PETA Is Angling To Advertise On Abandoned Local Loo

For Immediate Release:
13 January 2011

Contact:
Sandra Smiley +44 (0)20 7357 9229, ext 229; [email protected]

This morning, PETA sent a letter to Councillor Peter Moore, Cabinet Member for Resources of the North Norfolk District Council, asking for permission to rent space to display a banner on the side of an abandoned public lavatory near the village of Sheringham, a popular angling spot. The banner would read, “‘What’s That Pong?’ Fishing Stinks. Go Vegan”, and be displayed for as long as the building remains unsold. In the letter, PETA points out that fish are clever, social beings who certainly feel fear and pain just as all animals do and that they do not deserve to be dragged from the sea, left to slowly suffocate, and then be fried, poached, or battered and served with chips. The toilets are located on a cliff overlooking the port, so the banner would be visible to anyone fishing below.

“Our proposal would let people know that the smell in the vicinity of this public loo actually comes from fish who’ve had their chips”, says PETA special projects coordinator Abi Izzard. “If people yanked dogs into an environment in which the animals suffocated to death while writhing on a pier, they would be charged with a crime. If we are honest with ourselves, what’s the difference between dogs and fish?”

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

PETA’s letter to Councillor Peter Moore, Cabinet Member for Resources of the North Norfolk District Council, follows.

12 January 2011

Councillor Peter Moore
Cabinet Member for Resources
North Norfolk District Council
Holt Road
Cromer, Norfolk
NR27 9EN

Via E-mail

Dear Cllr Moore,

I am writing on behalf of PETA with a proposal that could help your efforts to sell the derelict public lavatories in Sheringham. To you, the seaside facilities are disused outhouses – to us, they’re prime advertising space. Because we know councils are generally not – if you will pardon the expression – flush with funds, we are prepared to offer a rental fee for allowing us to place a banner on the side of the abandoned toilets until a buyer for the property can be found. The sign would read, “‘What’s That Pong? Fishing Stinks. Go Vegan”. This win-win solution would move you closer towards your goal of selling the loos whilst providing residents and visitors with an important reminder that angling causes fish to suffer.

The ad’s placement near Sheringham, a popular fishing destination, would help make apparent to local and visiting anglers the terrible realities of the blood sport. Myriad scientific reports confirm what many marine biologists have been saying for years: fish feel pain. The mouths of fish are full of sensitive nerve endings, and even fish who are released after being caught often die from the injuries and stress. A review of more than 500 research papers showed that fish are smart, have long-term memories and can use tools and even build structures. An Oxford University scientist found that fish learn faster than dogs, and University of Edinburgh biologist Culum Brown said, “In many areas, such as memory, [fish’s] cognitive powers match or exceed those of ‘higher’ vertebrates, including non-human primates”.

If you accept our proposal, our banner could also serve as an unusual attraction, helping animals whilst drawing more sightseers and speculative buyers to your toilets. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss our proposal.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Abi Izzard
Special Projects Coordinator
PETA