yet more undercover video showing abuses of downer cows

[G_j]

https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=25334661



Dear Friend,

Lightning typically doesn't strike twice. And almost never three times. But it has in the meat and dairy industries, and they and government regulators need to do something about the systemic problem of downer cows.

Yesterday, The Humane Society of the United States released its latest undercover video showing abuses of dairy cows -- this time at an auction in Portales, New Mexico. The video shows workers kicking, hitting, dragging by chains, and electrically shocking cows unable to stand or walk. It sickens me to watch these images, and I know it must have the same effect on you.

This is our third exposé since January, and the horrifying cruelty we've documented shows why it's time for the USDA, the states, and the meat and dairy industries to act -- and to delay and dilly dally no longer. Watch our video, then urge the USDA to immediately adopt a comprehensive policy barring the slaughter of injured and ill cattle who cannot walk, called "downers." (The video will not start automatically if you prefer to take action without watching it.) https://community.hsus.org/campaign/2008_downer_investigation3/na27xj35xb?

Our investigators visited five auctions and a slaughter plant during the course of these three investigations and found appalling mistreatment at every location -- providing irrefutable evidence that there are industry-wide problems that must be addressed.

Besides fostering the terrible suffering of downers, the loophole has the potential to threaten the safety of our food supply: Downers have a higher risk of harboring foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and even mad cow disease, than cows able to walk on their own. How much longer can we afford to wait?

While the USDA has committed to a ban on the slaughter of downers for human consumption, it has yet to implement it. And our latest investigation shows why USDA should not wait another day. While it's at it, the agency must broaden the ban to include downers at livestock auctions and other links in the food supply chain, too. Animals -- and the American public -- deserve aggressive action to solve this problem. There is no more time for hedging or delay. Please tell the USDA to act today.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

1. Once again your seeing the corporate way of thinking.

[colt equalizer]

2. The problem is the law: if a cow is down you can't sell it, if up you can.

So you are a farmer with a cow down. Do you shoot it and fire up the backhoe to bury it or get it up (it represents $1,000 or more sitting there on the ground) until the meat plant truck shows up. Now the meat plant is stuck with it. Do they pay to have it hauled to a rendering plant or try to get it up to recover their $1,000?

The problem starts at the farm level. There has to be a disincentive for farmers to even attempt to load up a downer onto a cattle truck. Maybe a certification for each animal signed by the farmer.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

3. There has to be a better way.

[colt equalizer]

4. Yes, pass a law that punishes Farmers for dumping a downer cow on a meat processor! NT

[flvegan]

5. Stop buying factory farmed meat.

Honestly, it's just that simple.

[flvegan]

6. Back to the top with you.

Kick!

[G_j]

7. ==