PETA asks Caldwell mayor to rename Chicken Dinner Road

CALDWELL, Idaho (CBS 2) — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is asking Caldwell mayor Garret L. Nancolas to rename Chicken Dinner Road in Canyon County.

"We're not trying to ruffle any feathers, but words matter and have the power to change lives, both human and nonhuman," Tracy Reiman, PETA executive vice president said in the letter. "Chickens are intelligent, sensitive animals who feel pain and empathy and form strong bonds with one another, and they shouldn't be considered "dinner."

How the road actually got its name is quite the tale, though it does involve then Idaho governor C. Ben Ross and a dinner invitation.

"PETA is asking Mayor Nancolas to change this road's name to one that celebrates chickens as individuals, not as beings to kill, chop up, and label as 'dinner.'"

The mayor's office told CBS 2 News it's been receiving several phone calls about PETA's letter.