Ingrid Newkirk asks, “How did we get the Easter Bunny?”

The Easter holiday is rooted in the Christian religion, but somewhere along the way, rabbits, chicks, pigs, and other animals have become the faces of the celebration. Children look forward to a visit from the mythical Easter Bunny, who supposedly brings chocolate and eggs on the holiday.

Rabbits, chicks, and other farmed animals are used as adorable representatives for the celebration, but there are cruel implications for these animals. Easter meals often feature ham, which comes from pigs who spent their entire lives in filthy concrete pens, endured rampant cruelty, and then were slaughtered. Likewise, Easter eggs are the object of hunts in backyards, but hens on egg farms suffer from constant confinement to tiny, filthy wire cages. Male chicks are killed, and the beaks of female chicks are painfully seared off to keep them from pecking one another.

Some parents purchase rabbits for their children in honor of the holiday, unaware of the commitment these animals require in order to be cared for properly. Rabbits are the third most commonly surrendered animal at animal shelters, behind only dogs and cats.

Instead of perpetuating the abuse of animals this Easter, commit to celebrating them year-round by going vegan. Learn how by checking out PETA President Ingrid Newkirk’s powerful message about how we can be kinder to all animals this spring.

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