A New York City kitten rescue is defending an adoption policy that appears to exclude MAGA supporters, conservatives and apolitical applicants, after the policy attracted criticism from PETA. PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk said adoption decisions should focus on whether applicants can provide loving, safe homes, and urged the organisation to abolish what she called a human-centred policy.

Itty Bitty City Kitties director Samantha Knox said the rescue evaluates applicants based on conduct, expressed values and animal safety rather than political-party affiliation. However, when asked whether a MAGA or conservative applicant with no history of cruelty, violence, neglect or threats could adopt, she did not give a direct yes-or-no answer, saying support for movements the rescue believes normalise cruelty could be considered relevant conduct.