Fiery Vegan Appeal Lands Near Bacon-Centric Eateries: ‘Pigs Can’t Fight for Pigs’ Rights’

For Immediate Release:
March 20, 2024

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Gainesville, Fla. – Dunkin’ Donuts and Waffle House patrons might find their stomachs churning before they even sample the eateries’ meaty fare this month after they spot PETA’s striking new visual plea calling on people to stand on the right side of history by leaving pigs off their plates. The provocative message features a horde of pigs rioting in front of a burning landscape and urges viewers to “live vegan.”

“Like humans, pigs form strong bonds, enjoy listening to music, and experience a full range of emotions, yet they’re funneled endlessly into filthy warehouses and slaughtered just to satisfy fleeting cravings for their flesh,” says PETA Senior Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA is calling on everyone to do right by those who can’t advocate for themselves by going vegan.”

In the meat industry, workers chop off piglets’ tails, clip their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males—all without pain relief. Then, they’re forced to spend their short lives in crowded, filthy warehouses under the constant stress of intense confinement. When the time comes for slaughter, they’re crammed onto trucks and transported hundreds of miles through all weather extremes without food, water, or rest, causing many to die from heat exhaustion. At slaughterhouses, workers shoot pigs in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and cut their throat, often while they’re still conscious.

The World Health Organization reports that eating processed meats, including ham and bacon, can cause cancer. Each person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals every year and reduces their own risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity. PETA’s free vegan starter kit is filled with tips to help anyone looking to make the switch.

PETA’s billboard, which was designed by The Community ad agency, is located at W. Newberry Road and N.W. 75^th Street, near Dunkin’ Donuts and Waffle House.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.