Barbecue dog stunt in mall disgusts shoppers

Shoppers in Sydney's busy Pitt St Mall have reacted with disgust to a PETA stunt involving the fake barbecuing of a dog.

The controversial protest took place in clear view of pedestrians, which included a large number of children still on school holidays.

The animal rights group said the display was an attempt to stop people eating meat this Australia Day.

It involved using a lifelike model of a dog to make the point that dogs were "no different to lamb, cows or chicken".