Animal-rights group apologizes to N.Y. mayor over ad

In this story: PETA pleased with publicity Apology not linked to threat of lawsuit, group says RELATED STORIES, SITES

NEW YORK (CNN) -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals apologized Friday to Rudy Giuliani, days after the New York mayor threatened to sue the group over ads that linked his prostate cancer to milk intake.

"We hope you will accept our apology for any distress that PETA's recent billboard campaign may have caused you," said President Ingrid Newkirk in a letter to Giuliani that was faxed to members of the news media.

"The effort was not intended as an attack on you, and we're sorry it was taken that way," she wrote.

The ads showed Giuliani with a milk mustache and read, "Got Prostate Cancer? Drinking milk contributes to prostate cancer."

The mayor, who has prostate cancer, earlier this week had said he was considering suing PETA over the ad.

AUDIO New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says his prostate cancer was not caused by milk 164K/15 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

The ad was a parody of the dairy industry's "Got Milk?" campaign.

"The dairy parody was meant to expose the ill health effects of milk and the cruelty inherent in its production -- things never discussed in those tax-funded milk mustache ads," wrote Newkirk.

PETA pleased with publicity

In a telephone interview with CNN, Newkirk said the ad "had accomplished its purposes." She cited more than 58,000 hits to the group's Web site in the week or so that the ad was up.

"Every single person has learned what veal calves endure in the dairy industry, and that there's no retirement home for cows. And they've learned about the link between prostate cancer and dairy," the leader of the animal rights group said.

"I don't regret doing it," said Newkirk, "But a lot of our members felt that it did hurt Mayor Giuliani," she said. "That was not our intention."

PETA did not receive Giuliani's permission to use his image for the ad campaign. In fact, the famously combative mayor has gone out of his way recently to extol the virtues of drinking milk.

Scientists have said there is no proven link between prostate cancer and dairy intake.

According to the American Cancer Society, it is not completely understood what causes prostate cancer, which kills thousands of men in the United States each year, but the risk increases in men who eat a lot of fatty foods and not enough fruits and vegetables.

Apology not linked to threat of lawsuit, group says

Newkirk said her decision to withdraw the ad was not influenced by Giuliani's threatened lawsuit.

"I think if Mayor Giuliani felt he had a case, he would have announced a lawsuit by now," said PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich. "In reality, it had nothing to do with a lawsuit."

Giuliani was not immediately available for comment.

Newkirk also said PETA would not sue billboard companies that took down the advertisements "under pressure" from the mayor.

On Monday, PETA threatened to sue a Wisconsin company for removing the Giuliani billboards without its permission.

Friedrich said he hoped the ad company would honor its contract by placing an anti-veal advertisement (featuring a calf) to replace the Giuliani ads.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
International Dairy Foods Association
National Dairy Council
  • Statement regarding PETA's "got prostate cancer?" billboard

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