A copy of PETA's letter to Mayor DeStefano follows. One of New Haven's most famous and esteemed citizens, the late Dr. Benjamin Spock advised against the human consumption of dairy products. The essential fats that are needed for brain development are found in vegetable oils. Milk is very low in these essential fats and high in the saturated fats that encourage artery blockage and weight problems as children grow. Yet, the list of health problems associated with dairy products doesn't end there.
Research links the consumption of dairy products to a host of diseases and chronic conditions.
A lifetime of consuming fat-laden dairy products contributes to heart disease, America's number one killer, as well as the obesity epidemic that's sweeping the nation. Newborn calves, deprived of their mothers' milk, are crammed into dark, filthy veal crates and kept in near-total darkness for 14 weeks in order to produce veal. When their mothers' milk production drops, they are trucked to the slaughterhouse, where they are prodded and kicked down the slaughterhouse ramp to their deaths. With this in mind, and in recognition of Dr. Spock's groundbreaking work, we call on you to declare this Dairy-Free Day in New Haven. Ideally, of course, every day should be dairy-free, but this gesture would go a long way toward ensuring a healthier and more compassionate New Haven and be a wonderful way to celebrate Dr. Spock's legacy.