PETA to use Shrewsbury's Charles Darwin festival to call for end to 'speciesism'

PETA is putting the sign up in Shrewsbury to "honour Darwin's contributions" to the animal protection movement. The DarwIn Shrewsbury Festival is running this month, with several lectures and events taking place.

The billboard says: "#EndSpeciesism: We also feel pain, love, joy, and fear.” A location is yet to be confirmed.

Darwin introduced humans to the idea that our species shares a common ancestry with all forms of life. PETA says it is because of Darwin’s research that people started to realise that other animals are like us in all the ways that matter – we all feel pain, engage in play, parent, and experience emotions such as joy, love, loneliness, and fear. This led to the understanding that all animals should be treated with compassion and respect.

“Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking theory of evolution established humans as just one animal among many, which is the very foundation of the modern animal rights movement,” said PETA director Elisa Allen. “PETA’s billboard would help celebrate Darwin’s legacy by reminding everyone that we’re all part of the great orchestra of life on Earth.”

PETA notes that, in addition to his research into evolution, Darwin spearheaded legislation to regulate experiments on animals in England to reduce animals’ suffering and campaigned against steel-jaw traps used by game wardens and fur trappers, which crush animals’ legs. As he once wrote, “I have all my life been a strong advocate for humanity to animals.”