PETA targets the Toronto Maple Leafs for a ridiculous reason

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Josh Tupper
July 4, 2024 (4:13 PM)

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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, are targeting the Toronto Maple Leafs CEO Keith Pelley and pushing him to end a sponsorship on the team's jerseys

The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a unique challenge this summer, as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has written a letter to Maple Leafs Sports Entertainment (MLSE) CEO Keith Pelley, urging the team to end its sponsorship with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. The partnership, which began in 2022, features an ad for milk on the Maple Leafs' jerseys during home games.

In the letter, PETA accuses the dairy industry of being a significant contributor to climate change, and is calling on the Maple Leafs to terminate the sponsorship. This adds to the team's already busy offseason, which includes navigating free agency, trades, and roster building. The Maple Leafs have yet to respond to PETA's letter, but it remains to be seen how the team will address this issue.

"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."

PETA went on to allege that cows are mistreated on dairy farms, and called on the Leafs to send their milk sponsorship "to the penalty box."

"And cows suffer when they're treated like milk machines on farms. Mother cows produce milk to nourish their young, but their beloved calves are taken away from them within a day of birth, causing extreme distress for both, so that the milk can be sold for human consumption. It is common for the anguished cries of mother cows calling for their kidnapped calves to be heard for days. Dairy milk is meant for baby cows, not grown hockey players."

It's doubtful this letter will have much impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario. In fact, the team has expressed pride in this partnership in the past.

Source: Blade of Steel
PETA takes aim at the Toronto Maple Leafs over sponsorship