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In Pioneer Plaza, in Dallas’ vibrant downtown, the city’s famous “Cattle Drive” sculpture sits with embarrassed silence. As the installation’s 40 bronze steer baked in the scorching summer sun, PETA contacted a Dallas official to breathe new life into the installation.
Why Dallas’ ‘Cattle Drive’ Needs an Update
“Cattle Drive” depicts a scene from the mid- to late 1800s, when humans forced Longhorn cows on long journeys to Midwestern feedlots—locations hundreds of miles from their homes, where other people would kill them for their flesh.
These destination feedlots were the precursor to today’s American farms, which now kill over 33 million cows yearly for food. They stain the country, poison the land, and jeopardize our collective future on Earth.
The meat and dairy industries not only kill cows but also produce saturated fat– and cholesterol-laden foods and belch methane, which is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in warming the planet.
As Texas’ infrastructure buckles under the effects of the climate emergency, many agree: “Cattle Drive” doesn’t deserve state pride!
PETA’s Answer to ‘Cattle Drive’ Reflects Reality
But how can the sculpture change course with so many statues already in place? PETA has the answer.
We wrote to Dallas’ director of the Office of Arts & Culture, Martine Elyse Philippe, asking her to contract an artist to design PETA’s new pro-vegan concept piece: a statue of a mother cow nuzzling her calf with the message “Meat and Dairy Drive Us All to Our Deaths. Go Vegan.”
This addition to “Cattle Drive” would introduce a counterpoint to the relic. Instead of resigning ourselves to a future in which humans continue to inflict the worst cruelty on cows just for a taste of their flesh and bodily fluids, the installation would affirm the power that every visitor has to end the entrenched systems that harm animals and humans alike.
We also see this becoming a windfall for tourism in Dallas. The city is on the map as a vegan destination, and our proposed sculpture would give those who don’t consume animal-derived products for ethical, environmental, or other reasons something to visit in Dallas that honors cows, rather than glorifying their suffering.
Going Vegan Saves Lives
Every vegan spares the lives of nearly 200 animals—including cows—every year. They reduce their own risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, and they resist the industry players who insist on charging toward certain climate doom.
Are you looking to make the switch? PETA’s free vegan starter kit is invaluable, with recipes, guides, and other tips and tricks for being vegan.
