You’d Better Watch Out! PETA’s AI-Powered Robot Turkey Is Coming to Austin to Lead Vegan Roast Giveaway

For Immediate Release:
December 15, 2025

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Holiday shoppers in Austin may be saying ‘ho ho hold up!’ once they spot PETA’s walking, squawking, robotic turkey, who will strut his stuff in a tiny Santa hat as PETA’s “elves” give away tasty vegan holiday roasts on Wednesday. The bionic bird—named “Travis Beaker” in honor of Travis Barker, the vegan drummer for Blink 182—will urge passersby to stay on the ‘nice’ list by leaving animals off the menu this Christmas and beyond.

“Turkeys are thinking, feeling beings who love their families and value their lives, and they don’t want to be carved up on the holiday table any more than we would,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “PETA is eager to share savory meat-free roasts that can move anyone to go vegan for goodness’ sake.”

Where:           At the intersection of W. 6th St & N. Lamar Blvd., Austin

When:            Wednesday, December 17, 12 noon

Why:              In nature, turkeys can live for over 10 years and spend their days caring for their young, building nests, and roosting in trees. But those raised for food are slaughtered within their first six months of life—and tens of millions are killed each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas alone. At slaughterhouses, young birds are shackled and hung upside down on a conveyor belt, dragged through an electrified bath, and have their throats slit before they’re dumped into scalding-hot defeathering tanks—often while they’re still conscious.

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. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.