Urge Secretary Johanns to Finalize USDA Ban on Downers
We are glad to hear that the temporary ban on the processing of downed cattle will remain in place for the time being. We encourage you to enact a permanent ban in light of a new confirmed case of Mad Cow disease found in a cow in Texas. There is no such thing as a "safe" downed cow. Downers pose a serious health risk to consumers, and no meat from any downed animal should be allowed into the food supply.
We are glad to hear that the temporary ban on the processing of downed cattle will remain in place for the time being. We encourage you to enact a permanent ban in light of a new confirmed case of Mad Cow disease found in a cow in Texas. There is no such thing as a "safe" downed cow. Downers pose a serious health risk to consumers, and no meat from any downed animal should be allowed into the food supply.
The USDA implemented a temporary ban on processing downed cattle
for the human food supply after the first discovery of mad cow in the
United States in December 2003, and now is the time to make this ban
permanent. A permanent ban would not only help protect the public
health, but also give producers an incentive to provide better care for
cattle to keep them from going down in the first place. Downed animals sent to slaughter suffer tremendously as they are forced to walk on broken and weakened legs or, failing that, are dragged by chains or pushed by a bulldozer.Following the second confirmed case of mad cow in the United States,
also involving a downer, The HSUS and Farm Sanctuary filed a legal petition
on July 7, formally urging the USDA to issue a permanent ban on the
processing of downer cattle. All six cases of BSE-positive animals in
North America involved downer livestock, with most of the animals
having obvious physical disabilities. At least three of the six cases
involved cows thought by authorities to be unable to walk
(non-ambulatory) due to injury, rather than illness.
Non-ambulatory animals are routinely pushed, kicked, dragged, and
prodded with electric shocks at auctions and stockyards to move them
along to the slaughterhouse. Animals with broken bones or other painful
injuries are forcibly dragged by chains or pushed by a bulldozer to
slaughter. A permanent downer ban would provide incentives to producers
to better care for their cows to prevent them from going down in the
first place.
Get the Facts on Downed Animals
For both public health and humane reasons, we urge you to enact a permanent ban on the processing of downed cattle.
Sincerely, Firma la petizioneFirma la petizione