(Image source: PETA)
BY NATHAN GIANNINI
ANCHOR LAUREN GORES
You’ve heard the phrase -- once bitten -- twice shy? Apparently, that doesn’t apply to animal rights group PETA. Never a stranger to controversy, it’s swimming with the sharks these days -- quite literally.
WTSP reports -- 21-year-old CJ Wickersham was spearfishing this weekend off the coast of Tampa Bay when a nine-foot bull shark bit him in the thigh.
“The details from then on are a little hard to remember but he’s crediting his friends for their quick reaction for saving him. Now he’s had several surgeries and received 800 stitches.”
PETA’s response? How about -- releasing this billboard with the tagline: “Payback is hell. Go vegan.”
WESH-TV has more on PETA’s view from below the surface.
“The group says they hope Wickersham understands how the fish he hunts feel. PETA says it’s planning to put the billboards in cities where there are the most shark bites. They’re saying their message here is that sharks aren’t the most dangerous animals in the world, but humans are.”
And if you think PETA’s worried about the waters in which it’s wading -- worry not.
PETA’s campaign director tells WWSB:
“It may be an unusual way to get the message across, but I think it will cause people to be more sensitive towards fish ... We are certainly glad the man is going to be alright, but we hope he and other fishermen will use this as an opportunity to rethink fishing.”
A writer for Gizmodo recognizes the need to protect animals, but says using Wickersham as a poster boy is a step too far.
“They’re using a man, who almost died, as their soapbox. ... I understand that PETA’s shock and awe campaigns are meant to get people on both sides riled up. They want to spark discussion and raise awareness. ... But when we’re talking about using a human life as a sacrifice to jumpstart a campaign that belittles his accident? That’s the line.”
Wickersham is expected to make a full recovery and should be out of the hospital sometime next week.
