To contest National Hot Dog Month, PETA handed out free tofu dogs with veggie chili on Capitol Hill to spread awareness. (Kate Howard and Carissa Kranz/MNS)
Washington–July is National Hot Dog Month, according the the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. And as they do every year, PETA wasn’t going to let them get away with it. The organization handed out free vegetarian hot dog replacements with vegetarian chili to educate people about what it means to be vegetarian and to give a sampling of meatless options. This event is PETA’s way of rejecting the month-long celebration of meat.
Once Burger King’s TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch commercial girl, Model Vida Guerra is now a vegetarian and the poster child for PETA–People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (Kate Howard and Carissa Kranz/MNS)
PETA served about 600 tofu pups, as they’re called, to people on Capitol Hill. Some come every year, others had their first encounter with vegetarian food. And others still were just drawn in by the beautiful vegetarian model Vida Guerra, who gave out tofu pups and photos dressed in a chili pepper bikini. The overall sentiment was that of satisfaction. Tasters reported back that while you could tell the pups weren’t real meat, they were just as enjoyable.
We explored the health and economic benefits of being vegetarian, as well as spoke to Guerra about her transition to a meat-free lifestyle. Check it out!