Dave Melillo Schools peta2

Meet Dave Melillo—17-year-old stage veteran, road warrior, vegetarian, and all-around great guy. When we first met him, we couldn’t believe just how down he was. Even better than getting top eight status, Dave has earned the just-made-up peta2 title of “Master Defender of Animals.” He achieved such a great feat by going vegetarian after seeing Goldfinger’s video insert “Open Your Eyes,” by refusing to dissect frogs in his biology class, and by giving PETA a shout out in AP magazine.

Check out our backstage interview below with the master himself for tips on how to stay healthy, get informed, and score free cookies from Forrest of Hellogoodbye.

Like Dave, you too can become a “Master Defender of Animals.” The first step is to take the Veg Pledge by clicking on the button below. Go, young grasshopper—do it now. Someday you might be able to overtake the master.