the controversy surrounding animal rights is divisive and potentially volatile. It divides society into three unequally sized groups. The first group is comprised of animal activists who believe that all human use of animals should stop immediately. The second group is society in general, which may or may not be aware of the controversy and which may or may not have formed an opinion. The third group is comprised of the people and industries that work with animals, such as farmers and ranchers, scientific researchers and educators, the entertainment industry (e.g., zoos, circuses, rodeo organizations, and filmmakers), hunters and fishermen, and the fur industry, as well as people who keep animals as pets.

The traditional animal welfare organizations have a long history. For example, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was organized in 1866 and the American Humane Association was organized in 1877. These organizations sought to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote humane care.

More radical animal rights organizations were organized in the 1970s and 1980s. These organizations tend to focus much of their attention and activities on the use of animals in research, teaching, and product testing. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest of the new animal rights organizations. PETA was founded in 1980. It conducts rallies and demonstrations to focus attention on the exploitation and abuse of animals in experimentation, the manufacture of fur apparel, and the slaughter of animals for human consumption. PETA has acted as spokesman for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), an international underground organization that was founded in England. ALF has claimed responsibility for numerous raids and break-ins in the United States beginning in 1979. It reportedly liberates animals being used for entertainment, food, clothing, or experimental