Giant 'Wienermobile' Sparks Protest On LI: 'Animals Are Not Food'

RIVERHEAD, NY — A group of animal rights activists, with one dressed as a large pig, continued their protests last weekend against the Oscar Mayer "Wienermobile," which made stops across at Walmarts across Long Island as part of a nationwide tour.

"The protests couldn't have gone better," said John Di Leonardo, PETA's manager of animals in entertainment and IGC outreach; and Long Island Orchestrating For Nature's executive director."The Wienermobile drivers were angry and hid in the truck most of the time — the entire time in Islandia— and the general public was very receptive, taking lots of vegan starter kits."

In Riverhead last week, led by the costumed pig, the group turned out at the Riverhead Walmart on Old Riverhead Rd.; the Wienermobile did not, however, appear outside the store.

The popular Wienermobile, a giant hot dog on wheels, traverses the country driven by "Hotdoggers," according to Oscar Mayer social media posts, delighting hot dog fans with chances for selfies and free Wiener Whistles.

But animal rights proponents hope to spread a message: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, supporters held signs outside the Walmarts that read, "Meat Is Murder," "Animals Are Not Food," and "I Am You, Only Different. Go Vegan." The protestors met the Wienermobile at its Long Island stops, which were included in a nationwide tour.

"Smart, sensitive pigs are mutilated and killed so that their lips, spleens, intestines, stomachs, and anuses can be stuffed into colorectal cancer–causing hot dogs," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said. "As the Wienermobile pulls up to Long Island, PETA encourages everyone to put the brakes on cruelty to pigs by choosing from the array of delicious vegan hot dogs available today."

PETA said that "in the meat industry, mother pigs are squeezed into narrow metal stalls barely larger than their bodies and kept almost constantly pregnant or nursing. Pigs' tails are chopped off, their teeth are cut with pliers, and males are castrated—all without any painkillers. At slaughterhouses, they're hung upside down and bled to death, often while still conscious."

Also according to PETA, the World Health Organization has said that consuming processed meats can cause certain types of cancer.

"On the other hand, dogs from Beyond Meat, Field Roast, Lightlife, Tofurky, and other vegan companies are packed full of protein and flavor—but free of saturated animal fat and cholesterol," PETA said.

In 2017, Kraft Heinz removed artificial preservatives and added nitrates and nitrites to the popular Oscar Mayer hot dogs, saying it was the first national producer of hot dogs to implement the changes, according to a post in Fortune.

"We are making radical changes to every single one of our dogs," Greg Guidotti, head of marketing at Oscar Mayer, told Fortune. "We are going to get better dogs into your hands."

Supporters of PETA and LION held protests in Commack and Islandia last weekend.

"We're protesting the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile to remind everyone that pigs are intelligent and playful individuals who suffer terribly when crammed together in filthy sheds, and struggle desperately at the slaughterhouse when they're hung upside down before their throats are slit for hot dogs," said Di Leonardo.

"Choosing to be vegan saves nearly 200 sensitive, intelligent animals a year from abuse and a violent, painful death," he said. "According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, vegans have lower rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. The World Health Organization actually says processed meat like hot dogs causes cancer. Eating dead pigs or any other type of meat, eggs, or dairy is unhealthy and unnecessary since we can get everything we need from a healthy, vegan diet."

Vegan food is everywhere, Di Leonardo said. "Supermarkets across the country carry veggie dogs and sausages, as well as vegan chicken, plant-based milks and cheeses, and plenty of other animal-friendly groceries," he added.

Media representatives for Oscar Mayer and Walmart did not return requests for comment.