BENGALURU: Amidst public outrage over a 2,700-kilogram shipment of suspected dog meat recently transported to a railway station from Jaipur, PETA India has launched a provocative billboard campaign in the city. The billboard, situated near the station, features an animal with a goat’s body and a dog’s head, with the message: “If You Wouldn’t Eat a Dog, Don’t Eat a Goat.” This campaign aims to challenge the speciesism inherent in meat consumption.
PETA India’s campaign seeks to highlight the suffering of all animals, not just dogs. “Dogs don’t deserve to be murdered and chopped into pieces so that humans can eat them—but neither do goats, chickens, fish, or any other animals,” stated Dr. Kiran Ahuja, PETA India’s Manager of Vegan Projects. The billboard encourages those outraged by the idea of consuming dog meat to question why it is acceptable to eat one animal but not another and to consider a vegan lifestyle.
The campaign underscores the extensive suffering caused by meat production, from the brutal killing methods for various animals to the harsh conditions in the egg and dairy industries. It also points out the health risks associated with meat consumption, such as heart disease and obesity, and links animal farming to zoonotic diseases like SARS and COVID-19.
PETA India’s message aligns with a broader call from the United Nations for a global shift towards vegan eating to mitigate climate change impacts.