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Ensure the Welfare of Farm Animals and the Safety of Our Children!

Target: U.S. Government Accountability Office
Sponsored by: Care2
In the end of January, the Humane Society of the United States released a horrific undercover video of gross mistreatment of cows at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company in California.

The video showed non-ambulatory (or "downer") cows being shoved, shocked and forced to stand up in order to pass federal slaughterhouse inspection. Meat from these "downer" cows presents a higher risk of E. coli and salmonella and is banned from entering the food supply under federal law.

Shockingly, this company is one of the top suppliers of beef to the National School Lunch Program! This potentially unsafe meat that comes from abused animals could have gone to feed our children at school.

U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), George Miller (D-CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) have submitted a letter to the Government Accountability Office, asking for thorough examination of three main areas:
  • The process for protecting our students from dangerous food,
  • How quickly and accurately schools can assess and pull potentially contaminated products, and
  • The information, guidance and resources about inspections, suppliers' histories, and safe handling practices the USDA provides to local authorities.

Please sign the petition today to ensure the welfare of our farm animals and the safety of our children.
deadline: Ongoing...
goal: 20,000
 

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To: The Honorable David M. Walker
Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Dear Sir,

After the shocking video taken by the Humane Society of the United States was released in late January, I have become very concerned about the treatment of farm animals in this country and the steps that are being taken to ensure our childrens' food safety.

The abuses documented took place at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, one of the top suppliers of beef to the National School Lunch Program, which serves our nation's children in schools across the country.

I am writing in support of the requests from U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), George Miller (D-CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in a letter to you recently:

"We request that GAO thoroughly examine: (1) the process for protecting our students from dangerous food; (2) how quickly and accurately schools can assess and pull potentially contaminated products; and (3) the information, guidance and resources about inspections, suppliers' histories, and safe handling practices the USDA provides to local authorities."

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

We signed the “Ensure the Welfare of Farm Animals and the Safety of Our Children!” petition!
# 7,750:
2:15 pm PDT, Jul 26, Name not displayed, Florida
# 7,749:
1:11 pm PDT, Jul 26, Andrea Laurie Alnwick, New York
# 7,748:
10:47 am PDT, Jul 26, Nick McGuire, Ohio
# 7,747:
9:21 am PDT, Jul 26, Austin Kendall, Florida
I HOPE THE MEAT INDUSTRY CRASHES! NO MORE SUFFERING!!
# 7,746:
5:37 pm PDT, Jul 25, Name not displayed, New York
# 7,745:
8:00 pm PDT, Jul 24, JOSSIE A ROSS, Canada
# 7,744:
10:55 am PDT, Jul 24, Sarah Hill, Utah
# 7,743:
7:36 pm PDT, Jul 23, Adrienne Zinn, Kansas
# 7,742:
5:20 pm PDT, Jul 23, Michelle Malchow, New York
# 7,741:
4:14 pm PDT, Jul 23, Cassandra Boyer, California
# 7,740:
10:53 am PDT, Jul 23, William Dusold, Maryland
# 7,739:
11:54 am PDT, Jul 22, DEBBIE G, Ohio
# 7,738:
8:16 am PDT, Jul 22, Yvette Monnet, France
# 7,737:
7:32 am PDT, Jul 22, Kathy Davis, Florida
# 7,736:
5:09 am PDT, Jul 22, Christina Kyriakidou, Greece
# 7,735:
11:50 pm PDT, Jul 21, April Lynn MacDonald, Canada
# 7,734:
10:37 pm PDT, Jul 21, Name not displayed, Canada
Would you eat this meat? I know you wouldn't so why feed it to others. You will suffer bad karma for this!
# 7,733:
8:59 pm PDT, Jul 21, Kimberly Word, Ohio
# 7,732:
8:17 pm PDT, Jul 20, Sandy Valencour, Washington
# 7,731:
4:13 pm PDT, Jul 20, Justin Forte, California
# 7,730:
1:41 pm PDT, Jul 20, Kerry Woodham, United Kingdom
# 7,729:
9:09 am PDT, Jul 20, Tom Kozel, Ohio
# 7,728:
10:29 am PDT, Jul 18, Name not displayed, Wisconsin
# 7,727:
9:58 pm PDT, Jul 17, Linda Chene, California
After the shocking video taken by the Humane Society of the United States was released in late January, I have become upset about the treatment of farm animals in this country. Abuses documented took place at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company, one of the top suppliers of beef to the National School Lunch Program. The beef industry was bad enough already - killing animals in front of one another - feeding the animals questionable substances - painful herding practices... Other farm animals suffer even torture .. chickens hung up by their feet before they are even dead. I cannot bear to go on. Government officials know what goes on and does nothing. I beg you to do something to stop this shameful treatment, endangering our national morals and our children's health. Linda Chene
# 7,726:
6:01 pm PDT, Jul 17, Sandra Angeline, California
# 7,725:
5:21 pm PDT, Jul 17, Casey Baker, Washington
# 7,724:
2:23 pm PDT, Jul 17, Peggy LESCUYER, France
Let's all ask for an international label certifying that the animals were not bad treated.
# 7,723:
1:53 pm PDT, Jul 17, Olivia Polakov, New York
# 7,722:
9:05 am PDT, Jul 17, Julie Kozel, Ohio
The abuse is unexcusable. Have some respect for the animals that had to suffer to be put on your dinner plate! As far as the beef recalls, it is such a shame to see the animals that had to suffer just go to waste, never to even provide any nutrition for anyone (not that meat is needed to survive, I am a long time vegetarian & I feel great!) People should try to avoid as many animal products as possible if they truly want to eat safe & clean.
# 7,721:
1:49 pm PDT, Jul 16, Lilian Matzenbacher, Brazil
# 7,720:
4:39 am PDT, Jul 16, Octavia James, New York
# 7,719:
4:40 pm PDT, Jul 15, Cheryl Betancourt, Texas
# 7,718:
3:58 pm PDT, Jul 14, Animal Lover, Pennsylvania
# 7,717:
6:17 pm PDT, Jul 13, Name not displayed, Florida
There is no excuse for any creature to be treated as our supposedly enlightened country treats farm animals. Please vote to stop factory farming - it tortures animals, harms our environment (think manure pools), and threatens our health. It also makes us more vulnerable to disease and infection.
# 7,716:
2:34 pm PDT, Jul 13, Audreiy Morales, Texas
i have become very concerned about the treatment of farm animals in this country and in others more plese make some for the animals have a better dead.
# 7,715:
3:52 am PDT, Jul 13, Calliope Skoumbourdi, Greece
I am a vegetarian and I have chosen not to eat animals. You may choose as you wish. But I know that most people do to know of the unspeakable cruelty that animals are subjected to all over the world. If they knew what has preceded the smartly wrapped up product in the supermarket they bought, most people would be sickened. We must learn more of what happens in our environment. Most of us have no idea. This is now inexcusable!!! We have to take responsibility for our choices. If we did, we would not be so easily fooled into war and destruction on a larger scale. The next time you are enjoying a meat meal, just ask yourself what could have happened to this animal before it reached your plate. STOP CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS SENSLESS CRUELTY, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY CRUELTY EVER IN OUR UNIVERSE. We are all a part of this system even if we are ignorant what what goes on.
# 7,714:
12:09 pm PDT, Jul 12, Melissa Grebe, Texas
animal abuse has got to stop !
# 7,713:
9:56 pm PDT, Jul 11, Name not displayed, Pakistan
# 7,712:
6:28 pm PDT, Jul 11, Terrence Dempsey, United Kingdom
# 7,711:
6:16 pm PDT, Jul 11, Holly Dempsey, United Kingdom
# 7,710:
6:13 pm PDT, Jul 11, Holly Dempsey, United Kingdom
# 7,709:
6:04 pm PDT, Jul 11, Hannah Dempsey, United Kingdom
# 7,708:
4:23 pm PDT, Jul 11, Jocelyn Bates, Kansas
# 7,707:
12:53 am PDT, Jul 11, Tiffany Meininger, Nebraska
# 7,706:
6:09 pm PDT, Jul 10, Meribeth Bowden, Rhode Island
These animal abuses are show a total lack of conscience. If we allow these abuses to continue then shame on us all. Please stop these atrocities.
# 7,705:
7:03 am PDT, Jul 10, Nancy Pierce, Colorado
# 7,704:
4:58 am PDT, Jul 10, Bernadette Go, Philippines
# 7,703:
1:08 pm PDT, Jul 9, Koraabdi Perez, Mexico
# 7,702:
11:02 am PDT, Jul 9, Jennifer Wilson, Tennessee
# 7,701:
9:04 am PDT, Jul 9, Neuza Pereira, Portugal
Where are the services of protection to the consumer? OMGD.. Unbelievable!
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