously to end the suffering of animals used in the entertainment industry—winning landmark victories every year. Our Emergency Response Team ensures that harmful policies are changed, that abusers face legal consequences, and that animals in dire straits are rushed to safety. And our youth division is the number one force galvanizing young people to reject the speciesist status quo and change the future for animals. There is no doubt that our dedicated and compassionate supporters are helping us make the world a better place.

PETA is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation with positive ratings for transparency by GuideStar and Animal Charities of America and for effectiveness by the public on GreatNonprofits. PETA is funded almost exclusively by the contributions of individual donors. Donations are an investment in our work to help animals, which is why we strive to use our funds in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible. In 2021, over 82% of our operating expenses went directly to our programs fighting animal exploitation.