From the Grill to the Hill: Congressional Veggie Dog Lunch Brings Chris P. Carrot to Capitol Celebration
For Immediate Release:
July 16, 2025
Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382
To celebrate “National Hot Dog Day” (July 16), animal defenders led by PETA’s mascot Chris P. Carrot will head to the Hill to dish up an a-peeling lunchtime treat: hundreds of free vegan hot dogs—made with Beyond sausages and all the trimmings—to members of Congress and their staff. The meat-free midday meal comes courtesy of PETA’s 29th annual Congressional Veggie Dog Lunch, which started as a protest against the pork industry in 1996, but is now a Capitol Hill institution. In addition to the animal-friendly franks, PETA will hand out free vegan cookbooks, carrot plushies, and squeaky carrot dog toys for congressional canines.
“PETA encourages people who carrot all about their arteries and animals’ lives to go vegan,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “People of all political persuasions don’t need much persuading to switch once they try a tasty vegan hot dog!”
Where: Rayburn House Office Building, 45 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington
When: Wednesday, July 16, 12 noon
Why: Pigs recognize their own names and show empathy for others, and cows develop friendships over time and sometimes even hold grudges against other cows who treat them badly. In the meat industry, workers chop off pigs’ tails, clip their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males—all without pain relief—and cram cows into cramped, filthy feedlots with no protection from the elements. Slaughterhouse workers shoot animals in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and cut their throats—often while they’re still conscious. Everyone who goes vegan spares the lives of nearly 200 animals a year; reduces their own risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer; and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint. PETA offers a free vegan starter kit for those ready to make the switch.
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.
