Omaha Student Among Finalists in peta2's 'Cutest Vegetarian' Contest

The Vote Is On as Omaha Student Beats Out More Than 3,000 Contenders

For Immediate Release:
May 25, 2010

Contact:
Marta Holmberg  757-622-7382

Omaha, Neb.  -- What does 21-year-old Omaha resident Mark Langenegger have in common with Heroes cutie Milo Ventimiglia? Ventimiglia was a winner of PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Alive contest, and Langenegger is one of the male finalists in the spin-off Cutest Vegetarian Alive contest sponsored by peta2, PETA's youth division. Langenegger beat out more than 3,000 contestants from across the U.S. Supporters can vote for their hometown favorite by visiting peta2.com or by clicking here. Two winners (one male and one female) will be announced on June 8, and each will win a professional photo shoot and star in a peta2 ad.

"More and more Americans are going vegetarian every day, and young people are leading the charge," says peta2 director Dan Shannon. "It's no wonder: Vegetarians are slimmer, trimmer, and healthier, on average, than meat-eaters, so they're bound to be a lot cuter too!"

A college freshman, Langenegger was a vegetarian for three years before going vegan one year ago. Although his mother grew up on a farm and excluded beef and pork from the dinner table, Langenegger decided to make the full switch to a vegetarian diet at age 17 as he researched factory farming and became more vocal about animal abuse. Langenegger has volunteered for peta2, and he changed his college major after he learned that psychology students were required to perform tests on rats. He is now studying to be a pediatrician and has one companion dog, Wilco, whom he rescued from an abusive owner.

To view photos and bios of all the finalists and to vote in the contest, please click here.