Leave Calves Wit Their Mothers! PETA Takes On Philly’s Cheesesteak Eateries with Vegan Appeal

For Immediate Release:
July 16, 2025

Contact:
Alex Payne 202-483-7382

 “Cheesesteaks Tear Families Apart.” That’s the new can’t-miss message from PETA that just went up near SQ Phillips Steaks—and a slew of other meat-centric restaurants serving the artery-clogging sandwich—urging Philly diners to show cows and their young some brotherly love by going vegan.

“Meaty cheesesteaks spell misery for cows and their beloved calves, who are callously separated so that they may be used as milk machines or killed for their flesh,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is encouraging everyone to leave animals in peace and opt for a delicious vegan cheesesteak.”

Cows have friends, hold grudges against other cows, and mourn when a loved one dies or when they’re separated from each other. Yet those raised for their flesh are confined to cramped, filthy feedlots without protection from the elements, while in the dairy industry, calves are torn away from their mothers within a day of birth so the milk meant to nourish them can be stolen and sold to humans. At slaughterhouses, the animals are shot in the head with a captive-bolt gun and hung up by one leg before their throats are slit—often while they’re still conscious.

Philadelphia—which recently nabbed a spot on PETA’s list of the Most Vegan-Friendly Cities—boasts a plethora of plant-powered options, including the melty vegan cheesesteaks from HipCityVeg and The Tasty. In addition to sparing nearly 200 animals every year, each person who goes vegan also slashes their 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 is located at 2216 W. Passyunk Ave., just feet from SQ Phillips Steaks and a short distance from other meaty eateries including Brother’s Cheesesteaks, Nipotina, Pat’s King of Steaks, and Geno’s Steaks.

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 PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.