CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

Crimes Without ConsequenCes
US Animal Health Association adopts a resolution to encourage
“strong enforcement of the federal Humane Slaughter Act by the
USDA-FSIS to prevent abuses to animals protected under the Act.” 38
1999 McDonald’s Corporation begins audits of slaughter practices of its
meat suppliers and says it will stop buying from those with repeated
violations of humane slaughter standards. 39
2000 KING-TV in Seattle, Wash. airs undercover investigation of Iowa Beef
Processors (now Tyson Foods) slaughterhouse in Wallula, showing
inadequately stunned animals being dismembered and other humane
slaughter abuses. Following its investigation, a petition is submitted by
HFA to the state of Washington, requesting prosecution of the slaughter
plant for violations of state humane slaughter and animal cruelty laws. 40
McDonald’s begins unannounced audits of slaughter plants and finds
lower stunning efficacy scores for plants not warned in advance of audit
compared with plants undergoing scheduled audits. 41
2001 The Washington Post publishes a slaughterhouse expose prompted
by 2000 investigation of Wallula plant. The paper reviews USDA
documents from 1996 and finds inconsistent enforcement of humane
slaughter law. 42
The USDA issues agency memorandum to FSIS district offices,
inspection personnel and livestock slaughter plants, reminding them
of the importance of monitoring and enforcing humane handling and
slaughter regulations. 43
Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) delivers speech on importance of
humaneness of animal slaughter on floor of Congress. 44 Byrd secures
$1 million appropriation specifically targeted for humane slaughter
enforcement.
38 AWI, http://www.awionline.org/farm/aw474far.htm.
39 For information about McDonald’s animal welfare program, see http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/
purchasing/animalwelfare.html.
40 Sanders E, Workers accuse slaughterhouse of animal cruelty, Seattle Times, May 1, 2000. See also Locke
orders probe of alleged cruelty at IBP slaughterhouse, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 5, 2000; Animal welfare
group says cattle slaughtered inhumanely at Washington plant, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 25, 2001.
41 Grandin T, 2000 McDonald’s audits of stunning and handling in federally inspected beef and pork plants, no
date. (http://www.grandin.com/survey/2000McDonalds.rpt.html)
42 Warrick T, They die piece by piece, The Washington Post, April 10, 2001.
43 USDA-FSIS, Humane slaughter (fact sheet), May 22, 2001. (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Key_
Facts_Humane_Slaughter/index.asp)
44 Congressional Record, July 9, 2001.
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