Billboard backing Pete Davidson is REMOVED after furious complaints trends now
PETA has been accused of blocking an advertisement mocking the organization from going up in Times Square, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
The Center for Organizational Research and Education unveiled its new billboard featuring comedian Pete Davidson using his phrase 'BDE' — a play on words to mean 'Buy a Dog Energy' — in the heart of New York City early Wednesday morning.
It noted on the billboard that it is standing behind Davidson after the animal rights group criticized the Saturday Night Live star for buying a new dog for his mother from a breeder at a shop in the Big Apple rather than adopting a dog from a shelter.
But by Thursday the billboard was taken down, with sources at CORE telling DailyMail.com that the company that owns the billboard was bombarded with calls from the animal rights group and eventually caved into pressure from PETA representatives to take it down.
'PETA was bullying them, tying up their phone lines and preventing them from normal business operations,' spokesman Will Coggin told DailyMail.com.
He claimed their behavior was 'very disruptive to the business,' which ultimately decided to take it down.
But a spokeswoman for PETA told DailyMail.com that the calls to the billboard company came from its supporters 'who were furious about this billboard's attempt to distort PETA's lifesaving work.'
The Center for Organizational Research and Education unveiled its new billboard featuring comedian Pete Davidson using his phrase 'BDE' — a play on words to mean 'Buy a Dog Energy' — in the heart of New York City early Wednesday morning. But it was taken down the next day
Davidson, 29, had come under fire from PETA executives for buying a dog from a breeder rather than adopting a dog last month. He is pictured here at the store with his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Coggin accused the animal rights organization of not being able to take criticism.
'They dish it but they can't take it,' he said, citing its previous ad campaign comparing eating chicken to the Holocaust.
The organization is now standing with Pete Davidson, he noted, because it believes his new dog stands a better chance of survival with him than at a shelter and that all dogs deserve a loving home.
'It seems that PETA doesn't believe that,' he said.
But in a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokeswoman for PETA said: 'This attack ad was from a front group for the puppy mill industry and other animal abusing industries that have a financial interest in propagating misinformation about PETA’s rescue team, which is on call 24/7 to offer relief to abused and suffering animals and provide end-of-life services for people who can’t afford to pay for their sick and dying animals to be put to sleep.'
She added that the organization's offices 'were inundated with calls from people who were furious about this billboard’s attempt to distort PETA’s lifesaving work, and many of them surely called the billboard company, as well—especially since New York State lawmakers have taken lifesaving measures to end the sales of dogs from puppy mills (effective next year).
'This billboard and anyone who supports it is on the wrong
