An Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, recently fell victim to thieves in Las Vegas who stole the iconic, 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels’ catalytic converter.
The theft occurred sometime Thursday night prior to the Super Bowl weekend as the Wienermobile was located in a Las Vegas hotel parking lot, Fox News reports. Drivers “Corn Dog Clara” and “Chad-der Cheese” discovered the vehicle burglary Friday morning after the vehicle wouldn’t start.
After a tow, mechanics installed a temporary catalytic converter to get the Wienermobile back on the road, making it’s first appearance of the day without skipping a beat.
The Wienermobile joins the list of growing catalytic converter thefts—known to contain expensive precious metals, such as palladium and platinum, and serves as a vital part of the emissions system.
Since the incident, animal activist organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), has offered to pay for the replacement catalytic converter and maintenance for one year if the company converts the vehicle to a vegan hot dog mobile, Fox News reports.
In a letter from Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA, to Carlos Abrams-Rivera, executive vice president and president of The Kraft Heinz Company – North America Zone, Newkirk suggested the Wienermobile become a “NotDogmobile” or something similar, since the company is reportedly working to develop vegan hot dogs, Fox News states.
Newkirk says in the letter, “PETA would relish the opportunity to help Oscar Mayer ketchup with the booming vegan food market,” noting the global market for plant-based hot dogs grew by 20% last year and is projected to reach $1.99 billion by 2032.
The Oscar Mayer “Meat Fleet” includes six of the iconic hot dogs on wheels traveling the nation year-round. The Wienermobiles can be tracked through the company’s official website.
