Two North Carolina county districts severed all ties with the People for The Ethical Treatmet of Animals (PETA) after it was discovered that the group routinely euthanized dogs and cats that had been turned over to them for re-homing.

Despite a written apology from PETA's president and assurances that the group did attempt to locate new homes for some of the strays, Bertie County and Northampton County officials remain firm in their unanimous decision to cut ties with the animal rights group saying that PETA was contracted initially because county officials were under the impression that euthanasia was always a very last resort.

PETA has been receiving animals from three North Carolina county shelters since 2001 with the understanding that the animals, mainly cats and dogs would be re-homed. Instead, records in Virginia show that between 2001 and 2003 PETA euthanized 6,000 domestic animals - it is not known how many of that number came from North Carolina.

The decision to severe ties with PETA came shortly after two PETA workers were arrested after it was discovered that they were putting animals to sleep and tossing their bodies in a near-by dumpster.

PETA spokesperson Daphna Nachminovitch admitted that some animals suitable for adoption were probably enthanized instead but added, "the point is that good homes are few and far between. Our aim here was to stop them from dying an agonizing death," referring to PETA's policy of a more humane death by lethal injection.

Meanwhile 27 year-old Adria Joy Hinkle and Andrew Benjamin Cook, 24 have been charged with animal cruelty, improper disposal of dead animals and trespassing. They are scheduled to appear in court on July 19.