"The truck carrying this cow was unloaded at Walton Stockyards in Kentucky one September morning. After the other animals were removed from the truck, she was left behind, unable to move. The stockyard workers used the customary electric prods in her ear to try and get her out of the truck, then beat and kicked her in the face, ribs, and back, but still she didn't move. They tied a rope around her neck, tied the other end to a post in the ground, and drove the truck away. The cow was dragged along the floor of the truck and fell to the ground, landing with both hind legs and her pelvis broken. She remained like that until 7:30 that evening.

For the first three hours, she lay in the hot sun crying out. Periodically, when she urinated or defecated, she used her front legs to drag herself along the gravel roadway to a clean spot. She also tried to crawl to a shaded area but couldn't move far enough. Altogether, she managed to crawl a painful 13 to 14 yards. The stockyard employees wouldn't allow her any drinking water; the only water she recieved was given to her by Jessie Pierce, a local animal rights activist, who had been contacted by a woman who witnessed the incident. Jessie arrived at noon. After recieving no cooperation from stockyard workers, she called the Kenton County police. A police officer arrived instructed by his superiors to do nothing; he left at 1 p.m.

The stockyard operator informed Jessie that he had permission from the insurance company to kill the cow but wouldn't do it until Jessie left. Although doubtful that he would keep his word, Jessie left at 3 p.m. She returned at 4:30 p.m. and found the stockyard deserted. Three dogs were attacking the cow, who was still alive. She had suffered a number of bite wounds, and her drinking water had been removed. Jessie contacted the state police. Four officers arrived at 5:30 p.m. State trooper Jan Wuchner wanted to shoot the cow but was told that a veterinarian should kill her. The two veterinarians at the facility would not euthanize her, claiming that in order to preserve the value of the meat, she could not be destroyed. The butcher eventually arrived at 7:30 p.m. and shot the cow. Her body was purchased for $307.50. When the stockyard operator was questioned by a reporter from The Kentucky Post, he stated, "We didn't do a damned thing to it," and referred to the attention given the cow by humane workers and police as "bullcrap." He laughed throughout the interview, saying that he had found nothing wrong with the way the cow was treated.

This is not an isolated case; in fact, it's so common that animals in this condition are known in the meat industry as 'downers,' and no effort is made by industry insiders or the U.S. Department of Agriculture to see that they are treated more humanely. It is standard practice for stockyard workers to find 'downed' animals, tie them to the back of a pickup truck, and drag them to an area where they are piled on top of each other to await the butcher. The handling of 'downer' animals has proved that the meat industry cannot monitor itself. It's up to the public to demand change and to refuse to purchase the products of this misreable industry."

Usually, I'm very live and let live. And I got annoyed with the hippy animals rights people who try to ruin a good time and get people to be like them. But, seriously, the reason why they do it nonstop is because it's so hard to get people to see their way(hell, it took me 18 years), and the meat industry is just....so wrong and awful. I'm not asking everyone to become a vegan...just to be more aware. That was my thing-I didn't think about. No one does, no one wants to. But maybe you should start.

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