For immediate release:
28 August 2024

Contact:
Sara Groves202-483-7392

Chicago, Illinois. –

To commemorate the 20 cows that perished on I-57 about a mile south of the U.S. 36 exit on August 22 when the truck carrying them overturned, PETA plans to place a sign in their honor near the scene of the accident, reminding everyone that the crash victims were thinking, feeling individuals. Minutes after the first crash, another truck struck a cow that had escaped and was running across the highway. Most of the other cows that escaped were apparently rounded up, although reports indicate some remaining animals may still be roaming free in Douglas County.

“The cows died of fear and pain as a result of this accident, and most of the traumatized survivors were no doubt forced to go on and face the knife of the slaughterhouse,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on everyone to go vegan so that the cows don’t have to make the journey to the slaughterhouse in the first place.”

At least 32 animal transport accidents and fires were documented in 2024 alone. Every year, millions of cows are transported to slaughterhouses, where workers shoot them in the head with a captive bolt gun, hang them by one leg, and slit their throats—often while they are conscious. Every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals each year, dramatically reduces their carbon footprint, and lowers their risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help those who want to make the switch.

PETA – whose motto is, among other things, “Animals are not meant to be eaten or otherwise mistreated” –points out Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, see PETA.org or follow the group on X, on facebook.or Instagram.