Innovative ‘I, Chicken’ Virtual Reality Experience to Cause a Flap in Jackson

PETA’s High-Tech Project Will Let Jackson’s Lunchtime Crowd See, Hear, and Feel What It’s Like to Be a Bird Facing Trouble

For Immediate Release:
June 18, 2015

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

Mississippi is one of the top chicken-producing states in the U.S.—but have residents ever considered what it feels like to be a chicken? Well, they’ll have the opportunity to find out firsthand on Friday, when PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—will set up its innovative “I, Chicken” wireless Google virtual reality (VR) experience in Jackson.

When:   Friday, June 19, 12 p.m.

Where:   The intersection of E. Capitol and S. Congress streets, Jackson

“I, Chicken” uses the most cutting-edge VR hardware available to immerse participants in a world where they can flap their wings, communicate with other chickens, and engage in other natural chicken behavior. But as participants soon learn, life for the 26 million chickens slaughtered every day isn’t a walk in the park.

“PETA’s ‘I, Chicken’ shows people firsthand that each chicken is an individual who feels pain and fear and doesn’t want to die,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “Once people really understand who chickens are, they’ll be more likely to choose healthy, humane vegan meals instead.”

For more information, please visit PETA.org.