PETA wants to turn Elvis Presley’s former ranch into a Don’t Be Cruel center

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When we think of Elvis Presley, we think of one thing: animal rights. Right?

Not really. But if PETA gets its way, the two could soon become synonymous. That’s because the controversial group is trying to lease one of Elvis’ former properties -- Circle G Ranch in Horn Lake, Miss. -- for the purpose of turning it into an animal-rights museum called, naturally, the Don’t Be Cruel learning center for children. (That’s right, conspiracy theorists: The vegans really are trying to indoctrinate your kids.)

Apparently, PETA caught wind of the fact that the Circle J’s current owner, Dennis McLemore (who currently keeps Angus cattle there), has put it up for sale. But in the current economic climate, and with an asking price of $6.5 million, there’s a good chance it will be on the market a long while.

In the meantime, the group wants to turn the place into an educational facility ‘to educate students about how smart and sensitive the animals we eat really are and why a vegan diet ... is kindest for animals, the Earth, and even our own arteries,’ PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman explained in a recent letter to McLemore. (‘Elvis would have benefited from going vegan, that’s for sure,’ Reiman adds. Snap.)

The proposed Don’t Be Cruel center would feature educational displays about farm animals as well as a Don’t Be Cruel Cafe offering vegan meat alternatives like veggie burgers, mock beef jerky and Gardenburger riblets. (No word on whether the cafe would offer Elvis’ favorite peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches, which, after all, can easily be made vegan by leaving out the bacon that’s sometimes included in the recipe.) Every young visitor to the center would leave armed with a plush cow bearing the message ‘Don’t Be Cruel: Go Vegan!’ and a copy of PETA’s pro-vegan comic book ‘A Cow’s Life.’

Rodger Motz, the real estate agent representing McLemore, was quick to tell Memphis’ Commercial Appeal newspaper that his client has been in contact with potential buyers from the U.S. and Europe, but a sale isn’t likely to happen quickly. McLemore is ‘not interested in leasing it to those people [PETA],’ Motz told the Commercial Appeal.

Presley owned the ranch from 1966 until 1971 and spent his honeymoon there.

[Correction: A previous version of this post referred to Elvis’ ranch as Circle J; it’s actually Circle G and we’ve corrected the error. Thanks to astute reader David Neale for pointing it out!]

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-- Lindsay Barnett