• Sasha Goldstein
• Onett Johnson posing with PETA activist Audrey Shricliff

A trio of animal-loving activists parked themselves by Burlington's Church and Bank streets last Thursday with an eye-catching cow replica. The reason? The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals operatives were protesting human consumption of cow's milk.

"We're trying to bring attention to how disturbing it is that we drink the breast milk of another animal," said Katerina Davidovich, as she handed pamphlets of vegan recipes to passersby. "People are so disconnected from the process — they buy some white liquid in a container at the store."

The activists used the life-size cow replica to illustrate their point. Andrew Ensenat, a PETA volunteer from Brooklyn, N.Y., got on the ground and sucked on one of its teats. Beside him stood Audrey Shircliff, another volunteer who held a sign reading, "Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk." All three were clad in black.

"I love PETA!" Ensenat told a reporter as he took his mouth away from the artificial udder.

Was anyone mooooved?

Most Church Street pedestrians gave a wry smile as they passed, if they noticed the display at all. Onett Johnson, a tourist from Key West, Fla., stopped to snap a pic of the protesters. They obliged as Johnson kneeled on the ground and Ensenat suckled the faux bovine.

Johnson told Seven Days he doesn't drink milk — but not by choice. He learned as an adult that he is lactose intolerant, so he pours coconut milk on his cereal.