In Poor Economy, PETA Buying Stock in Meat-Heavy Restaurants
Taking advantage of the shriveling stock market, PETA has been purchasing more and more shares in meaty companies, including popular chain establishments like Domino’s Pizza, California Pizza Kitchen, and Sonics. The surge in stock purchases comes shortly after PETA’s call for donations not only to them, but to other animal rights organizations also hurting in the economy.
PETA has bought stock in meat companies for years. They already had a large holding in Tyson Foods, one of the most notorious animal abusers in the meat industry, and recently purchased even more. But what will PETA do once they own enough shares in these companies to be a deciding voice?
- » See also: MSNBC to Air 2 Hour Special on Animal Conservation: “100 Heartbeats”
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Would we find vegan cheese options at Domino’s? Would they eliminate meat all together from the menus and perhaps risk running the chains out of business? Or perhaps they’d make the age-old rumors come true by changing pepperoni and sausage to mostly soy or wheat protein?
PETA first began engaging in shareholder activism in 2003 when they purchased 240 shares in Tyson Foods, enough to allow the organization to speak at shareholder meetings. The meat industry has watched with a cautious eye ever since.
Factory farming is among the most environmentally disastrous industries, topping even the transportation industry in its impact on global warming. While PETA pushes for animal rights, their actions also promote a healthier environment.
“Our campaign has already paid dividends for animals, so we’re forging ahead with it at any ‘price,’” said PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. “During hard economic times, the most vulnerable members of society—including animals—still need protection from exploitation and abuse.”
Photo Credit: VirtualErn on Flickr under Creative Commons license.
This is absolutely ridiculous. They (PETA) are making money off these stocks that they own, with companies that have the worse track records in abusing animals. Them owning stocks isn’t changing anything. Their voices aren’t being heard any louder. They are not going to shut down Tyson this way. They are right in the pocket with the abusers. This proves they are only about money. Shameful.
Peta kills animals - I save my support for ‘no kill’ shelters. Peta also objectifies women, and endangers their human volunteers (heatstroke under plastic-wrap, anyone?).
Mostly what they do seems to be for media attention, rather than to actually help animals.
All those who think that this is a great way for PETA to change things by buying stocks in these companies… sorry, but you guys need to think again. This is the ultimate in hypocrisy. The more I hear about PETA, the less I like them… or support them.
This doesn’t make any sense. PETA owns 240 shares out of 377 million shares. Why don’t they get allies and supporters to to lend proxies to get them in the meeting? Owning shares themselves gives the impression of a conflict of interest to me.
I used to attend GE shareholder meetings as an activist with Corporate Accountability International during the 80’s when they were campaigning to push GE out of the nuclear weapons business and I believe that CAI got Catholic nuns to lend their proxies to them.