PETA targets the Leafs over "Milk" jersey sponsorship

The Toronto Maple Leafs seem to have 31 rival teams around the NHL, but they’ve also apparently got another major organization taking aim at them.

Today, Ingrid Newkirk, president of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, more commonly known as PETA, penned a letter to the Leafs regarding their partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario.

Since the 2022-23 season, the Leafs have worn a jersey patch with the phrase “Milk” on the front, a longstanding marketing campaign for the Dairy Farmers of Ontario to grow awareness and sales for the industry.

“Our condolences for this year’s devastating playoff loss. So many Leafs fans have now endured decades of heartbreak, watching a team with so much talent and promise fail to piece together a successful Stanley Cup run, so we’re writing to you with a suggestion for shaking things up and getting a fresh start for next season — ditch your sponsorship from Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Please hear us out,” Newkirk wrote.

“We hope you can appreciate the irony of an ice-based sports team accepting a sponsorship from the ice cap–melting dairy industry. Dairy farms are a significant contributor to the climate catastrophe. A 2018 study estimates the production of dairy milk to be around three times more intensive in greenhouse gas emissions than the production of plant-based milks. Global warming means more melting icebergs. Oh — and if you’re thinking of making a switch to field hockey, cow’s milk generally requires the use of nine times more land than any of the vegan alternatives. So that would be out.”

Newkirk also claimed that cow’s milk can lead to “chronic inflammation, heart disease, colon and prostate cancer,” and “the embarrassing effects of lactose intolerance,” though no sources were cited.

The letter continued to lament how young calves are often taken from their mothers within days of being born to create milk for human consumption.

“It is common for the anguished cries of mother cows calling for their kidnapped calves to be heard for days,” Newkirk added. “Sure, roster shakeups and a new coaching staff may improve the team’s performance next year, but severing ties with the dirty dairy industry would be guaranteed to help protect the planet, improve human health, and spare gentle cows and their calves from being exploited, abused, and killed. Please, send the Maple Leafs’ dairy sponsorship to the penalty box.”

Daily Hive has reached out to both Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and the Dairy Farmers of Ontario for additional comment.

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