A billboard in Red Deer shows a message from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals discouraging the eating of turkeys this Thanksgiving. (PETA)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

restaurant didn't ask for removal

PETA billboard near Red Deer steakhouse staying put

Oct 2, 2020 | 6:05 PM

A pro-vegan ad on a billboard near a north Red Deer restaurant will be staying where it is.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was disgruntled this week after finding out an ad they’d bought to promote their ‘ThanksVegan’ campaign ahead of Thanksgiving would be removed from the billboard near Gaetz Avenue and 67 Street.

The billboard is located on same property of Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse Casual. It shows a turkey, alive and well, with the words “I’m me, not meat. See the individual. Go vegan.”

Riley Wiebe, general manager at Mr. Mike’s, says people sent him messages as soon as the billboard went up.

“We did not ask for it to be taken down,” says Wiebe. “We had a conversation with our property management company and asked them to be more mindful of which ads are put up there in the future. Especially something that is at least partially in contradiction to our business. It’s not just nearby, it’s right in our parking lot.”

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On Friday, PETA issued a second statement, saying, “Now that this steakhouse has decided to let PETA’s billboard stand, we hope that it reads the tea leaves regarding changes in the American diet and switches to a vegan menu, which would be easy, as it already offers a tasty meat-free burger that kind patrons appreciate.”

Wiebe points out, though, they introduced a vegan burger on their menu about a year ago.

PETA’s original statement on Thursday had said steakhouse owners don’t want to face the facts about how turkeys feel pain and are no different from humans.

PETA added that it hopes everyone can celebrate Thanksgiving (and ThanksVegan) with a meal that keeps gentle birds off the table. The organization noted too that the billboard is non-graphic.

Similar billboards have gone up in Edmonton, Lethbridge and Lloydminster, without any complaints, PETA points out.

It also notes that Sobeys, Safeway and other grocery store companies have teamed up with PETA to showcase ready-to-roast vegan turkeys and other animal-free offerings for the “growing population of Canadians” who have gone vegan.

“As soon as I found out what GoOutdoor, the billboard company, was going to do, I got a hold of the management company and asked them to make sure GoOutdoor didn’t take it down. It was scheduled to be taken down, but it’s staying up because we called and said something,” says Wiebe.

“We’re in Alberta and I love beef, but obviously we want to accomodate everybody. Being so intertwined in the community, we don’t want to discriminate against anybody, which is why we’ve tried to change our menu where we can.”

Wiebe adds that his restaurant regularly supports the Central Alberta Humane Society, including through its Deeds Well Done program.

rdnewsNOW reached out to GoOutdoor for comment, but did not hear back.

According to PETA, turkeys can live up to 10 years, but those raised for food are slaughtered between 12 and 26 weeks old. The group says birds are hung by their feet from metal shackles and dragged through an electrified bath, and are often still conscious when their throats are slit and dumped into scalding hot defeathering tanks.