PETA offers free lunches, funding to fix Warren's potholes

The proposal is a counter-offer to one made by KFC.

Staff Report

WARREN — Mayor Michael O’Brien has another variable to mull for the city’s pothole problem.

The organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has offered to include free vegetarian lunches to street workers as part of a proposal to donate $6,000 to patch stretches of city streets.

The proposal is a counter-offer to a $3,000 offer from KFC restaurant chains to fix the potholes under the condition that the city stencil “Re-freshed by KFC” on two of the repaired holes.

After finding out about the proposal, PETA offered the mayor double the amount if the city would instead stencil a devilish rendering of KFC’s logo and founder Colonel Harlan Sanders with the words “KFC tortures animals.”

O’Brien reportedly contacted KFC inquiring if the restaurant would match PETA’s offer. Instead of getting into a bidding war with the multibillion dollar restaurant chain, PETA increased its offer to include the meals for the street workers during the project.

PETA has protested KFC for more than six years because of methods used to raise, house and slaughter the chickens utilized by KFC suppliers. Though KFC does not deal with the treatment of the chickens directly, PETA claims the company should enforce more humane policies by its suppliers.

Yum! Brands Inc., the parent company of KFC, posted a message on its Web site refuting PETA’s claim, stating the company is looking into the processes used by its suppliers.

“We are monitoring our suppliers on an ongoing basis to determine whether our suppliers are using humane procedures for caring for and handling animals they supply to us.”

O’Brien did not return a call seeking comment on the latest PETA deal.