People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 2 million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights organization in the world.


'PIG' IN PROTECTIVE MASK LINKS PORK FLU OUTBREAK TO FILTHY FACTORY FARMS

Demand for Cheap Chicken and Chops Leads to Cruel, Crowded Conditions That Breed Swine Flu and Other Flu Viruses

What: A "pig" wearing a protective mask will hand out copies of PETA's free "Vegetarian Starter Kit" as PETA members hold placards reading, "Factory Farms Breed Flu! Go Vegan," in Lincoln on Tuesday. The demonstration will take place during the second leg of a PETA tour that is designed to help citizens understand the causal connection between swine flu and the demand for cheap meat, which encourages the spread of filthy, crowded factory farms.

Factory farms are breeding grounds for life-threatening diseases, including swine flu, avian flu, E. coli infection, and others. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 to 50 percent of commercially raised pigs in the U.S. have been infected with some strain of swine flu. Factory-farmed animals are stressed and disease-ridden as a result of being confined to cramped, filthy sheds.

"Factory farms create the 'perfect storm' for deadly disease outbreaks," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Animals' compromised immunity which results from stress, close confinement, and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics is firmly linked to the development of dangerous microorganisms."

Where: Intersection of 14th and O streets, Lincoln

When: Tuesday, December 1, 12 noon

Your coverage is invited. Please RSVP to Shakira Croce at 212-929-2515 or ShakiraC@peta.org.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.
For more PETA in Lincoln visit Alexandra Matzke's flickr profile: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexandramatzke/3178905226/in/photostream/