Hot Diggity! See Which Eateries Earned PETA Kudos for Their Veggie Dogs

For Immediate Release:
June 23, 2021

Contact:
Nicole Meyer 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. –

Sun’s out, buns out! Er, hot dog buns, that is. As the Fourth of July marks a “return to normal” for much of the country and large celebrations are expected, PETA has scoured the country for the Top Vegan Dogs—and the innovative winners throw some serious shade on the meaty dogs of yore:

The Nacho Hot Dog, smothered in chipotle black beans and cheese sauce, at The Vegetable Hunter in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
The Califas Dawg, served with coleslaw and avocado mayo, at Cali Dawg in San Jose, California
The Elote Dog, topped with Mexican-style street corn, cayenne, and lime, at Cycle Dogs in Seattle
The deep-fried Buffalo Crunchy Dog, rolled in Buffalo sauce and topped with kimchi, at Sealevel City Vegan Diner in Wilmington, North Carolina
The Buldogi, topped with black sesame seeds and spicy gochujang aioli, at Sly Dogs in Tampa, Florida
The Greek Dawg, served with za’atar seasoning, house-made dairy-free feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, at Peace Love Coffee in St. Charles, Missouri
The Hot & Spicy Sausage, topped with grilled jalapeños and pico de gallo, at Unburger Grill in Dearborn, Michigan
The Coney Dogs, with chili and “cheese” sauce, at Savery Vegan Grill in Fort Wayne, Indiana
The Banh Mi Dog, piled with pickled daikon, red cabbage, and cucumber and drizzled with Sriracha mayo, at Branch Out in Paducah, Kentucky
The Very Very Veggie Dog, topped with grilled seasonal vegetables and smoky pepper mustard, from Steve’s Hot Dogs in St. Louis

“From smoked Greek dogs to tangy corn-topped frankfurters, veggie dogs to relish are being dished up restaurants across the U.S.,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “All of PETA’s award wieners make it easy to declare our independence from meat this Fourth of July.”

According to the World Health Organization, processed meats, including hot dogs, cause cancer. Each person who goes vegan reduces their risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes; dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint; and helps prevent future epidemics and pandemics. Swine flu, bird flu, and COVID-19 all stemmed from confining and killing animals for food.

As for animals in the meat industry, workers chop pigs’ tails off, cut off their teeth with pliers, and castrate the males—all without any pain relief—and confine cows to cramped, filthy feedlots without protection from the elements. At the slaughterhouse, workers hang the animals upside down, often while they’re still conscious, and bleed them to death.

Each eatery will receive a framed certificate from PETA, which also offers a list of the best ready-to-heat vegan hot dogs available at grocery stores on its website.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.