Ahead of Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent (February 14)—a time to pray, reflect, and honor Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice by giving something up ourselves—PETA Latino is calling on observers to demonstrate their Christian values by not eating fish.
In the heart of Mexico’s bustling metropolitan cities Guadalajara and Zapopan, our ads—placed on buses that pass through popular markets and eateries that sell fish—urge everyone to keep all animals off their plates during the Lenten season and for the rest of the year. They also serve as a reminder that fish feel pain and fear, just as humans do.
Show Mercy to All Animals, This Lent and Afterward
Genesis 1:29 states that God provided food for humans in the form of plants: “I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the Earth and all the fruit trees for your food.”
Fish are intelligent, sensitive beings with feelings, thoughts, and a desire to live. They share knowledge, have cultural traditions, and communicate with one another using low-frequency sounds that humans can’t hear. Some woo potential partners by singing to them or creating intricate works of art.
Despite all this, humans kill more fish for food each year than all other animals combined. Fishers impale, crush, suffocate, or cut open and gut them—often while they’re still conscious. In addition, the fishing industry catches and kills countless “nontarget” species—like dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks—each year to satisfy humans’ demand for “seafood.”
Speciesism Is Not a Christian Value
Like humans, our fellow animals are part of God’s perfect creation—He gave them thought, reason, emotional capacity, and the ability to feel pain. Regardless of their species, all animals should be allowed to live in peace.
Honor Your Faith by Going Vegan
No animal wants to be exploited and killed for their flesh, eggs, or milk. Going vegan—not just during Lent but all year round—is the easiest way for Christians to honor God’s sentient beings, the world that He entrusted to us, our own bodies, and our brothers and sisters who have dangerous, bloody jobs on farms and in slaughterhouses.
Order a free vegan starter kit to make the compassionate switch today:
