Turkey Takes Over Newark’s Penn Station With ‘Go Vegan’ Holiday Plea

Dozens of PETA Ads in Commuter Hub Urge People to Opt for Lifesaving, Animal-Free Holiday Feasts

For Immediate Release:
December 20, 2018

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

During the height of the holiday season, PETA has placed 29 ads in Newark’s Penn Station—a hub for NJ Transit and the PATH train and one of the busiest Amtrak stations in the country—that show a turkey’s face alongside the words “You Can Live Without That Turkey Leg. I Can’t. Go Vegan This Holiday.“

“These ads are a reminder of who turkeys really are: gentle young birds who don’t deserve to be strung upside down and slaughtered for a fleeting taste,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on every kind soul to honor the holiday message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all members of creation by celebrating with a delicious vegan roast.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—notes that more than 22 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. each year for Christmas. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 25 mph. They can live up to 10 years, but those raised for food are normally slaughtered when they’re 5 months old. The young birds are hung by their feet from metal shackles and dragged through an electrified bath that can cause them to have full-body tremors. They’re often still conscious when their throats are slit and they’re dumped into scalding-hot water to remove their feathers.

PETA offers a free vegan starter kit full of recipes, tips, and more (available here), and delicious vegan holiday recipes can be found here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.