People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has jumped into a Puerto Rico legislative battle that’s brewing — in which parents of obese children could be fined between $500 and $800 if their kids don’t lose weight — and kicked off a campaign to push the benefits of a vegan diet.
Their campaign?
To put up a billboard on a Puerto Rican highway that reads: “Feeding Kids Meat Is Child Abuse. Fight the Fight. Go Vegan,” PETA reported in an emailed statement.
“In addition to facing social challenges caused by childhood obesity, children who are fed a diet laden with saturated animal fat and cholesterol face the risk of developing diabetes and other health problems,” PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a written statement. “PETA is encouraging caring parents to do the right thing for their children by leaving meat off the table.”
PETA, citing pediatrician Benjamin Spock, said a diet high in meat “can help make kids fat and sick,” while vegan meals “can help keep [them] healthy.”
PETA’s motto, in part, states that “animals are not ours to eat.”
Puerto Rico lawmakers are mulling a proposal to fine the parents of children deemed obese up to $800 if they’re not able to lose the weight. PETA said it’s in discussions with Puerto Rican authorities to get the billboard placed now.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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