Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin hit back on Sunday at the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA) for its criticism of her New Year's photo posted in her Facebook showing 6-year-old son Trig stepping on a dog's back while washing the dishes.

She wrote: "Dear PETA, Chill. At least Trig didn't eat the dog," referring to Jill Hadassah, the puppy the Palins adopted and now a big dog and Trig's best buddy.

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The ex-vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party stressed that their pets are loved, spoiled and cared for. Palin then said their pets are probably treated better than how some people treat others with different political affiliations. She accused PETA of applying a double standard because she is a GOP.

She pointed to U.S. President Barack Obama's admission of eating dog meat and TV host Ellen DeGeneres posting a similar picture, yet they didn't receive the same criticism she got because Obama and DeGeneres as Liberals, as proofs of PETA's double standard.

However, PETA didn't further fan the flame. Instead, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk released a statement that says, "PETA simply believes that people shouldn't step on dog." Newkirk said despite Trig's photo, PETA believes that the Palins' pets are pampered. It also wished the Alaskan family a peaceful and humane 2015.

While for PETA the issue is over, not for netizens who continued to agree and disagree with Palin and shared their opinion on the issue, although most were against what Trig did and what Palin didn't do.

Briton Sarah Giddings advice to Palin is "Let the dog lay in peace and buy a footstool!"

Seymour Wellen wrote that if Jill bit Trig, Palin would surely shoot and kill the dog. Wellen added, "It wouldn't surprise me if she then hung the dog's head on her wall as a trophy with all her other kills."

Bradley Muzyczek said Palin's way of thinking "is why your party and your kind will never make it into our federal government."

TagsSarah Palin, PETA, animal rights