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Loading...Supreme Court Overturns California Ban On Slaughtering Downed Animals
Animals raised for food suffered a setback on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a California law that mandated slaughterhouses humanely and immediately end the suffering of livestock that arrive at facilities too sick or injured to stand on their own feet.
The unanimous vote was a victory for the National Meat Association, the group that challenged the law.
While several individual Justices noted the “good intentions” behind the California law to protect “downed animals”, as a group they decided the regulation violated a federal meat-safety law. Slaughterhouses fall under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, legislation that prohibits states from regulating any measure that makes an “addition to or is different from” the federal requirements.
California enacted their law in 2009 after the Humane Society of the United States released a video of downed cows being tormented by slaughterhouse workers. The shocking video from a slaughterhouse in Southern California showed cows that could not stand, being kicked, dragged with chains and hosed-down in an attempt to get them on their feet. It also showed animals being picked up with a forklift and placed into slaughter pens.
California’s law was particularly important to the handling of downed pigs because they are the least protected by the federal government. In fact the lawsuit was brought on behalf of California pig farmers.
The federal law allows a downed pig to be slaughtered if a veterinarian or federal inspector determines it is free of disease. The animal can then be forced onto its feet and taken to be killed. HSUS statistics show that 44,000 of the 100 million hogs brought to slaughter each year are unable to walk.
Pork producers say the animals are “overheated, fatigued or stubborn,” and most are back on their feet soon after arriving at a slaughter facility.
Wayne Pacelle, president of the HSUS gave the following statement about the Supreme Court’s ruling:
“This is a deeply troubling decision, preventing a wide range of actions by the states to protect animals and consumers from reckless practices by the meat industry, including the mishandling and slaughter of animals too sick or injured to walk. The fact is, Congress and the USDA have been in the grip of the agribusiness lobby for decades, and that’s why our federal animal handling and food safety laws are so anemic. California tried to protect its citizens and the animals at slaughterhouses from acute and extreme abuses, but its effort was cannibalized by the federal government.”
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Read more: animal cruelty, animal rights, animal welfare, California slaughterhouse ban, california supreme court decision, cattle, downed animals, meat industry, pigs, Supreme Court overturns CA slaughterhouse ban of downed animals
Photo from TexasGOP via flickr.
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Recent Comments from Causes
Michelle, I watched the video. Dan Barber is clearly a witty and urbane individual who has devoted his…
What a big, brave man. Poor excuse for a man, I say. He should be sent to jail for his crime!!
Thank you for the information.
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179 comments
+ add your ownTruly unbelievable.
Disgusting I can't believe how those who didn't overturn this barbaric law? Hope they are haunted by this decision somehow!
OK, so that just means the federal government needs to improve their laws? I think most people here haven't picked up on that yet.
Were they paid to make this decision?
sad news :( but thanks for sharing
l am sickened by the supreme courts decision. l am so angry and sad and disappointed in our system l could puke. !!! all the people responsible for this decision should all have to go thru WHAT THESE ANIMALS GO THRU AND THEN BE SLAUGHTERED how can u people live w/ yourselves. how do u sleep?????? your not human.. and u don't care who or what u hurt. you all make me ashamed to be an american SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!!!
With each passing day and story like this, I move closer and closer to deciding to become a vegetarian.
The Supreme Court is now run by Republicans and Republicans only care about money. The Republican members of the court know the beef industry gives the Republicans who appointed them alot of contributions so this is how they repay them. The Supreme Court is suppose to be impartial but that ended with the Bush appointments.
Thank you for the news.
let those bastards eat the sick suffering dead flesh of the downed tortured animals.
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