Your donations to PETA help animals in many ways, big and small, but perhaps one of the most mooving is a terrific experience that you’re giving to kids across the country: a visit from Carly the Cow! She’s our sweet cowbassador, and with your help, she has been hoofing it around the U.S., inspiring young audiences with her story.
Carly works through the magic of animatronics and the voice of the talented and compassionate actor Alicia Silverstone. A computer program sends Alicia’s voice through a speaker and moves Carly’s head and mouth in sync. Here’s a little more about the way she works:
Letting Carly tell kids from her own point of view about being used for milk on a dairy farm, escaping with two of her friends, and being rescued by a sanctuary resonates with children, who have a natural empathy for animals. Carly explains, “[M]y babies were taken away from me when they were just a day or two old so that my milk could be sold in stores instead of given to them. I still think about my babies every day, and I miss them soooo much.”
The PETA staffers who take Carly from school to school see children make the connection that cows are intelligent, sensitive beings, just like humans. “Cows want to live,” the kids will murmur as they listen. When asked what they can do to help cows, they often say, “We can help by not eating dairy products!” Many of them tell her, “I love you, Carly.” And it’s not just kids. Even teachers and other school staff members are inspired by Carly’s story. They frequently tell PETA that they’re ready to go vegan or order humane education materials for their classrooms.
Nondairy milk is now more popular than ever, as oat milk sales alone surged 686% last year and another 476% this year, in part because of COVID-19. Although Carly has had to take a vacowtion because of the pandemic, she and her friend Ellie, PETA’s animatronic elephant, will be packing their bags and heading back out on tour soon.
Click here to see how you can get Carly or Ellie to make an appearance at a school near you. And thank you for bringing this memorable experience to children (and adults!) around the country.
