PETA to St. Louis Police: Give Dairy Foods ‘Arrest’

Officers Could Sweeten Community Relations and Protect Everyone’s Health With Dairy-Free Frozen Treats

As the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department unveils its new ice-cream truck, PETA has a plan to help the department truly serve (dairy-free frozen treats) and protect (residents’ health). PETA is offering to donate $1,000 worth of rich and creamy So Delicious coconut-, soy-, and almond-based bars—which are cholesterol-free and lower in fat and sugar than their dairy-based counterparts.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—notes that in addition to increasing the risk of developing heart disease and cancer, consuming dairy foods has been associated with acne, food allergies, bloating, constipation, and ear infections and that 75 percent of the world’s population experiences symptoms of lactose intolerance.

“PETA hopes the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department scoops up this sweet deal to help residents beat the heat and their odds for developing heart disease,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “It would be a crime to miss out on delicious dairy-free ice cream—a summer treat that gives everyone a lucky break.”

For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA’s letter to Col. D. Samuel Dotson III, chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, follows.

August 5, 2016

Colonel D. Samuel Dotson III

Chief of Police

The Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis

Dear Colonel Dotson:

I’m writing on behalf of PETA and our more than 5 million members and supporters worldwide, including hundreds across Missouri, in response to the debut of the Metropolitan Police Department’s ice-cream truck. I’d like to make an offer that will sweeten your relationship with members of the community without giving the cold shoulder to their health: We’d like to donate $1,000 worth of So Delicious vegan ice-cream bars so that you can help all residents beat the heat with nondairy treats. That would include kids who are lactose-intolerant, people who object to the cruelty of the dairy industry, and anyone who for health, religious, or environmental reasons steers clear of dairy foods.

Distributing vegan ice-cream desserts, which are lower in fat and sugar, are cholesterol-free, and have all the rich flavors and textures of dairy ice cream, is a great way to look out for the health and well-being of the city’s children while engaging with the community. Research shows that ditching animal-derived foods and choosing vegan ones instead is the best way to prevent three of the nation’s leading killers—heart disease, cancer, and strokes. For example, whereas one Häagen-Dazs dark chocolate almond bar contains 210 calories, 22 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 45 grams of cholesterol, and 21 grams of sugar, a So Delicious vegan mocha almond fudge bar has 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, no cholesterol, and 12 grams of sugar—about half that of its dairy counterpart.

Consuming dairy foods is also associated with suffering from acne, food allergies, bloating, constipation, and ear infections. When you consider that 6 percent of Americans now identify as full-on vegans, 75 percent of the world’s population experiences symptoms of lactose intolerance, and 36 percent of U.S. consumers prefer nondairy foods to dairy items, it makes sense to cool the demand for ice cream this summer with rich and creamy So Delicious coconut-, soy-, and almond-based bars.

We hope to hear that you’ll scoop up our offer. Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President