Texas' soon-to-come Peppa Pig Theme Park is hoggin' criticism as PETA requests vegan menu

The nation's second Peppa Pig Theme Park is slated to open in Dallas-Fort Worth later this year. And faster than you can say oink, it's already hogging criticism.

The Peppa Pig Theme Park in North Richland Hills will offer kid-friendly roller coasters along with several play areas themed on the popular Peppa Pig cartoon. While seemingly noncontroversial, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has taken a stance, urging the park to offer a vegan-only menu.

PETA writes letter to Hasbro and Merlin Entertaiments

In a letter sent to Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks and Merlin Entertainments CEO Scott O'Neil, PETA requested that the Peppa Pig Theme Park not offer animal byproducts to guests. The May 13 letter cited the decision to exclude pork from the menu at the original Peppa Pig Theme Park in Florida.

"We expect you'll do the same in Texas, given that pigs are intelligent, playful, and affectionate beings—just like Peppa herself," the letter reads. "You clearly recognize the irony of selling pig meat, so why sell products made from other exploited animals like Carol Cow or Mrs. Cow? Just like pigs, cows and other animals are friends, not food."

The letter cited children's "natural empathy for animals," stating that they would be horrified to learn that they were eating Peppa's friends at Miss Rabbit's Diner, which "simply substitutes pepperoni made from pigs with pepperoni made from gentle cows."

"Surely, Miss Rabbit would never butcher her chicken friends to serve nuggets or take a mama cow’s milk—meant for her babies—to make cheese pizza," the letter continued, adding that PETA would support the theme park in creating an "ethical, delicious" menu.

More: A Universal Studios theme park is coming to Texas. Here's what we know

Where is the Peppa Pig Theme Park in Texas?

The Peppa Pig Theme Park will be located in North Richland Hills in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: PETA urges Peppa Pig Theme Park in Texas to sell only vegan menu