From: Khristi A. Tomlinson [khristi@mindspring.com]
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 10:55 PM
To: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Docket number 98P-0151/CP1
Hi,

I am writing to request that you grant petition 98P-0151/CP1 to prohibit the slaughter of downed animals.

Animals who are too sick or injured even to stand should not be allowed to enter the human food chain.  In addition to posing an increased risk for bacterial contamination, there is evidence that some downed animals may be afflicted with a form of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or "Mad Cow Disease"), a disease which has been linked to a fatal human illness (CJD or Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease).   With the recent scares in Europe, this is not an acceptable risk to take.

It is impossible to move downed animals humanely, and they are typically pushed with tractors or dragged with chains.  This is just plain cruel.  Downed animals make up a very small percentage of animals slaughtered, so economic  hardship is not a reason to continue this barbarous practice.

Instead of encouraging companies to wring every cent of profit, even through inhumane efforts, prohibiting the slaughter of downed animals will encourage them to take better care of the animals to ensure that they may be slaughtered.

Please stop the slaughter of downed animals.  

Thank you,

Khristi Tomlinson and Warren Lewis