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From: Kinship Circle - kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Subject: ACT/ No Downers. No Exceptions. NOW.

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

7/14/08: No Downers. No Exceptions. NOW.

EMAIL kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net FOR WORD DOC OF A FORMATTED LETTER.
Easily modify letter and copy/paste it into an email or print out to fax or mail.

LEFT: HSUS, A downer cow left to suffer at auction.

RIGHT: Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer now supports a total ban. Associated Press

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FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. Sample letter follows.

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Secretary of Agriculture Edward W. Schafer
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
ph: 202-720-3631
email: AgSec [at] usda.gov, Edward.W.Schafer [at] usda.gov
web mail: click here

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SAMPLE LETTER — This letter is prepared to inform you about the issue.
Try to shorten and personalize your letter before sending.

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Dear Secretary Schafer,

As you are aware, last year’s undercover video from Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) revealed Westand/Hallmark Meat Co. workers who kicked, rammed, shocked and water-hosed incapacitated cows. HSUS recently released a third video that clearly portrays downer abuse during transportation, auction and slaughter.

The USDA has publicized its intent to uphold a no-downer policy for all U.S. cattle. When? I urge you to take two essential steps without postponement:

1. Accelerate regulations to close a gap in USDA’s rule that lets inspectors approve downed cows for slaughter, if they pass their first inspection. With a half million infirm cows annually dragged to slaughter, a JAVMA report estimates, the USDA’s present rule plainly doesn’t work.

2. Expand the downer ban beyond slaughterhouses to include haulers, stockyards and auctions.

More delayed action will do nothing to safeguard animals or people.

Ultimately, the U.S. government must enact enforceable laws to ban the transport, marketing and slaughter of ALL downed animals — cows, pigs, sheep, goats, etc. Any animal too sick or injured to stand should be humanely euthanized and not left to suffer until USDA inspection.

How many more exposes of graphic animal torture will it take before the USDA sanctions humane treatment from producer to slaughter plant? No animal should be forced to stagger toward a kill floor for any reason.

Thank you,

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KINSHIP CIRCLE OFF-LINE FROM 7/17 – 7/22

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KINSHIP CIRCLE WILL BE OFF-LINE: JULY 17 to JULY 22, 2008

Brenda Shoss and board member Bridget Soeder will present and exhibit at the Taking Action For Animals (TAFA) conference in Washington, DC.

Our workshop, “Internet Activism & The Power Of Words” is on Sunday, 7/20/08, from 2:45 to 3:45pm

The TAFA conference is held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. Tickets are still available. Read more about Taking Action For Animals — from July 19-21: www.takingactionforanimals.org

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS

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WATCH VIDEO: Latest Downer Abuse Investigation From HSUS
community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=25334661

KINSHIP CIRCLE REFERENCES:

LETTER: I’m Mad. Downer Ban? USDA Says Forget It
www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter_new.asp?LetterID=1727&seriesfirst=true

LETTER: USDA-Certified Cruel: Downers Dragged, Shocked, Rammed
www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter_new.asp?LetterID=1725&seriesfirst=true

FACT SHEET: www.kinshipcircle.org/fact_sheets/DownedOnTheFarmPHOTOS.pdf

FACT SHEET: www.kinshipcircle.org/fact_sheets/HortonHearsACow.pdf

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