Peruvian animal rights activists protest sale of cats and dogs

Animal rights group members staged the protest on Saturday to also draw attention to "the plight of street animals" and unveil their new website. Activists caged themselves at a market in Lima's San Juan de Miraflores district to highlight "the suffering of dog and cat victims" of pet sales, the rights group UPA said on Sunday.

UPA members picked the Señor de los Milagros market for the protest because vendors there sell caged animals kept in miserable conditions, EFE learned.

The animal rights group's new website "provides all types of information about how everyone can help the millions of dogs and cats that suffer everyday, victims of human irresponsibility and indifference", UPA members said. The activists called on Peruvians to avoid selecting pets based on breed and pedigree, and to instead adopt animals from shelters or rescue street animals. "Don't discriminate, adopt a mixed-breed dog" and "If you buy one, you kill another, give them a chance at life", signs carried by the activists said.