Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Downed Animal Protection Act, a bill to provide for the humane treatment, handling, and euthanasia of non-ambulatory (downed) livestock unable to stand or walk unassisted.
Farm animals such as cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, and other equines that are too severely distressed and sick to move without assistance are often not handled humanely. Due to the extra effort and cost to individually feed and water non-ambulatory livestock, these animals routinely endure very poor conditions. In most cases, the level of suffering of downed animals is so severe that the most humane solution is to euthanize them as soon as possible. It is important to note that non-ambulatory livestock comprise a tiny fraction, less than one percent, of all animals at stockyards.
The humane euthanasia of non-ambulatory livestock would also protect human health. Many of the downed animals that survive in the stockyard are slaughtered for human consumption. A large majority of these non-ambulatory animals are contaminated with fecal matter, the main cause of Salmonella. U.S. citizen groups, such as the Parents of Sickened Children, have called for improved regulations to stop sickness and death from preventable diseases like Salmonella.
Mr. President, I commend responsible and conscientious livestock organizations and producers such as the United Stockyards Corporation, the Minnesota Livestock Marketing Association, the National Pork Producers Council, the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, and the Independent Cattlemen's Association of Texas for their efforts to address the issue of downed animals. However, the need for stronger legislation to ensure that non-ambulatory animals do not enter our food chain is evident, particularly with the recent discovery of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Canada.
The Downed Animal Protection Act will remove the incentive for sending non-ambulatory livestock to stockyards, thereby reducing the risk that these animals will be processed for human consumption and discouraging their inhumane treatment at farms and ranches. My bill will complement the industry's current efforts to address this problem and make the issue of downed animals a priority.
My legislation would set a uniform national standard, thereby removing any unfair advantages that might result from differing standards throughout the industry. Furthermore, no additional bureaucracy will be needed as a consequence of my bill because inspectors regularly visit stockyards and slaughter facilities to enforce existing regulations. Thus, the additional burden on the agency and stockyard operators will be insignificant.
Mr. President, as I stated before, this bill will stop the inhumane and improper treatment of downed animals while also helping to ensure that our food supply remains safe. I encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.
