Lunchtime at Scottie’s restaurant in Elkins took an unusual turn on Thursday when animal rights group PETA parked their “Hell on Wheels” protest truck outside the eatery. The stop was part of the organization’s ongoing campaign to raise awareness about the treatment of pigs in the meat industry and to promote a vegan lifestyle.
The large vehicle, designed to resemble a transport truck filled with pigs headed to slaughter, was parked near the restaurant just before noon. According to PETA’s press release, the truck is equipped with speakers that play what they claim are real, recorded sounds of pigs “screaming in panic,” accompanied by a subliminal message every 10 seconds urging people to go vegan.
However, The Inter-Mountain observed that the truck’s audio could barely be heard, even up close. During the hour the vehicle was stationed there, no diners appeared to engage with the protest or acknowledge its presence.
When asked why the group selected Elkins as one of its stops, the truck’s driver declined to answer directly, saying he was simply following instructions from PETA headquarters and did not know where the vehicle would go next.
Representatives from Scottie’s chose not to comment when contacted about the protest.
The “Hell on Wheels” campaign has been traveling across the country since 2024, visiting states like Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The tour includes several stops in West Virginia this month, including Morgantown earlier in the week, Elkins on Thursday, and Williamson in Mingo County today. The truck is also scheduled to appear in Pikeville, Kentucky.
PETA says their message is simple: behind every pork-based meal is a living animal that suffered during transport and slaughter.
“Behind every bacon and egg biscuit or Becky sandwich is a once-living, sensitive individual who was crammed onto a truck for a terrifying, miserable journey to their death,” said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman in a statement.
“PETA’s ‘Hell on Wheels’ truck is an appeal to anyone who eats pigs to remember that the meat industry is cruel to them and that the only kind meal is a vegan one.”
While the protest in Elkins drew little visible attention, the campaign reflects PETA’s broader efforts to spark public conversation about animal welfare and food choices. Whether people agree with their methods or not, their goal remains the same: to shift more Americans toward plant-based diets.
