‘I’m me, not meat’: PETA ad targets a favourite East Coast dish

Whether it’s boiled, in a chowder or on a roll, Nova Scotians love their lobster.

The lobster fishing season kicked off just a few weeks ago and local seafood shops are already busy preparing orders for the holiday season.

Animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), is now challenging the Maritime favourite with a new advertising campaign.

Posters have popped up at a few Halifax-area bus shelters that show a lobster holding up a sign that reads, ‘I’m Me, Not Meat. See the Individual. Go Vegan.”

It’s part of an international campaign by PETA to let people know that lobsters also feel pain.

“They are individuals, and the way they are killed in these industries — which is either often being ripped apart alive, being cut in half or being thrown in scalding hot water — no one would ever imagine doing that to a dog or cat or another animal,” said PETA spokesperson Amber Canavan.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They are individuals, and the way they are killed in these industries — which is either often being ripped apart alive, being cut in half or being thrown in scalding hot water — no one would ever imagine doing that to a dog or cat or another animal," said PETA spokesperson Amber Canavan.

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Canavan says there are all sorts of vegan seafood options that people can choose instead.

“It’s actually on the cusp of being a very booming industry,” she said.

Earlier this month, a viral tweet by PETA encouraged people to stop using anti-animal language. The post suggested switching out sayings like “bring home the bacon” for the more neutral “bring home the bagels.”

READ MORE: Bring home the tofu?: PETA wants people to stop using ‘anti-animal language’

“We hope that any phrases that are casually demeaning or casually promoting violence to animals will just fade away and turn into a more animal-friendly phrase,” said Canavan.

Whether or not the phrases will catch on remains to be seen, but PETA says it’s really about getting the conversation started. That’s the goal of the latest bus shelter ads too.

“Every time we put these ads up, we’re getting people to order our free vegan starter kits,” she said.

As for the timing, Canavan says it’s not coincidence they chose the holiday season because they are hoping people will have a little bit more compassion this time of year.