USDA sent warning letters to 52 markets, citing practices that must be corrected or discontinued immediately. Eighty one downed animals were observed at 66 markets. A total of 1,415 markets were inspected. USDA issued administrative complaints against two stockyards for the manner in which they handled downed animals. In addition, seven warning letters were sent to markets for failure to provide proper care and handling of downed animals.
Downers suffer horribly, particularly during transport.
Henry Spira, who has been active in human and animal rights movements for half a century, has coordinated successful campaigns to promote alternatives to the use of animals in laboratories. He has been a merchant seaman, auto assembly line worker, Journalist, teacher, and an activist for civil rights and trade union democracy. He is now focusing on the plight of seven billion farm animals and plans to write a column regularly for the AWI Quarterly .