Use Your Voice—Downed Animals Deserve Protection

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Most farmed animals have no legal protection when they are too injured or sick to stand. It’s time for a federal law to protect more downed animals.

Downed animals are farmed animals who are too injured, weak, or ill to walk or stand without assistance. They can go down any time from farm to slaughter, and currently, federal rules to protect these animals exist only for downed cows. Other animals suffer at slaughterhouses when they are pushed, prodded, or dragged despite their disability. And producers can continue to cut corners on care, since animals who become disabled because of cruel practices can still be slaughtered and sold.

From 1991 to 2006, the Downed Animal Protection Act (DAPA)—which would amend the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to include legal protection for downed cows, pigs, goats, and other animals—was introduced in Congress. When it didn’t pass, advocacy organizations shifted their focus from legislation to federal rulemaking. Two rules requiring that downed adult cattle and baby calves at slaughterhouses be immediately euthanized were put in place (in 2009 and 2014, respectively) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2014, Mercy For Animals and a handful of other organizations petitioned the USDA to make a rule about downed pigs. The USDA denied the petition in 2019, and Mercy For Animals is in litigation against the agency.

It’s time DAPA was reintroduced in Congress, and your voice is crucial. Please urge your members of Congress to support the reintroduction of an improved version of DAPA so that downed animals are finally afforded protection.

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Your Message

Subject Please Support the Reintroduction of the Downed Animal Protection Act

Message

As your constituent, I respectfully request that you support the reintroduction of the Downed Animal Protection Act (DAPA). Introduced from 1991 to 2006, this legislation aimed to require immediate euthanasia for downed farmed animals at slaughterhouses—those too weak, sick, or injured to walk or stand. Decades later, this issue has yet to be addressed, and I urge you to do what you can to support the bill's reintroduction.

Every year, downed animals make it into our food system, seemingly acceptable for human consumption, despite the severe food safety risks. Moreover, downed animals suffer immensely—being dragged, beaten, electrocuted, and forced to the slaughterhouse kill floor. Right now, there are only two federal regulations regarding downed cattle and calves. These regulations fall short of the requirements set out in DAPA, and no other species is afforded protection.

In 2002, a mandate that the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigate and submit a congressional report regarding nonambulatory disabled animals was codified. Twenty years later, no report has been issued. Downed animals should not exist in our food system.

Please do everything you can to support the introduction of DAPA. Improving our food system is one of my main priorities, and downed animals deserve protection. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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