'Animals are just the same as humans'

This past week, in the corner of Hornbake Plaza sat a set of tri-fold boards showcasing pictures of slaves being branded, police beating blacks at a civil rights protest and something else rather graphic — piglets being castrated.

The youth offshoot of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, peta2, co-sponsored the Animal Liberation Project exhibit with VegTerps, an animal activist group on campus, in an effort to spread awareness about animal cruelty that, members said, mirrors human suffering.

"It takes a look back at the history of human oppression and how there should be the same rules for animals," peta2 spokeswoman Adrianne Burke said. "Animals are just the same as humans, and they should have the same social justice."

The exhibit featured tall panels with a picture of an animal cruelty practice at the top — such as cow branding — with an image of similar brutality involving humans — such as the branding of slaves — below it.

The boards also featured images of a monkey sticking its fingers through a cage next to the hand of an inmate reaching out through a fence, as well as more disturbing images of a cow in an experimental apparatus.

"The main goal is to raise animal awareness," Vegterps President and Founder Michelle Carr said. "It's to compare how old human oppression is happening today with animals."

Peta2 representatives and VegTerps members stood outside the display and handed out leaflets advocating for veganism and awareness of animal cruelty.

"Ninty-five percent of animals are raised under factory farming conditions, and being a vegan can save over 100 animals' lives per year," Burke said.

Most passersby continued on their way.

One onlooker who stopped by the table, senior economics major Sobia Ijaz, said she agreed with what the boards represented.

"I have an interest in this train of thought and I've known about these issues," Ijaz said. "It's nice to have it put out here in public. Some people just walk by and don't even care."

Carr said peta2 contacted her about having the exhibit at the university in light of their recent Libby Award for Best Student Group — a distinction peta2 gives to student groups at universities across the country that honor animal-friendly efforts.

Peta2 representatives were on the campus all week and even lent a hand to VegTerps with their McCruelty campaign efforts, raising the number of signatures on their petition to remove McDonald's from the Stamp Student Union to 3,500.

cetrone@umdbk.com