Sarah Palin bites back at PETA over dog post

Bryan Alexander | USA TODAY

Sarah Palin has a clear message for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — chill out.

The former Alaska governor slammed PETA after the group criticized her Facebook post featuring her son Trig stepping on the family dog, Jill.

"Chill," Palin wrote on Facebook Saturday in response to the criticism. "At least Trig didn't eat the dog."

The controversy started with Palin's New Year's Day post on Facebook. She used 6-year-old Trig's need to get to the sink, stepping on the black Labrador retriever in the way, as an example for overcoming obstacles.

"(He) found me and a lazy dog blocking his way," Palin wrote in a post that included pictures. "He made his stepping stone."

PETA responded to the images of the child on the dog with a statement to Politico.

"It's odd that anyone — let alone a mother — would find it appropriate to post such a thing, with no apparent sympathy for the dog in the photo," PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in the statement.

The comment brought out another, lengthy post from Palin in defense of the dog treatment. Palin also decried what she called PETA's "hypocritical" and "flighty standards."

"Did you go as crazy when your heroic Man-of-Your-Lifetime, Barack Obama, revealed he actually enjoyed eating dead dog meat?" Palin asked before bringing up the group's opposition to Alaska's Iditarod.

"(It is) the Last Great Race honoring dogs who are born to run in wide open spaces, while some of your pets 'thrive' in a concrete jungle where they're allowed outdoors to breathe and pee maybe once a day?" Palin wrote.

"Yeah, you're real credible on this, PETA," Palin summarized. " A shame, because I'll bet we agree on what I hope is the true meaning of your mission – respecting God's creation and critters."

"Jill is a precious part of our world," Palin added about the dog. "So is Trig."





