New Delhi, Acting upon a complaint filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) against an alleged misleading advertisement that claimed eating chicken boosts immunity, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) called on advertisers and instructed that the ad online be taken down.

The said advertisement was taken out by the Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association and Vencobb - part of All India Poultry Development and Services Private Limited.

In the advertisement, the association claimed that eating chicken boosts immunity.

According to PETA, the council informed that it "processed the complaint for the claim for which the advertiser immediately removed the objected Facebook advertisement."

The council has also stated that it has written to the Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association Maharashtra and Venky's, asking the advertisers to withdraw the offending advertisements.

" Although filthy live-animals markets are linked to the spread of avian flu and other viruses that can cross the species barrier, the ad falsely claims, ‘Eat Chicken-Beat Corona!!' in an obvious effort to boost chicken meat sales," PETA said.

It argued that there's no known vaccine or cure for the novel coronavirus and no scientific evidence that eating meat boosts immunity or helps fight COVID-19.

"Rather, the virus is associated with meat markets and most prevalent in countries where eating chicken is common - including the United States, Italy, Spain, and China. In its COVID-19 guidelines, the World Health Organization urges people to avoid direct contact with animals and surfaces in contact with animals at live-animal markets. Most people in India buy chicken at such markets," it said.

PETA claimed that the deadly outbreaks of swine flu, bird flu, SARS, HIV, Ebola and other zoonotic diseases are believed to have stemmed from farming domesticated animals or capturing or using animals for food.

"Filthy animal farms, slaughterhouses, and meat markets threaten the health of every human being on the planet by providing a breeding ground for catastrophic viruses," said PETA India Vegan Outreach Coordinator Dr Kiran Ahuja.

"PETA India encourages anyone who wants to help prevent future pandemics to avoid meat like the plague," he added.