International Eat an Animal for PETA Day 2023: Date, History, Facts

International Eat an Animal for PETA Day (or EATAPETA) is observed annually on March 15. Born out of scorn for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and their aggressive, and often hurtful, ad campaigns — when Meryl Yourish saw the organization likening eating meat to the holocaust — every year since 2003, participants observe this day by eating animal products for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also call attention to the duplicity of PETA, given that their shelters have an unusually high euthanasia rate.

The background of International Eat an Animal for PETA Day

Animal Liberation, published in 1975, inspired Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco to establish PETA in 1990. The mission of the organization was to prevent the exploitation of animals by the human civilization. PETA garnered widespread recognition for the first time during its campaign to end animal testing in laboratories. Later, it expanded its scope by appealing to the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries to cease animal experimentation. PETA’s efforts to end the use of animals for clothing, sustenance, and entertainment resulted in a rise in its popularity.

PETA is well-known for its anti-“speciesism” advertising campaigns. Due to the organization’s use of graphic imagery, such campaigns are frequently deemed excessively intense or grisly. One such advertising campaign led to the creation of International Eat an Animal for PETA Day. In 2003, the organization launched an advertisement that compared the killing of animals to the Nazi genocide of Jews. Meryl Yourish, an author and educator, was enraged when she saw this, so she created International Eat an Animal for PETA Day to protest the organization.

People have pointed out PETA’s inconsistencies between its ideals and actions in the years since then. For instance, condemning pet ownership while having abnormally high euthanasia rates in animal shelters. People are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the organization over time.

International Day of Action Against Canadian Seal Slaughter 2023: Date, History, Facts

5 IMPORTANT DOGS AND CATS FACTS

Some studies indicate that cats only purr to communicate with humans.

The longest a koi ever lived in captivity was 43 years.

Dogs have the ability to perceive the passage of time.

In fact, they are native to the Andean Mountains in South America and were domesticated by the Incas over 3,000 years ago!

In 2020, PETA will have euthanized 67% of the cats, dogs, and other domesticated animals in their care.

INTERNATIONAL EAT AN ANIMAL FOR PETA DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	March 15	Wednesday
2024	March 15	Friday
2025	March 15	Saturday
2026	March 15	Sunday
2027	March 15	Monday