Struggling Bowling Alley to Score Some Funds From PETA?

Pro-Vegan ‘Spare Animals’ Ad That Replaces Whole Gutter Top With a Gaping Mouth Could Help Keep Local Bowling Alleys in Good Financial Health

For Immediate Release:
August 19, 2020

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

As Leeward Bowl and Pali Lanes have closed temporarily and many bowling alleys are struggling to stay in business amid state COVID-19 regulations, PETA sent a letter this morning offering to help by paying to run a pro-vegan ad above the pin decks when the bowling alleys reopen.

PETA points out that confining and killing animals for food has caused COVID-19, avian flu, swine flu, and SARS—and that eating animals is linked to deadly health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

“To save animals, prevent future pandemics, and safeguard our own health, going vegan is like bowling a 300,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA staff love bowling almost as much as they love promoting delicious, healthy, and humane vegan meals.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—also encourages Leeward Bowl and Pali Lanes to offer vegan foods like dairy-free nachos, veggie burgers, and crispy soy tenders.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA’s letter to Leeward Bowl follows. The group’s similar letter to Pali Lanes is available upon request.

August 19, 2020

Richard Akimoto

Owner

Leeward Bowl

Dear Mr. Akimoto,

Aloha! I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in response to the news that, like many bowling alleys, Leeward Bowl has temporarily closed because of COVID-19 guidelines. We have an offer that could score you some funding: We’d like to pay to place this eye-catching ad that reads, “Spare Animals. Get Your Health out of the Gutter! Go Vegan. PETA,” above the pin deck when you reopen.

As you may know, the novel coronavirus originated at a live-animal market where animals are crammed together and sold for human consumption. Pathogens flourish on filthy factory farms and in slaughterhouses and animal markets worldwide, making such places perfect breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and deadly viruses. In addition to the high risk of contamination from pathogens—including E. coli, campylobacter, and salmonella—meat contains no fiber and is packed with artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans reduce their risk of developing diabetes by 62%, their chance of being hospitalized for a heart attack by 33%, their risk of suffering from heart disease by 29%, and their risk of developing cancer by 18%. A vegan diet is also linked to a decrease in the risk of suffering from obesity, since vegans are about 18% thinner and 10 to 20 pounds lighter, on average, than their meat-eating counterparts.

Consuming meat, eggs, and dairy has long been known to be unhealthy and unnecessary, and the current COVID-19 crisis is just one more reason why we, as a society, need to aim higher. We also urge you to serve vegan foods—such as pizza with dairy-free cheese, the vegan Beyond Burger, Yves Veggie Dogs, and Gardein Crispy Tenders—at your grill. I look forward to hearing from you to get the ball rolling on this win-win offer. Thank you for your consideration.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President