From: Vegan Forlife [care19381@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 12:35 PM
To: FDADockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Docket# 98-0151/CP1

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dockets Management Branch
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852
FAX: 301-827-6870

Re: Docket # 98P-0151/CP1

(talking points)

   Please support the petition to prohibit the
slaughter of downed animals.
   Downed animals are those animals too sick or
injured to stand. Animals too sick to even stand
should not enter the human food chain, due to the
increased risk of bacterial contamination, and
evidence that some downed cows may even be afflicted
with a form of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or
"Mad Cow Disease".
   There is no humane way to move a downed animal;
they are typicallydragged with chains, or lifted with
a forklift, causing suffering andfurther injuries.
   Downed animals comprise a  very small percentage of
animals slaughtered, and prohibiting their marketing
would cause no undue economic hardship. In
fact, removing the market for downed animals would
encourage better treatment and handling, thus
preventing most downers in the first 
place.
   There is growing consensus for such a prohibition,
even among livestock industry and government
officials.
Numerous beef, dairy, and pork industry
representatives have voiced support for such a
prohibition.

Signed,

Carl Mariani
Ambler, PA




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