A highly realistic prop dog, lying on the coals alongside corn, onions and mushrooms.
That was what dozens of children on a school excursion encountered on Thursday as they crossed Pitt Street Mall, one of Sydney’s busiest areas. The scene was part of a PETA protest against meat consumption ahead of Australia Day, featuring a sign that asked: “If you wouldn’t eat a dog, why would you eat a lamb?”.
The organization defended its message, asserting that people should feel the same revulsion at imagining a dog on the grill as they do for the millions of animals slaughtered every year for the meat industry. But for those passing by, the argument was overshadowed by the image. “I saw some children who were visibly disgusted”, a witness wrote on social media, accusing PETA of crossing a line by exposing minors to such a disturbing display in the middle of a public street.
