A device for milking animals includes a milking robot for automatically connecting at least two teat cups to the teats of an animal to be milked. The milk yielded is collected in a milk container. In each milk line, between a respective teat cup and the milk container, there is provided an auxiliary reservoir for collecting milk obtained at the beginning of the milking process. The auxiliary reservoir has an outlet aperture with a closing device. Each auxiliary reservoir is disposed in a respective mounting block, the various mounting blocks being arranged side by side, and the device is provided with an arrangement for simultaneously operating the closing devices.