Will Melania Ditch Dairy for Mother’s Day?

PETA Sends Vegan Chocolates to First Lady in Appeal for Compassion for All Mothers, Including Mother Cows

For Immediate Release:
April 26, 2019

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

PETA sent a letter this morning to Melania Trump asking her to set an example of respect for all mothers this Mother’s Day by giving up dairy in May. To sweeten the deal, PETA will also be sending the First Lady a box of delicious vegan gourmet chocolates from Divine Treasures.

In the letter, PETA points out that cows on dairy farms are forcibly impregnated over and over again and their beloved babies are taken away from them within hours of birth so that the milk produced specifically to nourish their calves can be sold for humans to drink instead.

“Cows are doting mothers who cry out for days after their babies are stolen,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is encouraging Ms. Trump to inspire people to choose compassion for mothers of all species by opting for delicious vegan milks, yogurts, and cheeses this month.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any other way”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

PETA’s letter to Melania Trump follows.

April 26, 2019

Melania Trump

First Lady of the United States

Dear Mrs. Trump,

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 6.5 million members and supporters worldwide to wish you a happy Mother’s Day and to suggest a momumental way to celebrate the holiday: Will you please set an example of respect for all mothers by giving up dairy in May? This would be a moving tribute to the millions of other loving mothers who also nurture their young: the mother cows who produce milk to feed their own calves but whose calves and milk are taken from them.

As you may know, mother cows produce milk only during and after pregnancy, so they are forcibly impregnated over and over again to ensure that they maintain a steady supply of milk—only to see their beloved babies taken away from them within hours of birth. Cows are intelligent, sensitive animals who, like human mothers, form close bonds with their young. They’ve been known to search for miles and chase after transport vehicles—hoping to be reunited with their calves—and even hide their calves to avoid separation.

Most factory-farmed cows suffer from a painful udder infection called mastitis, which is exacerbated by the filthy conditions in which they live and the growth hormones that farmers give them so that they’ll pump out milk as if they were machines. This is no way for these doting moms to spend Mother’s Day or any other day of the year.

We are sending you some delicious, decadent vegan chocolates to show that it’s easy to indulge in our favorite foods without any cruelty. We hope you’ll like the idea of avoiding dairy out of respect for all mothers this May. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Ingrid E. Newkirk

President