PETA ASKS STUART PRISON’S GENERAL MANAGER TO DITCH MEAT

Group Offers Plan to Save Taxpayers Money and Save Animals’ Lives

For Immediate Release:
30 December 2013

Townsville – Today, PETA sent a letter to Andrew Pike, general manager of the Townsville Correctional Centre, also known as Stuart Prison, urging him to follow the lead of no-bull Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the US and stop feeding prisoners cows, pigs, chickens and other animals. Arpaio recently instituted the vegetarian programme in Maricopa County jails in Arizona to save taxpayers money. Not only is a plant-based diet less expensive than a meat-based one, it also saves animals’ lives, protects prisoners from serious illnesses that can cost the state an arm and a leg to treat and is a great way to promote compassion and non-violence among inmates.

“It doesn’t make sense to feed convicts some of the most expensive food on the market when they can get all the nutrition that they need from healthy, delicious vegetarian options. And this decision gives overburdened taxpayers a break at the same time”, says PETA Australia Director of Campaigns Jason Baker. “People who have gone vegetarian or vegan can attest to how much better it makes them feel, and the Queensland prison system can appreciate another good reason for eating plant-based foods: they’re cheaper.”

According to the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, children and adults who go vegetarian or vegan reduce their risk of cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes and obesity. People on the outside who want to give a plant-based diet a try can order PETA’s vegetarian/vegan starter kit for free at PETA.org.au. The guide includes easy-to-follow recipes, tips for making the transition and information about meat’s devastating effects on animals and the environment. A copy was sent along with the letter to Andrew Pike with an offer to supply more guides to the prison.

As an incentive, PETA has offered to pick up the tab for a professional chef to work with the corrections system to implement the new menu.

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

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