Cows and Whales Love Their Babies: Brand-New PETA Ad Goes National

Did you know that mother whales are called “cows” and their babies are “calves”? Have you ever thought about how similar these animals are? To make a compassionate splash by encouraging people to do just that, PETA has launched a nationwide blitz with a brand-new ad that reads, “If we were whales, would you still tear us apart? All cows and calves share loving bonds. Ditch dairy.” This message bridges the gap between the species, showing a mother bovine and her baby swimming underwater to make the point.

The Ad Blitz Comparing Cows to Whales: Swimming Across the Country

Fittingly, PETA placed these digital ads in some cities where tourists flock to take whale-watching cruises or observe marine animals in aquariums and in other coastal towns.

Although Atlanta is nowhere near the ocean, PETA’s ad fittingly makes a splash there, just across from the Georgia Aquarium’s parking garage, where it will be for a month.

Along the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, many massive digital screens are displaying the ad for three weeks. A popular hub for whale-watching tours, the busy beachside location is crowded with stores selling ice cream in the summer. The mooving ad also coincided with and commemorated World Plant Milk Day (August 22), an international holiday created to celebrate vegan milks.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is spouted as a top spot for whale watching, so it aptly boasts PETA’s call to add more compassion to the heart of its Restaurant Row.

The history of New Bedford, Massachusetts, is horrific when it comes to whales, so PETA’s ad gains extra resonance there. This former whaling town on the Massachusetts Whale Trail has a whaling museum and historical park, high school teams named the Whalers, and a notable literary reputation since author Herman Melville spent time there, which partly inspired his novel Moby-Dick. We placed our ad on the JFK Memorial Highway, only a mile from harbor cruise launch sites and the whaling museum.

In central Boston, a short walk away from the waterfront where whale-watching tours take place in Boston Harbor, PETA has drenched a bunch of digital screens with the new ad. At Haymarket Station and Government Station, the ad is appearing for a month.

Bursting into Baltimore for October, our ad appropriately navigates its way onto a digital billboard near the National Aquarium, Crepe Lena Ice Cream & Funnel Cake, The Cheesecake Factory, and Lucky’s ice cream shop.

What Do Whales Share With Cows, and Why Ditch Dairy?

Like whales and all other mammals, cows only produce milk to feed their babies—not to feed already-weaned humans misled by speciesism. Bovine mammary secretions are unhealthy and unnecessary for humans, who can meet all their nutritional needs by eating vegan.

Each year, millions of cows suffer and are killed in the dairy industry. They endure painful dehorning procedures and live short lives on cramped, filthy feedlots, often standing on concrete in their own feces. Their bodies quickly break down from the stress of being kept almost constantly pregnant, and their natural life expectancy of 20 years is slashed to about 4. When they can no longer walk, stand, or produce enough milk, they’re sent to an agonizing and violent death at a slaughterhouse, often remaining conscious during much of the gruesome slaughter.

When people choose to consume dairy products, they’re also harming the planet by doing the following:

• Supporting the dairy industry, which generates about three times more greenhouse gas emissions—and uses nine times more land—than plant-based milks do
• Ignoring the fact that it takes 628 quarts of water to create 1 quart of cow’s milk, while producing oat or soy milk requires up to 90% less water
• Contributing to the pollution of land and water surrounding dairy industry operations, which can cause major health defects in humans who are stuck living nearby

Take Action to Help Spare Cows’ Suffering

Stealing a mother cow’s milk is not only cruel but also unhealthy. Bovine milk contains no fiber and is full of saturated animal fat and cholesterol. PETA encourages everyone to reject the horrific animal abuse and protect their health by ditching dairy and choosing plant-based milks instead. Go vegan and encourage everyone in your life to do the same: