A bold new veganism campaign by animal rights group PETA India has ignited fierce debate on social media after it launched a provocative billboard on World Milk Day earlier this month. The ad, now displayed across major cities including Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Noida, features a woman drinking dog’s milk, accompanied by the question, “If you wouldn’t drink dogs’ milk, why drink the milk of any other species?”
PETA India hoped to push viewers to rethink dairy consumption and embrace plant-based alternatives. In a press release, PETA India defended its message, stating, “There’s nothing natural about forcefully impregnating cows and buffaloes, stealing their babies and consuming the milk meant for their young. Our billboard simply asks people to question what they find acceptable and why and consider going vegan.”
In a post on social media, PETA India wrote, “Dairy production is rooted in cruelty… Cows are not milk machines; their milk is for calves, not humans. Ditch dairy.”
‘How do I unsee this now?’
However, the campaign’s shock value did not sit well with many online. Several users called it “distasteful”, “unsettling” and “unnecessary.”
“This message could’ve been conveyed differently,” wrote one user. “How do I unsee this now?” said another. A third comment read, “There are many better ways to promote veganism. This isn’t it.”
However, some users supported the move, saying it accomplished what it set out to do and that is to spark a conversation on diary practices. “If this disturbs you, it’s because the reality is disturbing. We’ve just normalised it,” one user responded. Another chimed in, “Urgent need for vegan milk alternatives at affordable prices. Government support could help shift consumer behavior.”