Brooklyn, N.Y.<\/strong> \u2013 <\/span><\/p>\nOn Saturday outside Nathan\u2019s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, a vegan bodybuilder in a star-spangled Speedo will give away 1,000 free vegan hot dogs to help spectators celebrate<\/p>\n
America\u2019s 250th birthday in an animal-friendly way and without clogging their arteries. This muscular man will show meat-eaters what a plant-powered body looks like and encourage everyone to swap cholesterol for compassion by choosing plant-based meals and snacks this Fourth of July and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing does a body better than a clean and cruelty-free diet,\u201d says PETA President Tracy Reiman. \u201cPETA is reminding people this Independence Day that anyone who wants to stay healthy and build serious muscle should ditch the meat and dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Outside Nathan\u2019s Famous, 1310 Surf Ave., Brooklyn (at the intersection of Surf and Stillwell Avenues)<\/p>\nWhen:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Saturday, July 4, 12 noon<\/p>\nWhy:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>The World Health Organization classifies processed meats\u2014including hot dogs\u2014as \u201ccarcinogenic to humans\u201d and warns that consuming them increases the risk of colorectal cancer, while a review of 49 studies involving three million people found that animal-free eating safeguards against digestive system cancers. Meat and dairy products also contain cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease, whereas vegan foods contain zero cholesterol.<\/p>\nCows develop friendships over time and mourn when a loved one dies or when they\u2019re separated from each other, yet in the meat industry, they\u2019re crammed into filthy feedlots and endure tail docking, castration, and dehorning\u2014all without painkillers. Workers chop off pigs\u2019 tails, clip their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males without any pain relief. At slaughterhouses, workers shoot animals in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and cut their throats\u2014often while they\u2019re still conscious.<\/p>\n
PETA\u2014whose motto reads, in part, that \u201canimals are not ours to eat\u201d\u2014points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a cow is a dog is a boy.\u00a0PETA\u2019s\u00a0free\u00a0vegan\u00a0starter\u00a0kit<\/a>\u00a0can help anyone looking to make the switch. For more information, please visit\u00a0 PETA.org<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0or follow PETA on\u00a0X<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/strong><\/a>, or\u00a0Instagram<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n