Steve Mendell, the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. President of the Southern California slaughterhouse said that the cows shown in the video being abused would not have been able to make it up the chute to where the slaughter process begins. Instead they appear to be among the 10 to 15 cows that were euthanized at the slaughterhouse each day because they were non-ambulatory.
Steve Mendell also said appearing under subpoena before the House Energy and Commerce investigative subcommittee: “While these cows should be treated humanely and they were not, these cows were not harvested and they did not enter the food supply……They were not slaughtered, ground or sold. They were euthanized and removed.”
Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., said “And the truth, today, that we want to know is how much money he made from illegally slaughtering so-called downer cows — cows so sick or injured that they could not walk or stand — cows universally viewed as potential carriers of mad cow disease.”
“I am not aware that there has ever before been a meat recall of this magnitude where there is no evidence of contaminated food and no evidence of any illness,” Mendell said.
What Mendell is trying to prove is that one sick cow could ruin their entire inventory and they would never take that chance. I don’t think that way of thinking will hold up court because slaughterhouses used to be able to slaughter downer cows years ago. Then, these downer cows didn’t necessarily contaminate the food supply but only had a higher chance of the food being contaminated. Mendell, knowing this, would probably take his chances using downer cows as food rather than taking a financial hit every time a cow is deemed unfit for slaughter.
Hopefully the courts will be able to tell if Mendell is telling the truth or just covering up lies.
A lot of people are probably going to lose their jobs due to the unfair, inhumane, and unethical practices used by those working at the slaughterhouse. The two employees seen in the video will also see some court time to determine their fate.
I don’t feel so bad for the company though cause if employees are openly using inhumane practices, it’s going to be very hard to convince me that others working there, including the bosses and owner, are unaware of these practices. This facility needs to be shut down to play as an example to other slaughterhouses and companies that deal directly with animals.
If those employees were accountable, this would have never happened.
My whole family is vegetarian/vegan – It’s wonderful! When we were omnivores – we took turns getting sick (constantly) – Thank goodness those days are over – Been cold/flu free for 5 years now…. Not to mention the energy I have since eliminating milk/dairy from my diet – they were poisioning me (and putting on lots of pounds too)….. Between the horrors at factory farms and cruelties in slaughterhouses….. I can’t see how anyone can support buying animal “foods”. Not a pleasant subject…..
Comment by Bea Elliott — March 14, 2008 @ 1:15 am