Animal activist PETA barbecues ‘dog’ in Pitt St Mall

Animal activist group PETA have taken bold steps to prevent people from eating meat this Australia Day - barbecuing a ‘dog’ in Pitt St Mall.

Animal Activist PETA will campaign outside Sydney’s Pitt St Mall today.

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ANIMAL activist group PETA have taken bold steps to prevent people from eating meat this Australia Day - barbecuing a ‘dog’ in Pitt St Mall.

The movement comes ahead of Australia Day, where organisers are urging anyone who is repulsed by the prospect of chowing down on dog meat, to extend that compassion to all animals.

Outreach and partnerships manager at PETA, Emily Rice said they were tired of seeing lamb advertisements in the lead-up to Australia Day and felt inspired to take a stand.

Campaigners will be at Pitt St Mall today from 10am (Thursday January 24) where a model ‘dog’ will be cooked on an Aussie barbecue.

Animal Activist PETA are urging people to ditch meat this Australia Day. Picture: iStock.

They will be standing under a banner that reads “If You Wouldn;t Eat a Dog, Why Eat a Lamb? Go Vegan!”

“If those advertisements featured a puppy, people would be outraged,” she said.

“We have one set of rules for one animal and one set of rules for another, despite these animals having hundreds of similarities.

“When it comes to the capacity to suffer and feel pain and fear, a dog is no different from a lamb, a pig, a chicken, or a cow,” she said.

Activist of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) holds a poster during a protest in front of Australia's embassy in central Moscow in November 2005. Picture: DENIS SINYAKOV

Despite the dog being fake, Ms Rice said it will still has a strong impact on passer-bys.

“I think there will be a mixed response, it’s confronting,” she said.

“There is quite a high number of animals dying all the time without us taking much notice.

“It’s always a little bit of a shock to see things from a different point of view.

“As long as we can plant some seeds in a friendly and thought provoking way, we will be happy.”