More Humane Society Video Released

More Ag News

Ag News

The Humane Society of the United States is back in the news - this time with another video reportedly shot in four separate states showing downer cattle. The video posted on the internet does not show anyone prodding the downer cattle to get up. But, some appear to be near death or dead. The Humane Society’s time stamp on the video is April 22 and 23, 2008. However most of the video does not contain a time stamp. The HSUS reportedly turned over information on their findings to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer during a meeting last week.

The Humane Society of the United States says during April and May, HSUS investigators found two downed cows left in the parking lot for four hours at the Livestock Exchange in Hereford, Texas. At the Westminster Auction in Maryland, investigators documented a downed cow abandoned outside of the auction barn, left to suffer through the night. At the Clovis Livestock Auction in New Mexico, two downed cows were filmed over a period of five hours. And HSUS investigators documented a calf only days old that was unable to stand and left to die at the Greencastle Livestock Auction in Pennsylvania.

HSUS admitted, in their letter to Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, that those filming the reported mishandling observed and did nothing about animals in distress, sometimes for several hours. They did so rather than bringing the matter to the attention of the market operator. The Livestock Marketing Association says - this calls into question their genuine concern for animal welfare. LMA has requested a meeting with HSUS officials.