TAKE ACTION TO HELP ENACT THE DOWNED ANIMAL AND FOOD SAFETY PROTECTION ACT H.R. 661 AND S. 394

House Cosponsors | Senate Cosponsors

The Downed Animal Protection and Food Safety Act (H.R. 661, S. 394) was recently re-introduced into the 110th Congress (by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and Reps. Ackerman (D-NY) and LaTourette (R-OH) to ban "downers" from the human food supply and help prevent their suffering. This measure provides an appropriate remedy to an unnecessary and inexcusable problem. It requires critically ill and injured animals to be humanely euthanized, and prohibits their slaughter for human food

While the USDA has just made a temporary ban on slaughtering downed cattle permanent, there are still loopholes. The Downed Animal Protection and Food Safety Act would:

1. Include species of farm animals in addition to cattle,
2. Broaden the coverage to effect animals who become "downed" outside of the slaughter house (in stockyards, etc.), and,
3. Mandate the immediate humane euthanasia of non-ambulatory animals.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Please ask your Senators and Representative to cosponsor the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act (H.R. 661, S. 394).

• For additional background please check out our "Federal Regulatory Efforts"
• Find out who your legislators are by going to www.congress.org.
• Check here to see if you members of Congress have already cosponsored the bill.
• Call your representative and senators' office, and ask to speak with the staff person who handles animal protection issues. When they answer, simply say, "Hi my name is.. and I am a constituent living at (your address). I am calling to urge the Representative/Senator to cosponsor the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act (H.R. 661 and S. 394)."
• Please follow up with a quick email to your Representative and Senators.

Some points to make include:

• Animals who are too sick or injured even to stand should not be allowed to enter the human food chain.
• In addition to posing an increased risk for bacterial contamination, there is evidence that some downed animals may be afflicted with a form of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or "Mad Cow Disease"), a disease that has been linked to a fatal human illness (CJD or Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease).
• It is impossible to move downed animals humanely, and they are typically pushed with tractors or dragged with chains — inhumane processes which cause injuries ranging from bruises and abrasions to broken bones and torn ligaments.
• Downed animals comprise a very small percentage of animals slaughtered, and prohibiting their marketing will cause no undue economic hardship.
• Industry experts have estimated that 90% of downed animals can be averted with better care and handling. Eliminating the market for downed animals will provide an incentive to industry to prevent downed animals in the first place.

Sample Email:
Dear Senator/Representative,

I am writing to let you know of my concern for downed animals, animals that are too sick or injured even to stand. As you know, the USDA has issued a permanent ban on slaughtering downed cattle for human food at the slaughterhouse. This was largely initiated when mad cow disease was discovered in a down cow in Washington state. While this is a good step, there is a loophole in this policy, which The Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act would fix.

It is not possible to move downed animals humanely, and they are often dragged with chains or pushed with forklifts. Such cruel handling results in injuries ranging from bruises and abrasions to broken bones and torn ligaments.

I am writing to ask you to cosponsor the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act (H.R. 661, S. 394). This legislation will prevent the inhumane transport and irresponsible use of sick animals for human food

Sincerely,