Seven animal-rights advocates from across the country stood outside the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames Friday to protest the euthanization of more than 230 sheep that may have been exposed to mad cow disease agents.

Members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, from Minnesota, Chicago and Washington traveled to the United States Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratory, 1800 Dayton Ave., to promote a vegetarian lifestyle and to protest the testing on the sheep.

The sheep, which were shipped to two private farms in Vermont from Belgium and the Netherlands in 1996, were brought to Iowa via semi-trailers last week. They will be tested for a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, a family of diseases that includes Mad Cow Disease and Scrapie, which affects sheep.

“If it weren’t such a serious issue, [the USDA’s] response would be amusing,” said Bruce Friedrich, PETA Vegan Campaign Coordinator. “Transporting these sheep 1,400 miles is a public relations sham. The USDA is not doing what’s necessary to protect Americans from Mad Cow Disease.”

Several local demonstrators also gathered in front of the laboratory in support of the testing.

Loren Shetler, who helps his parents on their cattle farm in Marshalltown, was the first anti-PETA protester outside of the USDA lab. Holding a sign that read, “Kill the sheep, PETA nuts,” Shetler said the USDA testing is the best way to protect the country’s livestock from the diseases.

“I’m here to let the USDA know that they’re doing their job and that there are people supporting them,” Shetler said. “How ethical would it be to let millions of livestock be slaughtered?”

A group of 10 ISU students, calling themselves the Society of Americans Who Have a Clue, were on the scene grilling hot dogs to show their support for the USDA’s efforts.

“We came out here today to see what all the controversy was about and to humor the small town of Ames,” said Kevin Broulette, sophomore in computer engineering. “We thought the protesters might get hungry, so we brought all this out.”

Alex Rodeck, senior in animal science, stood outside his truck with a group toting signs that read, “Meat is tasty – PETA go away” and “People Eating Tasty Animals.”

“We thought we would come out here to present both sides of the issue,” Rodeck said. “We already have problems with decreasing agriculture in this country, and stuff like this is just making it worse.”

The PETA protesters, four of whom donned biohazard suits and gas masks, stood outside the lab to promote the vegetarian lifestyle. They handed out Vegetarian Starter Kits and held signs that said, “Go Veg” and “It’s Mad to Eat Meat.”

“We are here today to let people know that if they are eating meat, they’re promoting animal abuse and putting their health in jeopardy,” Friedrich said.