No Time for Wasting
Nearly two weeks after tests confirmed
that a Texas cow was infected with mad cow disease—the
second time that a downer cow, one too sick or injured to walk, was
diagnosed with the brain-wasting disease in the United States—the
U.S. Department of Agriculture has still not finalized a ban to keep
downers out of the human food supply. Today, The HSUS and Farm
Sanctuary filed a legal petition with the USDA to urge the agency to
issue a permanent ban on the processing of downer cattle,
arguing that the USDA has ample authority to do so.
The USDA certainly has enough evidence to
justify a permanent ban. In December 2003, the United States had to
grapple with its first case of mad cow disease after a downed cow in
Washington State was diagnosed with bovine spongiform
encephalopathy. The USDA appeared to grasp the dangers right from
the start, quickly publishing a temporary emergency rule banning the
processing of downer cattle. At that time, the USDA also suggested
that a final rule would be forthcoming, but some 18 months later, it
has still not surfaced, despite widespread public and Congressional
support for such a policy. The second U.S. mad cow case now confirms
what experts have been saying for years: Downed cattle are
more susceptible to mad cow disease.
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Banning downed cattle from the human food supply
not only protects the public health, but it also promotes the
humane treatment of |
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cows.
Downed animals sent to slaughter suffer immeasurably.
They're often forced to walk with broken bones and other painful
injuries, or when they can't move, the animals are forcibly dragged
by chains or pushed by a bulldozer. A permanent ban on processing
downed cattle would provide an incentive for producers to improve
the handling and care of animals to make sure they don't go down in
the first place.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has indicated that he
supports finalizing a downer ban, but has also stated that before he
makes any decision, he will carefully review public comments that
the USDA has received on the downer ban. If so, he'll find that more
than 99% of the approximately 22,000 public comments support a
permanent ban on keeping downers out of the human food supply.
Please thank Secretary Johanns for his comments in support of the
downer ban, and
let him know that you support a
permanent ban.
Still Trying to Crack Trader Joe’s
Last week, The HSUS
launched a campaign to
encourage Trader Joe's grocery store
chain to stop selling eggs from hens confined in battery cages,
just as Whole Foods and Wild Oats have already done. Please
contact Trader Joe's and encourage
them to do the socially responsible thing. |
Going, Going...Almost Gone
The deadline for online registration for
the Taking Action for Animals conference is today, July 7. The
three-day conference in Washington, D.C. runs from July 16-18.
Topics include political organizing, fundraising,
investigations, online advocacy, and more.
Register now! |
Another Corporate Shill
The Center for Consumer Freedom, a group
that represents the interests of the alcohol, tobacco, and
restaurant, industries, made recent swipes at The HSUS,
outlandishly attempting to link us to domestic terrorism. We’re
setting the record straight.
More... |
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Recent Victories
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Pennsylvania House passes an
Internet hunting bill.
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New York's Marist College adopts
a cage-free egg policy. |
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Still Needs Action
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» Remote or Internet
hunting allows a person in one state to fire a
weapon and kill an animal hundreds, or thousands, of miles
away. Since Internet commerce knows no state
boundaries, federal legislation is needed to shut down
remote hunting nationwide. Please
urge your U.S. Representative to co-sponsor the
Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act. |
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We're Not Party
Animals
Last week, the
Associated Press* published an article about U.S.
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and his leadership in Congress on animal
protection. Among other accomplishments, Sen. Santorum helped to
pass a bill strengthening the penalties for
illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, worked to
increase funding for the enforcement of animal
welfare laws, and recently introduced a new bill to crack down on
the inhumane treatment of dogs at
"puppy mill"
breeding facilities.
Some humane advocates expressed surprise that the animals have such
a good friend in a prominent conservative Republican. But the animal
protection movement doesn't belong to any one political party or
ideology. Compassion for animals crosses party lines. The leading
humane lawmakers in the Senate sit on both sides of the
aisle—Republicans such as Santorum, Elizabeth Dole, John Ensign, and
Arlen Specter, and Democrats such as Barbara Boxer, Robert Byrd,
Frank Lautenberg, and Carl Levin.
In order to accomplish our legislative
goals, it's absolutely critical that we work with lawmakers of every
political stripe—Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal,
hawk or dove. We engage these legislators solely on the basis of
what they can do for animals. If we took into account their
positions on other social, domestic, or foreign policy issues, we
would have a hard time securing a majority for even a spay/neuter
bill.
The animal protection movement needs to become a powerful political
force, and to do so we must maintain our single-issue focus. Just as
the NRA evaluates legislators solely on gun issues, and the AARP
evaluates legislators solely on their work for seniors, we need to
evaluate lawmakers solely on the issue of animals. Only when the
will of the millions of Americans who care about animals is
mobilized through legislators can we hope to effect sweeping reforms
to stop animal cruelty.
As we return from the Fourth of July weekend and celebrate the red,
white, and blue, let's remember that the animals have good friends
in both red states and blue states, and that the animal movement
cares for both donkeys and elephants.
Sincerely,
Mike Markarian,
President
HSUS Fund for Animals
*This article may require free
registration to view.
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