Texas anti-fishing sign gets the hook

HOUSTON (Reuters) - An anti-fishing billboard in the coastal city of Galveston featuring a dog with a hook piercing its lip will be taken down after complaints from local drivers.


The billboard, part of a campaign by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, went up last week along a highway leading to the island Texas city that draws thousands of anglers each year.


Jeremy Murphy, spokesman for the billboard owner, Viacom Outdoors, said on Tuesday the billboard would be taken down within a week as part of the company's policy to conform with local community standards.


The billboard, featuring a computer-edited picture of the dog and the caption "If you wouldn't do this to a dog, why do it to a fish?," is part of the animal rights group's "Fishing Hurts" campaign.


"Fish feel pain and suffering, and it's been well documented," said spokesman William Rivas-Rivas.


"Fish aren't swimming vegetables. We shouldn't torture them just for entertainment or palate preference," he added.


The group said it plans to roll out the billboard in several other cities across the United States