World Milk Day: A Gentle Reminder to Think About the Animals Behind Our Milk
FOUR PAWS encourages South African families to learn more about where their food comes from and make kinder everyday choices
Cape Town, 28 May 2026 — This World Milk Day, observed on 01 June, global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is encouraging South Africans to take a moment to reflect on the animals behind one of the country’s most widely consumed everyday products.
Milk is a familiar part of daily life in many homes, from morning tea and coffee to children’s cereal and pap. But behind every glass of milk is a story that often goes untold. Dairy cows, like all mothers, form strong natural bonds with their calves. However, cows must give birth regularly in order to produce milk, and calves are then separated from their mothers within hours or days so that milk can be collected for human consumption. All male calves and most female calves are then slaughtered at an early age, while only a few female calves are reared for milk production.
FOUR PAWS says understanding these realities can help people make more informed, compassionate choices.
Globally, demand for dairy continues to rise, increasing pressure on farming systems and the animals within them. At the same time, more people are becoming curious about where their food comes from and exploring ways to reduce their impact. FOUR PAWS says that even simple actions, such as trying plant-based milk alternatives, reducing daily dairy intake, or learning more about farming practices, can make a positive difference over time.
The organisation emphasises that World Milk Day is not about judgment, but about awareness and progress.
This World Milk Day, FOUR PAWS invites communities to:
- Learn more about how dairy products are produced
- Try a plant-based alternative in tea, coffee, or meals
- Reduce dairy consumption where possible
- Start conversations with family about food choices and animal welfare
For more information, please visit our website at www.four-paws.org.za
/ENDS
Deidre Daniels
Public Relations Officer9B Bell Crescent, Westlake Business Park,
Green Building, Cape Town, 7945
A Public Relations professional with over eight years’ experience in fostering positive relationships between organisations and media.
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FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. Founded in 1988 in Vienna by Heli Dungler and friends, the organisation advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. The sustainable campaigns and projects of FOUR PAWS focus on companion animals including stray dogs and cats, farm animals and wild animals – such as bears, big cats and orangutans – kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones. With offices in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, France, Germany, Kosovo, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the USA and Vietnam as well as 13 wild animal sanctuaries and cooperation projects across the globe, FOUR PAWS provides rapid help and long-term solutions. www.four-paws.org.za