RELEASED BY THE HUMAN SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES:

WASHINGTON (January 25, 2007) – The Humane Society of the United States is urging Congress to take an important step to improve the treatment of farm animals and safeguard the nation’s food supply by passing legislation to prevent the slaughter of animals too ill or injured to walk under their own power.

Late yesterday, Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Steve LaTourette (R-OH) introduced H.R. 661, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, in the House with 75 original co-sponsors, and today Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) will introduce identical legislation in the Senate.

Akaka said, “As an advocate for animals, I am again introducing my legislation, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act of 2007. This legislation is important to ensure that our livestock industry is safe by setting a uniform national standard.  It sends the right message to consumers here in the United States and around the world that our livestock industry is serious about ensuring the health and well being of all people by humanely euthanizing non-ambulatory livestock."

“We hope the new Congress will act quickly to settle this issue and protect animals and consumers by permanently banning downed animals from the food supply,” said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. “We are grateful to Senator Akaka, Representative Ackerman, and Representative LaTourette for leading this fight to prevent sick and injured animals from being dragged to slaughter with chains or bulldozers, and to prevent these sick animals from ending up in the human food supply.”

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives approved downed animal legislation in previous years, but former Republican leaders on the House Agriculture Committee and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee blocked final passage.

“For years, the cattle industry and those who represent them have foolishly put profit ahead of public health and wound up jeopardizing both,” Rep. Ackerman said. “Every time we sounded the alarm bells, the industry rushed to block this legislation. With Americans still rightly concerned over mad cow disease, I hope that the cattle industry will finally take its head out of the sand and get out of the way of this bill.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned the slaughter of downed cattle in 2004 following the discovery of mad cow disease in the United States, but the agency has never finalized the policy, has not effectively enforced it, and has been pressured by the dairy and cattle industries to weaken the policy. Of the 11 animals in North America so far who have tested positive for the disease, 10 reportedly were downed animals. Just a few months before the first case of mad cow disease was attributed to a downed cow in Washington State in 2003, the Congress had a chance to implement this reform, which passed in the Senate but failed by a narrow vote of 202-199 in the House.  Dozens of countries shut down imports of U.S. beef, which could have been prevented by this sensible policy.

“I can’t believe that in the 21^st Century there is anyone who thinks it’s appropriate to allow sick, diseased, or injured livestock incapable of supporting their own body weight to be part of our food supply,” said Rep. LaTourette. “Congress must do something to prevent the contamination of our food supply and also insist that these downed animals be dealt with humanely.”

Too sick or injured to walk, “downed animals” are dragged, shocked, beaten, and even bulldozed to move them to slaughter. In addition to humane concerns, the animals potentially pose serious food safety threats. Downed cattle, for example, are at considerably higher risk of carrying mad cow disease than those capable of standing and walking, and downed farm animals in general may be at increased risk of transmitting dangerous infections such as E coli and Salmonella. 

Media Contact: Rachel Querry, 301-258-8255, rquerry@hsus.org

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The HSUS is the nation's largest animal protection organization with nearly 10 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animals and sustainable agriculture. The HSUS protects all animals through education, advocacy, litigation, investigation, legislation and fieldwork. The non-profit organization is based in Washington, DC and has regional offices across the country. On the web at www.humanesociety.org