PETA ‘Welcomes’ Anthony Fauci Retirement, Calls on Him to ‘Leave Now’

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci te
SHAWN THEW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Joshua Klein

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent retirement announcement received a warm “welcome” from animal rights group PETA, who accused the doctor of having “harmed millions of animals,” while calling on him to “leave now” and make room for a “forward-thinking leader” in his place.

In a Monday statement, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) panned Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser to the White House, following his announcement of plans to retire at the end of the president’s term. 

News of Fauci’s plans came in an interview published earlier in the day, wherein NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci lamented that Americans were no longer heeding his recommendations on masking or vaccines.

In a statement from PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo regarding the announcement, the group expressed satisfaction with Fauci’s retirement, though wishing it was sooner.

“PETA welcomes Anthony Fauci’s retirement announcement, but we have a suggestion: Leave now,” the statement began.

Guillermo then criticized the infectious disease expert, blaming him for the harm of “millions” of animals in failed experiments.

“Under his direction, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has harmed millions of animals, including tens of thousands of monkeys in failed AIDS experiments that have not produced a marketable vaccine to prevent HIV and dogs who have been subjected to hideous experiments,” she said.

The statement calls on Fauci to “make way immediately for a forward-thinking leader who will admit that experiments on animals have been an utter failure and implement modern, human-relevant research methods, such as those described in PETA scientists’ Research Modernization Deal.”

The “deal” is a strategy created by the group that includes phasing out animal experiments.

On Monday, Fauci made the retirement announcement in an interview with Politico, while acknowledging the coronavirus would outlast his professional career in medicine.

“We’re in a pattern now. If somebody says, ‘You’ll leave when we don’t have COVID anymore,’ then I will be 105,” he said. “I think we’re going to be living with this.”

Fauci did not specify a date but presumably plans to leave after Biden’s first term in office.

He predicted Republicans would begin investigating him if they take leadership in the House of Representatives in November, but insisted that was not why he planned to retire.

He also expressed regret that Americans were no longer listening to his recommendations on masking or vaccines.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult to get people to listen, because even the people who are compliant want this behind them,” Fauci said, pleading for Americans to continue wearing masks in certain situations and getting regular booster shots of the coronavirus vaccine.

In February, PETA unveiled a “tribute” mosaic portrait of Dr. Fauci, comprising hundreds of images of monkeys and beagles he and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are accused of having “tormented and killed in cruel experiments.”

In January, Guillermo called for Fauci’s firing over “failed” animal experimentation by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as she highlighted the billions wasted on cruel projects and “illogical” studies, such as attempts at creating transgender monkeys.

The PETA SVP also praised Republicans for “leading the way” on these issues.

Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

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