PETA
PETA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal-rights advocacy organization founded in 1980 and headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. It operates a global federation of affiliates across 10+ countries, funded by donations, merchandise, and digital products, and serves millions of supporters through campaigns, youth programs, and digital advocacy tools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersNorfolk, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PETA does
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal-rights advocacy organization founded in 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. The organization operates a global advocacy platform focused on opposition to factory farming, animal testing, the fur trade, and use of animals in entertainment. Its operational footprint extends internationally through affiliated entities in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, India, Australia, Asia, China, and Latin America, supporting a stated supporter base of millions worldwide.
PETA's product and platform portfolio includes digital advocacy tools such as the Cruelty-Free Database, the PETA Shop (merchandise), the PETA Mobile App, the PETA Action Team volunteer program, and Animal Rights Television. It maintains dedicated youth outreach through peta2, PETA Kids, and TeachKind, and operates the PETA-Approved Vegan certification program for consumer products. The organization gained early public recognition through the 1981 Silver Spring monkeys investigation, which established its investigative and legal-advocacy capabilities.
The organization's revenue model relies on individual donations, merchandise sales through the PETA Shop, and digital products such as e-cards. As a 501(c)(3) entity, PETA does not have shareholders or equity financing; capital is sourced from supporter contributions and program-related earned income. The broad-based, distributed supporter profile and diversified revenue streams characterize a long-tail funding model with no apparent reliance on a small set of major institutional donors or corporate sponsors.
PETA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PETA
- Legal name
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
- Website
- https://peta.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PETA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal-rights advocacy organization founded in 1980 and headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. It operates a global federation of affiliates across 10+ countries, funded by donations, merchandise, and digital products, and serves millions of supporters through campaigns, youth programs, and digital advocacy tools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PETA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animal Rights Advocacy
- akta.pro primary industry
- Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)
Keywords
Where PETA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norfolk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PETA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership: PETA operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from supporters. The organization offers various giving options including one-time donations, monthly memberships (Vanguard Society), memorial gifts, honorary gifts, gifts in wills, and corporate partnerships. Tax ID: 52-1218336.
- Merchandise Sales: PETA operates an online shop (shop.peta.org) selling apparel, accessories, and merchandise featuring animal rights messaging. Also sells books, leaflets, stickers, and educational materials.
- PETA Presents/E-Cards: PETA sells e-cards and digital presents through presents.peta.org as a way for supporters to send animal-friendly greetings while supporting the organization.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
PETA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PETA conducts undercover investigations and public campaigns against animal abuse in laboratories, factory farms, the clothing industry, and entertainment venues, and runs corporate lobbying efforts to end animal testing and exploitation. The organization operates consumer-facing resources including the Cruelty-Free Database, the PETA-Approved Vegan certification, the Action Team volunteer network, the Animal Rights Television® video platform, a mobile application for campaign action alerts, an animal rescue and adoption service, and a merchandise store (PETA Shop). Supporting offerings include the PETA Literature activist materials distribution service, PETA Presents digital e-cards and gifts, and educational programs (peta2, PETA Kids, TeachKind).
Product overview
PETA operates as a nonprofit animal rights organization offering a platform of advocacy services rather than a unified tech product. The core offering consists of activist organizing tools (Action Team network, mobile app), consumer advocacy resources (Cruelty-Free Database, Shopping Guide, PETA-Approved Vegan certification), educational programs (peta2 youth outreach, PETA Kids, TeachKind), and media content (Animal Rights Television videos, PETA Global magazine). Supporting services include the PETA Shop merchandise store, PETA Literature distribution, PETA Presents e-cards, and animal adoption/reporting services. These products work together to advance PETA's mission of animal liberation through grassroots activism, corporate campaigning, investigative journalism, and public education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PETA Shop: Online store selling apparel, accessories, and merchandise promoting animal rights
- PETA Presents
- PETA Global
- PETA Prime
- peta2
- PETA Kids
- PETA Living
- Cruelty-Free Database
- PETA Shopping Guide
- PETA-Approved Vegan
Products and services
- PETA Shop
Quantifiable outcome
- Eliminated cruel forced swim test from 40+ universities and 19 companies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PETA
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PETA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
PETA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PETA U.K.corePETA's United Kingdom affiliate operating independently to promote animal rights in the U.K. region.
- PETA FrancecorePETA's French affiliate promoting animal rights and vegan lifestyle in France.
- PETA GermanycorePETA's German affiliate operating in Germany.
- PETA NetherlandscorePETA's Dutch affiliate promoting animal rights in the Netherlands.
- PETA SwitzerlandcorePETA's Swiss affiliate operating in Switzerland.
- PETA IndiacorePETA's Indian affiliate promoting animal rights in India.
- PETA AustraliacorePETA's Australian affiliate promoting animal rights in Australia.
- PETA AsiacorePETA's Asia-Pacific affiliate conducting investigations and promoting animal rights across Asia.
- PETA Asia (China)corePETA's Chinese-language affiliate (亚洲善待动物组织) operating in China.
- PETA LatinocorePETA's Latin American/Spanish-language affiliate promoting animal rights in Latino communities.
- peta2corePETA's youth-focused division targeting young people for animal rights activism and vegan lifestyle promotion.
- PETA KidscorePETA's children's division providing age-appropriate animal rights education and activism resources for kids.
- TeachKindcorePETA's educational program for teachers providing lesson plans and resources on animal rights for classroom use.
- PETA Global MagazinecorePETA's international publication featuring animal rights content and campaign updates.
- PETA Business Friends (Corporate Partnerships)minorCorporate partnership program allowing businesses to support PETA's mission through donations and collaborative campaigns.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PETA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ASPCA: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is one of the largest U.S. animal welfare nonprofits, sharing PETA's mission of preventing animal cruelty and conducting investigations. Comparable in fundraising scale, donor-base dynamics, and legislative advocacy focus.
- The Humane Society of the United States: HSUS is the largest U.S. animal welfare organization, operating across similar issue verticals (factory farming, animal testing, companion animals) with comparable donor-supported funding and federal/state legislative advocacy. Direct competitor for mainstream animal-protection donor dollars.
- Mercy For Animals: An animal rights nonprofit focused on ending factory farming through undercover investigations, corporate campaigns, and vegan outreach. Operates with a similar investigation-driven, corporate-pressure playbook to PETA but with a narrower farmed-animal focus.
- Animal Equality: An international animal protection organization that conducts undercover investigations of factory farms and disseminates digital advocacy content. Closely comparable to PETA on undercover-investigation methodology, video-driven campaigning, and global affiliate footprint.
- Farm Sanctuary: U.S. farmed-animal advocacy organization operating rescue sanctuaries, public education, and legislative campaigns. Shares PETA's farmed-animal focus and rescue operations (PETA's bear/chimpanzee rescues are analogous), with a more sanctuary-centric model.
- Animal Legal Defense Fund: Uses the legal system to advance animal rights through litigation, legislative work, and criminal-cruelty prosecutions. Closely comparable to PETA on legal-advocacy methodology, particularly around enforcement actions against laboratories and breeders.
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Marine wildlife protection organization known for direct-action campaigns and confrontational tactics. Shares PETA's controversial, high-visibility advocacy style and donation-driven funding model, though scoped to marine conservation.
Regional players
- Compassion in World Farming: International farmed-animal welfare organization headquartered in the UK with EU/US operations. Comparable to PETA on factory-farming campaigns, corporate food-policy advocacy, and undercover investigation methodology, though primarily EMEA-focused.
Broad incumbents
- World Wildlife Fund: One of the world's largest conservation/wildlife NGOs with global brand recognition and a multi-issue mandate (habitat, climate, species). Comparable to PETA on international brand recognition, donor fundraising model, and wildlife advocacy, though much broader in scope.
- Greenpeace: Global environmental advocacy organization known for confrontational campaigns, undercover investigations, and celebrity/grassroots mobilization. Operates with similar playbook to PETA on high-profile activism, media-driven campaigning, and multinational affiliate structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PETA social profiles
Digital presencePETA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PETA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PETA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries12 records
PETA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PETA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PETA
What does PETA do?
PETA conducts undercover investigations and public campaigns against animal abuse in laboratories, factory farms, the clothing industry, and entertainment venues, and runs corporate lobbying efforts to end animal testing and exploitation. The organization operates consumer-facing resources including the Cruelty-Free Database, the PETA-Approved Vegan certification, the Action Team volunteer network, the Animal Rights Television® video platform, a mobile application for campaign action alerts, an animal rescue and adoption service, and a merchandise store (PETA Shop). Supporting offerings include the PETA Literature activist materials distribution service, PETA Presents digital e-cards and gifts, and educational programs (peta2, PETA Kids, TeachKind).
Is PETA a public or private company?
PETA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PETA founded?
PETA was founded in 1980. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PETA based?
PETA is headquartered in Norfolk, United States, in the North America region.
How does PETA make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales and PETA Presents/E-Cards.
Who are PETA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ASPCA, The Humane Society of the United States, Mercy For Animals, Animal Equality, Farm Sanctuary, Animal Legal Defense Fund and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Compassion in World Farming is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace.
Does PETA have an API?
No public API is recorded for PETA.
What industry is PETA in?
PETA's product category is Animal Rights Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAIAG, Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement, with a secondary code of AFAEALAC, Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations.