City Hall Cheese Ban Prompts Unusual PETA Care Package
PETA Applauds City Manager’s Decision to Bench Cheese Products for Playoffs but Can Save the Day!
For Immediate Release:
January 16, 2015
Contact:
Alexis Sadoti 202-483-7382
After news dropped that a Seattle suburb city manager had slapped a ban on cheese products at city hall this week—in support of the Seattle Seahawks, who will battle the Green Bay Packers on Sunday for the NFC Championship—PETA rushed a care package containing a basket of tasty vegan cheeses directly to the office. As PETA’s accompanying letter explains, Bainbridge Island residents can rally for their team in the name of friendly rivalry and human health by swapping out cholesterol-laden cheese and other dairy products that pack on the pounds, for cholesterol-free vegan options.
“Cutting out cheese and other animal products is the best thing that caring people everywhere can do for animals and to improve their own health,” says PETA Associate Director Ryan Huling. “PETA hopes that after trying these delicious vegan cheeses, you’ll decide to bench dairy products for good.”
As documented by PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way,” cows on dairy farms are genetically manipulated and often drugged to generate more than 4.5 times the amount of milk they would naturally produce for their calves. Cows’ sensitive horn tissue is often burned or gouged out of their heads, part of their tails may be cut off, and holes are often punched through their ears—frequently without any painkillers whatsoever.
Cow’s milk takes a toll on human health, too. The consumption of dairy products has been linked to cancer, heart disease, allergies, and acne. In contrast, fortified soy milk contains high levels of essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, protein, and vitamin B12, with none of the cholesterol, cow hormones, or cruelty of dairy products.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to Bainbridge Island City Manager Douglas Schulze follows.
January 16, 2015
Douglas Schulze
City Manager
City of Bainbridge Island
Dear Mr. Schulze:
I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 3 million members and supporters, including thousands across Washington, to let you know that we’re big fans of your decision to ban cheese in Bainbridge Island City Hall in the run-up to Sunday’s game against the Green Bay “Cheese Heads.” To show our support, we’d like to present you with this basket of delicious vegan cheeses, none of which has ever touched down in Wisconsin.
Cutting out cheese and other dairy products is a score for cow mothers, who have their calves torn away from them so that the milk meant for the calves can be sold for human consumption instead. Switching to vegan milks and cheeses is also a great way to tackle obesity and diabetes and keep the 12th man healthy, since plant-based foods are free of the cholesterol and saturated animal fat that animal-derived products are often laden with.
We hope that after trying these delicious vegan cheeses, you’ll decide to bench dairy for good. Enjoy the game.
Sincerely,
Ryan Huling
Associate Director
