Whether planning a holiday meal or making a gift list, we’re routinely faced with choices either to help or to hurt animals. At shopping centers across the country—from the heart of Texas to the bustling fashion powerhouse of Miami—PETA’s latest thought-provoking ads will remind shoppers to choose compassion this holiday season and that there may be individuals behind the products in their cart.
Me, Not Meat
This holiday, skip the ham, drumsticks, or prime rib—and think of the pigs, chickens, and cows who suffer and die for meat production.
Washington, D.C., near the site of the Bacon and Bourbon Whiskey Festival
Ninety-seven percent of pigs in the U.S. today are raised on factory farms, where they’ll never run across sprawling pastures, bask in the sun, breathe fresh air, or do anything else that comes naturally to them.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Most chicks are only 6 or 7 weeks old when they’re slaughtered. They’re shackled upside down, their throats are slit open by machines, and they’re immersed in scalding-hot water to remove their feathers. Many are conscious the entire time.
© Sherrie Montgomery
Cows endure routine mutilations—including branding, castration, and dehorning—that cause excruciating, prolonged suffering, all without painkillers.
I Am Not …
Many people forget that animals are more than the products that they’re often turned into. These ads include eye-catching imagery to remind shoppers that the animals who end up on plates or in closets were once unique and fascinating individuals.
Bhaumik Dedhia
Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota
Miami, Florida
Hen and chicks: © iStock.com/malerapaso
What You Can Do
Choose compassion this holiday season: Leave animals off your shopping list and choose to live vegan. We’re here to help!
