Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/downed-animal-protection/
At stockyards, factory farms, and slaughterhouses across the country, hundreds of thousands of “downed” farm animals — those who are unable to stand or walk on their own — are exploited annually for food production.
The fact is, downed animals are not treated mercifully, but often suffer terribly. According to the Humane Society, animals too sick or injured to stand or walk are often kicked, dragged with chains, prodded with electric shocks, and pushed by bulldozer in an effort to move them to slaughter. Downed animals may be left for days without food, water or veterinary care as they await slaughter. There is no excuse for this unnecessary torment.
As NPR reports, these sick individuals can also end up on kitchen tables or school lunch trays, and meat from downed animals is more likely to be unfit for consumption.
All 6 identified cases of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “mad cow disease”) in North America to date – a cow imported to Canada from the United Kingdom in 1993, a Canadian cow in May 2003, the Washington State cow in December 2003, two cows in Canada in January 2005, and the U.S. cow announced in June 2005 – have reportedly been downers, the Humane Society reports.
According to USDA’s Federal Register notice, “[S]urveillance data from European countries in which BSE has been detected indicate that non-ambulatory cattle are among the animals that have a greater incidence of BSE than other cattle.”
Downers are also at high risk for other transmissible diseases. A USDA study found that downers had three times more deadly E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria than other cattle.
Other studies show downed cows were Salmonella positive at time of slaughter, including one cow in the study who tested positive for Salmonella septicemia – a potentially fatal affliction that kills about 1,000 Americans each year — yet passed inspection.
Lame animals spend more time lying down, which increases the likelihood they will be contaminated with fecal matter. And when dairy cows are slaughtered, “[k]nives, carcasses and the hands of personnel may be contaminated by contents of the mammary gland when this is removed from the cow during processing,” reads a statement made in 2008 before the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Internationally The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) addresses the treatment of nonambulatory animals in several chapters within its Terrestrial Animal Code, recommending that nonambulatory animals not be transported unless absolutely necessary for diagnosis or treatment.
Animals that are too sick or injured to stand or walk unassisted — whether in human or animal food systems — should be treated for recovery or humanely euthanized when appropriate, the ASPCA. Forcing these animals to stand or walk, endure transport (except for veterinary treatment) or withstand livestock markets or auctions, results in unacceptable cruelty.
Further, it can be difficult to diagnose non-ambulatory illnesses and injury, which are often interrelated, the Humane Society reports. This means inspectors often can’t reliably sort out the reason(s) an animal became downed, but are still required to distinguish downers who are injured vs. sick, sending the former into the slaughterhouse and the latter to euthanasia.
This confusion would be eliminated if the USDA upheld its stated definition of “non-ambulatory,” covering any cow unable to stand or walk regardless of the reason.
Help us end unnecessary abuse and disease. Click below and ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking for protections for downed animals.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
