Kinship Circle | Letter Campaigns

7/14/08: No Downers. No Exceptions. NOW.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION / BACKGROUND

UPDATE: 3/14/09, Obama Bans Downer Cows, Closes Longtime Loophole
SOURCE: 3/14/09 — Obama bans Сdowner' cows from food supply

Without much fanfare, the Obama administration permanently banned the slaughter of cows who can't move on their own. Obama's signature solidifies USDA's ban and closes the loophole that left certain downers unprotected. However, this is an enforcement of USDA's wishy-washy BAN. This is still NOT A LAW.

The first letter-writing campaign Kinship Circle issued a decade ago asked legislators to pass the Downed Animal Protection Act — to ban slaughter of cows, pigs, sheep and all "livestock" too sick and crippled to stand upright. A federal law STILL does not exist. Sick cows make sick food (from mad cow disease to E. coli or Salmonella). But Kinship Circle already advocates a plant-based diet. We care about passage of a no-downer law because no dying animal should be rammed upright with tractors and forklifts...hauled, shocked and pounded...so meat makers can eke about $30 out of her tortured body.

Big Meat convinced Bush regulators to dilute USDA's administrative rule — so collapsed cows with orthopedic (as opposed to central nervous system) injuries like broken legs or ripped tendons were kept alive to make hamburgers. Obama's ban on ALL downed cows is progress. Kinship CIrcle will continue to lobby Congress to pass a Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act that protects all disabled animals (not just cows); calls for merciful euthanasia; and forbids use of tractors, forklifts, chains, electric prods, hoses and other violent means to move dying animals.

ХааWATCH VIDEO: Latest Downer Abuse Investigation From HSUS

KINSHIP CIRCLE REFERENCES:
ХааLETTER: I'm Mad. Downer Ban? USDA Says Forget It
ХааLETTER: USDA- Certified Cruel: Downers Dragged, Shocked, Rammed

CONTACT INFORMATION + SAMPLE LETTER

CONTACT INFORMATION Х Print/Send This Letter

Secretary of Agriculture Edward W. Schafer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
ph: 202-720-3631
email: AgSec@usda.gov, Edward.W.Schafer@usda.gov
web mail: www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB? navid=FEEDBACK_FORM&parentnav=CONTACT_US&navtype=RT
SOURCE: www.usda.gov

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee validity of email addresses. During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.

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SAMPLE LETTER Х Print/Send This Letter

Dear Secretary Schafer,

As you are aware, last year's undercover video from Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) revealed Westand/Hallmark Meat Co. workers who kicked, rammed, shocked and water-hosed incapacitated cows. HSUS recently released a third video that clearly portrays downer abuse during transportation, auction and slaughter.

The USDA has publicized its intent to uphold a no-downer policy for all U.S. cattle. When? I urge you to take two essential steps without postponement:

1. Accelerate regulations to close a gap in USDA's rule that lets inspectors approve downed cows for slaughter, if they pass their first inspection. With a half million infirm cows annually dragged to slaughter, a JAVMA report estimates, the USDA's present rule plainly doesn't work.

2. Expand the downer ban beyond slaughterhouses to include haulers, stockyards and auctions.

More delayed action will do nothing to safeguard animals or people.

Ultimately, the U.S. government must enact enforceable laws to ban the transport, marketing and slaughter of ALL downed animals Ч cows, pigs, sheep, goats, etc. Any animal too sick or injured to stand should be humanely euthanized and not left to suffer until USDA inspection.

How many more exposes of graphic animal torture will it take before the USDA sanctions humane treatment from producer to slaughter plant? No animal should be forced to stagger toward a kill floor for any reason.

Thank you,

EASILY PERSONALIZE AND SEND COMMENTS NOW

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DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER: The information in these materials is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing on this website is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this action alert serves to promote such conduct.

Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Email addresses obtained from government or other official websites may be outdated or incorrect.