Peta Adoption: Attention Pet Lovers

Dear Editor, fellow pet lovers:

Grammy-winning singer Roberta Flack, who passed away on February 24, rose to fame with her hauntingly beautiful ballad “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” What many pet lovers may not know about is the love that inspired Flack’s deeply stirring recording.

In a 2022 People interview, Flack explained, “Through the years, I’ve sung that song thousands of times, and it has taken on different stories in my life, [but] honestly, at the time it was recorded, I sang it about my cat who had just died. I loved that cat so much, and as pet lovers can relate, that’s the story I was telling in the recording.”

A lifelong animal advocate, Flack rescued and adopted many cats, dogs, and other animals whom she called “beautiful souls.”  

If you’re ready to open your heart to an animal companion, take a page from Roberta Flack’s songbook: Adopt, don’t shop. There are so many beautiful souls in need of homes, and there is no reason to support breeders or pet stores. Visit your local shelter, where you’re sure to find a love worth singing about.

Sincerely,

Lindsay Pollard-Post 
The PETA Foundation