PETA Pushes Iowa State Fair to Drop Animal Exhibits

A popular tradition at the Iowa State Fair had to be canceled this year for a startling reason.

The bird flu is throwing a wrench in the plans for event organizers.

Officials for the Iowa State Fair announced that due to the recent outbreaks of avian influenza, they have decided to cancel the milking parlor and "I Milked a Cow" experiences for this fair season.

Unfortunately, both of these activities involve direct contact with dairy cows. This contact with the animals may spread the disease.

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These experiences are not permanently cancelled. Once the threat of this avian influenza has passed, and the health of the animals involved is guaranteed, then they will resume this tradition.

This is not the only state fair that will be scaling things back due to the bird flu. According to reports, Nebraska State Fair officials will be requiring the testing of cows at their event.

The Iowa State Fair will take place from August 8th through the 18th this year.

PETA Pleas to Iowa State Fair Officials

After the news of this came out, PETA officials reached out to the Fair's President, Darwin Gaudian. They requested that he cancel ALL animal exhibits.

“Animal exhibits and competitions serve as breeding grounds for deadly pathogens that are hazardous to human health and cause immense suffering to chickens, cows, pigs, and other animals, who feel fear and pain just as any human does,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk.

“PETA is urging the Iowa State Fair to end animal-exploitative exhibits and safeguard against the potential spread of a highly contagious and life-threatening disease.”

It is unlikely that all of these events will be canceled. There is no word on what the Iowa State Fair President will do in response to this request.

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