Groundbreaking Animals' Angels Investigation Prompts Urgent Petition
Over the summer, Animals' Angels conducted an unprecedented investigation into the transport of baby calves. Traveling over a thousand miles and through seven states, our team trailed a shipment of newborn animals across a stressful 20-hour journey.
Spurred on by disturbing evidence gathered during the multi-day investigation, Animals' Angels and our partner, the Animal Welfare Institute, petitioned the USDA to make rules to 1) establish fitness standards for travel, 2) require certificates of veterinary inspection for all interstate travel of vulnerable animals, and 3) provide penalties for violations of the rules.
We're calling on supporters like you to email in support of our petition and insist that the USDA finally take action to help these vulnerable animals.
An Unprecedented Investigation Takes Us on a Thousand Mile Journey
WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE INVESTIGATION
The Animals' Angels' team of investigators arrived at Moore Calves in Hancock, Minnesota around 8:00 a.m. on August 1st, determined to trail a transport of newborn calves all the way to Desertview, a facility located a thousand miles away in Texico, New Mexico.
Our team recorded an early-morning temperature of 70° F as they watched several trucks with double decker trailers arrive and park behind a barn. Workers loaded bags of sawdust into the trailer of a blue and silver truck. Soon, a group of calves was delivered to the trailer.
Three farm employees began roughly pushing calves onto the upper level. Any of the baby animals who lost their footing were literally thrown into the trailer. By 10:00 a.m. the truck was loaded and on the move with our investigators trailing behind.
When the truck stopped to refuel an hour and a half later, our investigators took the opportunity to film the trailered calves, noting that each calf had a date written on its ear tag, which they assumed to be the baby animal's date of birth.
Our team could see right away that the trailer was very crowded. Some of the calves were lying down trying to sleep, while those still standing couldn't help but step on those who were lying down.
Around 8:30 p.m. the truck made another stop to refuel, and once again our team was able to film the calves, observing that they were now all standing. Some had teary eyes and were bellowing in obvious distress. By that time, the temperature had reached 100° F, and our investigators were dismayed to see some calves licking the metal side of the trailer in a futile search for something to eat or drink.
As the truck neared its ultimate destination in New Mexico, the truck drastically increased speed -- driving 85-90 MPH -- failing to slow down even on curves.
Around 3:30 a.m. the truck stopped at a gas station, and the driver, who seemed anxious, made a call while his partner nervously walked to the back of the truck and peered in at the hungry, exhausted calves.
Two hours later, the truck finally pulled into the Desertview facility in Texico, stopping in front of the unloading barn. The arrival set off a flurry of activity, prompting safety concerns for our team.
After traveling 1,113 miles over 20 consecutive hours, our investigators decided to pull back and regroup, determined to return to the Desertview facility later that day to document the calves' conditions.
The Journey Ends in Desertview
Our team returned to Desertview later that afternoon to observe the facility where calves are raised until they are 90 days old.
Desertview is part of Riverview Dairy LLP, which is headquartered in Minnesota. Once a family-run farm, the company is now a limited liability company that owns 24 facilities in five states, holding over 100,000 animals.
Desertview is located on a dirt road that allows minimal through traffic and little opportunity for observation from the front of the facility. The loading area is in an enclosed barn, making filming of the unloading process impossible, with biohazard warning signs and no trespassing signs prominently posted. Workers who live in houses on the property are present 24 hours a day.
Despite the challenges, investigators managed to ascertain that the 40 rows of south-facing polyethylene plastic calf hutches where the calves are kept (22,000 hutches in total) have no roof or tarp cover above them despite an average temperature of 95.5° F in July.
An Unprecedented Investigation Prompts an Urgent Petition
Following the disturbing multi-day investigation, and after a thorough review of the evidence gathered, Animals' Angels and our partner, the Animal Welfare Institute, petitioned the USDA to establish fitness standards for interstate transport of vulnerable animals.
To ensure standards will be met, the petition asks that a certificate of veterinary inspection be required for each animal, and that penalties be assessed for violations of the new rules.
Specifically, the petition requests that the USDA adopt standards that prohibit anyone from transporting neonatal and cull animals that are (1) sick, injured, weak, disabled, or fatigued, (2) have an unhealed navel, and (3) have a body condition that would result in poor welfare because of the expected climatic conditions.
"Vulnerable animals are shipped interstate on a daily basis," Sonja Meadows, Animals' Angels Founder, explains. "The petition clearly lays out how this practice not only negatively impacts the health and welfare of animals, but also puts humans at risk through the spread of disease and the increased use of antibiotics."
The petition cites several important studies that show vulnerable animals who are unfit for transport are more likely to carry and transmit disease. These studies have found that infectious disease is a major risk for transported animals due to increased exposure to novel pathogens and the negative impact to the immune system caused by transport-related stress factors.
"Keeping the current system in place puts humans and farmed animals at great risk," Meadows added. "There's no question that the new rules set out in the petition would help safeguard us all."
Support Our Petition to Stop the Transport of Newborn Calves
Join fellow animal advocates in calling on the USDA to take swift action to stop the inhumane and risky transport of neonatal and cull animals. Email the USDA today and ask them to grant our petition to ensure the health and well-being of the country’s animals and humans alike.
USDA -- Secretary Vilsack: agsec@usda.gov