They turn diseased, dying and dead animals into pet food and gelatin?

DeepModem Mom

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Wed Jun-29-05 11:56 PM
Original message

They turn diseased, dying and dead animals into pet food and gelatin?

Edited on Thu Jun-30-05 12:13 AM by DeepModem Mom

Does anybody know anything about this practice, or process?

Case of Mad Cow in Texas Is First to Originate in U.S.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Published: June 30, 2005

The cow that was found last week to have mad cow disease spent its whole life in Texas, making it the first domestic case of the disease, the United States Department of Agriculture said yesterday.

Dr. John Clifford, chief veterinary officer for the department's animal health inspection service, said DNA tests had traced the herd the cow was born in. The animal was about 12 years old and did not leave the ranch where it had been born until it was taken, near death, to a pet food plant in Waco, Dr. Clifford said....

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The Agriculture Department is now trying to trace any animals born on the ranch in the same year or in the years before or after, as well as any offspring of the cow born in the last two years. All will be tested for the disease, which will mean killing them because parts of the brain must be scooped out to do the tests.

Dr. Clifford would not identify the ranch, calling that "privileged information." Nor would he name the pet food plant, explaining that the department relied on the voluntary cooperation of such plants for brain samples. They specialize in turning diseased, dying and dead animals into pet food or into dried meal for poultry and pigs, as well as into tallow, gelatin and other products....

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/30/national/30cow.html

ON EDIT: Found this link, Pets Food Could Be Susceptible to Mad Cow
http://wgnradio.com/shows/pet/petfoodsmadcow.htm

And, thanks to Triana, a link about treatment of downer cows:

"....Can’t downed cows still be slaughtered for pet food and thereby subjected to cruel transportation, handling and slaughter?

While the USDA ban on using downed cattle in human food does not specifically address the pet food and rendering industries, there is no question that the agency’s action will immediately prevent significant animal suffering. In order for downed animals to be used for human food, they must arrive at the slaughterhouse alive, and that is why it has been common for downed animals to suffer for hours or days, and then to be cruelly dragged to slaughter. If they cannot be used for human food, there is no need to keep these animals alive and they can be euthanized, since dead animals can be used for animal food, fertilizer and other ‘rendered’ products.

For years, downed and diseased animals have been used for food for dogs and cats and this is a common practice for dog/cat food manufacturers.. For that reason, many people are choosing to feed their companion animals vegetarian food...."

http://www.nodowners.org/faqs.htm