These “radical and unreasonable small groups”, or “sanctity of life nuts” are simply working at a grassroots level to try to effect change in the way society treats animals, because no one else seems to be doing it. This is certainly not an easy task, but a look at how the San Francisco SPCA evolved over 20 years ago demonstrates that it can be done: http://animaladvocates.com/cgi-bin/newsroom.pl/read/15887

Their innovative director gave up the animal control contract so that the SPCA could live up to its mandate of preventing cruelty to animals, rather than killing them on a massive scale. As he said, “You can’t be the animal’s best friends and be their principal killer.” Despite giving up a $1.8 million contract, the San Francisco SPCA more than made up for that loss with increased donations from a public that wanted to support an organization that does real animal welfare, rather than act as chief animal executioner and pooper scooper enforcer.

By the way, I have two beautiful dogs living in my home that were given a second chance at life by some of those “critics living in dreamland who offer no practical alternatives.” These people are my heroes.