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HER MISFORTUNE IT WAS TO BE BORN A FOOD ANIMAL The following is the true story of one of millions of anonymous individuals whose misfortune it was to be born a "food animal. The truck carrying this cow was unloaded at Walton Stockyards in Kentucky on the morning of Sept. 29, 1983. After the other animals were removed from the truck, she was left behind, unable to move. The stockyard workers proceeded to beat and kick her in the face, ribs, and back. They used the customary electric prods in her ear to try to get her out of the truck, but she still did not move. The workers than tied a rope around her head, tied the other end to a post in the ground, and drove the truck away. She was dragged along the floor of the truck and fell to the ground, landing with both hind legs and her pelvis broken. She remained in this state until 7:30 that evening. She lay in the hot sun crying out for the first three hours. Periodically, when she urinated or defecated, she used her front legs to drag herself along the gravel roadway to a clean spot. She also tried to crawl to a shaded area but could not move far enough. Altogether she managed to crawl 13-14 yards. The stockyard employees would not allow her any drinking water; the only water she received was given to her by Jessie Pierce, a local animal rights activist. Jessie had been called by Emmie McNay, who witnessed the incident, and arrived at noon. After receiving no cooperation from stockyard workers, she called the Kenton County Police. An officer arrived, but was instructed by his superiors to do nothing and left at 1 p.m. The stockyard operator informed Jessie at 1 p.m. that he had obtained permission from the insurance company to kill the cow, but would not do so until Jessie left. Although doubtful that he would keep his word, Jessie did leave at 3 p.m. She returned at 4:30 p.m. and found the stockyard deserted. Three dogs were attacking the cow, who was still alive. She had suffered a number of bite wounds, and her drinking water had been removed. Jessie called the Kentucky State Police. Four Officers arrived at about 5:30 p.m. Trooper Jan Wuchner wanted to shoot the cow, but was told that a veterinarian should kill her. Two veterinarians at the facility refused to euthanize her without a butcher present, claiming that it would reduce the value of the MEAT. A butcher finally arrived at 7:30 p.m. and shot the cow . Her body was purchased for $307.50(usually the flesh of animals who are bruised or crippled, or who are found dead, is considered unfit for human consumption and is used for dog and cat food.) When the stockyard operator was questioned by a reporter from the Kentucky Post, he stated , "We didn't do a damned thing to it," and called the attention given the cow by humane workers and police "bullcrap". He laughed through the questioning, saying he found nothing wrong with the way the incident was handled. This is not an isolated case; in fact, such episodes are so common that animals in this condition are known in the meat industry as "downers." and neither the industry nor the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture makes any effort to see that animals are treated more humanely. Standard practice is for stockyard workers to tie "downed" animals to the back of a pickup truck and drag them to a common area where they are piled on top of each other, making it easier for the butcher to kill them and harder for passersby to interfere. (See Reference. # 1 ) The dairy industry abandons live cows at stockyards when they are no longer "profitable" and drags cows to slaughter with chains when they can still be sold for human consumption. The male offspring of dairy cows are often considered "useless" that they are discarded, often alive, on dairy farms or clubbed to death with canes. (see Ref. # 2 .) "Dragging cattle with a chain and forklift is standard practice at the plant," explained a long-term inspector at a large beef operation in Nebraska. "And that's even after the forklift operator rolled over and crushed the head of one downer while dragging another." "[T]hey'll go through the skinning process alive. I saw that myself, a bunch of times. I've found them alive clear over to the rump stand." "And that happens in every plant. I've worked in four large ones and a bunch of small ones. They're all the same." . "[E]verybody gets so used to it that it doesn't mean anything."."[W]orkers drag cripples with a garden tractor and a chain ."(see References # 3 ) Downed animals as well as all "Food Animals" are not considered sentient animals by the government and the society. They do NOT get the equal treatment as cats and dogs have and they are not protected from ANY ABUSE under federal animal welfare laws and many state anti-cruelty laws. The "Downed Animal Protection Act" would require that animals who are too sick to stand (i.e., "downed animals") be humanely euthanized at stockyards and prohibit the transfer or sale of farm animals who cannot walk because of illness or injury. The Downed Animal Protection Act has been sitting and stalling in the House Agricultural Live Stock Committee in the United States CONGRESS for more than seven (7) years since it was initially introduced by Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) with his H.R. 443 and Sen. Daniel Akaka(D-HI) with his S. 515. The Agriculture Committee in the United States CONGRESS is tightly connected to all kinds of MEAT industries. They degrade Billions of Sentient animals to trash ! They REFUSED even to give a hearing on the misfortune for billions of "FOOD ANIMALS" despite animals protection groups desperate plea and begging !
We all have the responsibility to help to stop billions
of "food" animals who are in excruciating pain
and suffering in this country everyday. Please
greatly PUBLICIZE "Food Animals" MISFORTUNE to
all of your friends and members . Please go
for VEGGIE FOOD instead of eating sentient animals
who could be our pets just like Important References:
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1: "Animal Times", from
PETA
