People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -
www.peta.org
Don't associate yourself with them, they look good on the front, but they kill more animals than they save.
I have heard this too, and it's horrible, but I still believe PETA to be a great organisation.
According to petakillsanimals.com, peta has killed 21, 651 animals since 1998. (From the chart, not the text.) That's thirteen years! These animals are sick and there are simply not enough people adopting dogs for homes to be found for all of them.
While it is horrible for these animals to be killed, you can't ignore the other good PETA does. They are the most recognisable animal rights organisation in the world, they have wonderful ad campaigns and informative websites that help many people make the switch to a more compassionate lifestyle.
They have petitions that immediately target companies that abuse animals, from DKNY to Ringling Bros - and they get results! Lipton Tea agreed to stop testing on animals, the University of Texas at Dallas stopped performing neuroscience experiments on rats. When PETA targeted fast-food companies, Temple Grandin (the most powerful welfare scientist in America and designer of more than half the country's cattle slaughter facilities) said she saw more welfare improvements in one year than in the previous 30.
What other organisation can say they've done all this?
PETA isn't perfect, but they manage to do a hell of a lot.