Humane Society finds more downer cattle abuse

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A video showing cattle being mistreated and tormented at a livestock auction in New Mexico was released on Wednesday by the Humane Society of the United States -- the latest evidence of what the organization claims is widespread abuse of livestock across the country.

The video showed sick and injured cattle -- so-called downer animals -- at the Portales Livestock Auction being kicked and slapped and given shocks to get them to walk. In one instance, a cow with a hyper-extended leg is shown being dragged by a tractor.

The footage was collected during visits in May.

The HSUS said its investigator reported at least three of the downed cows were later sold. However, there is no evidence to show if the meat went into school lunch programs or any other part of the food supply.

"To see the abuse of these animals after all that's been exposed is appalling to us," Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, told reporters. "It's sickening behavior that has to stop."

Randy Bouldin, owner of the Portales Livestock Auction, said he euthanizes downed animals and does not allow them to be sent to packing houses. The animals the HSUS alleges were sold could have become disabled or nonambulatory after the sale in which case the sale would have been reversed.

"There were no downed cows that went into any packing house or into the food," said Bouldin. "I don't know where (HSUS) got their information. They are obviously misinformed."

The findings from the livestock auction was the third investigation made public by the Humane Society this year. Last month, it released video taken at animal auctions in four states that showed sick and injured cows lying on the ground.