THANDIE NEWTON'S MOTHER'S DAY PLEA: HELP MOTHER COWS BY DUMPING DAIRY PRODUCTS

BAFTA Winner Exposes Cruelty to Cows and Calves on Dairy Farms in New PETA Video

London – "As a mother, I can't imagine what it would be like to have my children taken away from me", Thandie Newton begins in her new video for PETA, "but this is what happens to cows on dairy farms every single day". That's why Newton is joining PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to eat … or abuse in any other way" – in asking all mothers to show compassion for mother cows this Mother's Day by ditching dairy products.

In the video, Newton, a mother of three, goes on to reveal how newborn calves are taken away from their mothers so that the milk meant for the calves can be bought and consumed by humans instead, leaving the distraught mothers to cry out for their stolen calves for days. Male calves, who are considered a by-product of the dairy industry, may be shot in the head shortly after birth or sentenced to a short, miserable life before being killed and carved up as veal. Most female calves are destined for the same fate as their mothers: repeated artificial insemination until their bodies give out and they're slaughtered for cheap meat.

"Please, join me in standing up for all mothers by refusing to support the cruel dairy industry", concludes Newton. "You can help [cows] simply by choosing plant-based alternatives, such as soya, almond, hazelnut, rice, coconut or, my favourite, oat milk."

Known for her BAFTA-winning performance in Crash and her roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II and For Colored Girls, among others, Newton currently stars in the US television series The Slap.

Newton, who was named PETA's Sexiest Vegan Celebrity 2014, is part of a growing list of celebrities – including Emily Deschanel, Pamela Anderson, Joaquin Phoenix and Alicia Silverstone – who have teamed up with PETA to promote vegan eating.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk, or click here to download a free vegan starter kit.

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