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'I'm me, not meat' | PETA Billboard idea rejected by advertising company

PETA planned to honor the cows killed in a crash on I-40 last week by putting up a billboard that encourages people to go vegan.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — UPDATE: According to the Associated Press, advertising company Lamar rejected this billboard. A spokesperson said they don't accept advertising from PETA and in the past, the group has violated their policies.

PETA says it plans to honor the cows that died in a livestock truck crash last week. 

The animal advocacy group says it will put up a billboard on I-40 near Thomasville Road - where the crash happened - that proclaims, "I'm Me, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan." 

Credit: PETA
PETA sign

"This incident caused gentle cows to experience a terrifying death on the highway, and those who survived were rounded up and presumably taken to slaughter," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "PETA's ad encourages anyone disturbed by the thought of animals suffering on the side of the road or facing the slaughterhouse knife to go vegan."

Forty-one cows were on the truck that overturned on the highway. About half the herd died, according to officials. The cows were on their way to a slaughterhouse in Asheboro. The driver said he tried to avoid a family of deer and swerved, causing the trailer to flip over. The crash shut down the eastbound lanes for several hours as crews cleaned up the mess and worked to save the surviving cows. 

RELATED: Cattle truck flips on I-40 in Winston-Salem, killing about half the herd

RELATED: PETA insulted for calling 'pet' a derogatory term

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