From: Marjorie Hass [mhass85@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2001 10:12 PM
To: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
Cc: lhopwood@earthlink.net
Subject: Fwd: support petition to prohibit slaughter of downed animals




>From: Laurel Hopwood <lhopwood@earthlink.net>
>To: "hopwood, laurel" <lhopwood@earthlink.net>
>Subject: support petition to prohibit slaughter of downed animals
>Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 11:07:07 -0500
>
>A petition is currently before the FDA to prohibit the slaughter of
>'downed' animals.
>Please contact the FDA to support this petition.
>
>E-mail: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
>or
>Write to: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
>Dockets Management Branch
>5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
>Rockville, MD 20852
>FAX: 301-827-6870
>
>Re: Docket # 98P-0151/CP1
>
>(talking points)
>
>    Please support the petition to prohibit the slaughter of downed 
>animals.
>    Downed animals are those animals too sick or injured to stand. Animals
>too sick to even stand should not enter the human food chain, due to the
>increased risk of bacterial contamination, and evidence that some downed
>cows may even be afflicted with a form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy,
>or "Mad Cow Disease".
>    There is no humane way to move a downed animal; they are typically
>dragged with chains, or lifted with a forklift, causing suffering and
>further injuries.
>    Downed animals comprise a  very small percentage of animals 
>slaughtered,
>and prohibiting their marketing would cause no undue economic hardship. In
>fact, removing the market for downed animals would encourage better
>treatment and handling, thus preventing most downers in the first place.
>    There is growing consensus for such a prohibition, even among livestock
>industry and government officials.
>Numerous beef, dairy, and pork industry representatives have voiced support
>for such a prohibition.
>
>Signed,
>
>

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