Pigeons Are ‘Sky Puppies’, Proclaim New London Bus Ads

For Immediate Release:

13 March 2020

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

PIGEONS ARE ‘SKY PUPPIES’, PROCLAIMS NEW LONDON BUS AD  

PETA Ad Blitz Fights Speciesism

London – London’s nearly 1 million pigeons are getting a PR boost from PETA, which has plastered the city’s iconic buses with a new ad showing a dog-pigeon hybrid next to the words “Pigeons Are Just Sky Puppies”.

The campaign aims to highlight that the reason some humans deride, race, poison, or shoot pigeons – or even eat baby ones (squabs) – is speciesism: the belief that certain species are more important than others and that, despite their extraordinary talents, abilities, and intelligence, all other animals are inferior to humans.

More photos of the ad are available here, here, here, and here.

“Just like puppies, pigeons love table scraps, recognise humans who are kind to them, and have lived alongside us for thousands of years,” says PETA Director Elisa Allen. “PETA hopes that our ‘sky puppies’ ad will encourage everyone to show pigeons the same respect and kindness that many dogs enjoy.”

There’s no important difference between pigeons and dogs. They’re both charming and intelligent beings, and like all animals, pigeons feel joy, fear, excitement, and pain and value their lives.

Pigeons have their own culture, mate for life, are devoted parents, and pass the “mirror test”, demonstrating self-awareness and intelligence. They’re fascinating and heroic birds, who have earned more Dickin Medals – animals’ Victoria Cross – than any other animal for saving the lives of civilians and members of the armed forces during World War II and subsequent conflicts. Along with humans and rhesus monkeys, they’re one of just three species on Earth known to be able to distinguish between number groups and learn abstract mathematical rules.

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way”.

A download link for high-res images is available here. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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