Vegans in Vegas, Baby

by Annie Hartnett · 2010-03-06 09:00:00 UTC
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The City of Sin has gone righteous.

A vegetarian billboard ad campaign has been launched by local organization Vegas Veg*, in partnership with national animal advocacy group Mercy for Animals. Donations from local Vegas vegetarians funded the nine billboards placed throughout the city.

One billboard design features a piglet and a puppy and reads: "Why love one and eat the other?" The other design features a chick and a kitten, and the question remains the same. The billboards are only up for the month of March, but they'll be viewed approximately 10 million times during this month. Website traffic at Vegas Veg* has increased since the billboards went up.

I'm impressed with the message that Mercy for Animals chose for their billboard. "If you wouldn't eat a dog, then you shouldn't eat a pig" is a a popular argument used by vegetarians. And it's a valid one, as pigs are similar to dogs in that they're sociable and smart (plus they can feel pain just as easily). This line from a New York Times op-ed piece on Chinese dog meat rings true: "If you eat meat you cannot logically find it morally or ethically repugnant to eat a particular meat."

Although Mercy for Animals has previously put up billboards in Utah and Michigan, Las Vegas strikes me as the perfect location for the advertisements. The city doesn't have much natural beauty or spectacular architecture in danger of being marred by a billboard. And the massive number of tourists in Vegas per month allows for the message to reach a greater number of people.

Las Vegas isn't known for superb vegetarian fare, but they do have a donut shop that sells vegan donuts! And Iron Chef held the show's first vegetarian challenge in Vegas last fall. Hopefully the city is moving towards ethical eating. For now, you can view current Las Vegas vegetarian and vegan options on Happycow.net.

When in Vegas, be sinful. Just be sure to dine like an angel for the animals.

Photo Credit: Heiney

Annie Hartnett is a writer and animal advocate who has worked for several wildlife rehabilitation centers and environmental programs.
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