The animal rights group “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals” or PETA, wants to erect a 10-foot tall monument near a Sioux City highway where several hundred turkeys died in a truck rollover earlier this month. Alex Moore of PETA sent a letter to the DOT requesting permission to put a 10-foot tombstone along the right of way where More says more than 500 turkeys died.
Dakin Schultz in the DOT’s Sioux City office says the agency has strict policies regarding roadside memorials. “The Iowa Department of Transportation, for safety purposes, does not permit any memorials along public roadways. At least the state roadways,” Schultz says.
He says the DOT will send a response to PETA to explain their policy. “Typically when there is a request for a roadway we will not issue a permit for it and we encourage those folks who wish to do that to find other locations,” Schultz says. The driver of the truck in the April 12th accident was cited for failure to maintain control.
(Reporting by Woody Gottburg , KSCJ, Sioux City)