Even after new downed farm animal laws are supposedly in place do not think for a minute that much has changed for a downed farm animal. After all the livestock is removed from the meat packers truck, it is not uncommon to find a least one animal still inside the truck unable to move.
Stockyard workers then may use electric cattle prods in the animals ears, then beat and kick the animal in the face, ribs and back to try and force the cow to move. If the animal still cannot move, this is when workers may tie a rope around the animals neck and mechanically drag it off the truck. The animal falls to the ground possibly breaking its legs and pelvis, where the animal remains for hours on end in the cold or in the hot sun as the animal cries out in pain! As the animal urinates and defecates, it desperately and instinctively may drag itself a few feet to a clean spot.
Stockyard workers may not even give it water and it lays here all night long even after the stockyard closes for the day. Unfortunately, this is when the stockyard guard dogs may take over and be allowed to attack the animal viciously. The animal may suffer numerous bites and wounds during the attack. However, if you question stockyard operators, they may claim they found nothing wrong with the way the downed animal was treated. In fact, this is not an isolated type case as no significant effort is being made, to date, to help ensure that downers are being treated humanely when going to slaughter which proves the meat industry may possibly be unable and/or unwilling to clean up its act when it comes to the humane slaughter of livestock.
All consumers can do to possibly help solve the potential problems here is to consider refusing to buy meat products.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS (PETA)