Petition Tag - usda
Most people eat meat such as pork, chicken, turkey, cow, etc... We also have dairy produce that comes from cows and chickens. But while we're enjoying these foods and drinks, animals in slaughterhouses are being tortured.
Animals are intelligent creatures and don't deserve this torture. The slaughterhouses are also filthy and the meat isn't always healthy. A lot of people die every year from food poisoning.
Animals are intelligent creatures and don't deserve this torture. The slaughterhouses are also filthy and the meat isn't always healthy. A lot of people die every year from food poisoning.
Breeding dogs in puppy mills throughout this country suffer unimaginable pain, filth and starvation each day. Regulated by the USDA, these animals are left to suffer at the hands of inhumane people.
Many of the females are bred to death. They do not receive veterinary care. They suffer with infections, broken bones, missing eyes, and if they bark too much a metal rod is forced down their throat to sever the vocal cords!
Many of the females are bred to death. They do not receive veterinary care. They suffer with infections, broken bones, missing eyes, and if they bark too much a metal rod is forced down their throat to sever the vocal cords!
3. Join With the AKC to Protect Responsible Small Breeders
Join with the American Kennel Club to express your concerns about the harsh and unintended consequences that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed regulations (RIN 0579-AD57) to redefine “retail pet store” would have on responsible small and hobby breeders.
Under the proposed regulations, breeders - who maintain more than four “breeding females” and who sell even one puppy sight unseen, by any means (including online, by mail or by telephone), would now be regulated as commercial breeders by the USDA. The effect of these proposed regulations would be to take away the public’s opportunity to obtain puppies from some of our nation’s top breeders who in many cases, have dedicated their lives to breeding for health, breed type and temperament.
Under current law, the federal Animal Welfare Act exempts from federal oversight “retail pet stores,” which sell puppies directly to a final customer for use as pets. This exemption means that most non-commercial small or hobby breeders do not have to be licensed and regulated by the USDA. The proposed rule rescinds the exempt “retail pet store” status of anyone selling pets at retail to buyers who do not physically enter the breeder’s facilities in order to personally observe the animals available for sale.
The rule also requires anyone who owns more than four “breeding females” and sells puppies, cats or other small/exotic pets “sight unseen,” by any means, to be licensed, regulated and inspected as a USDA commercial breeder.
The AKC shares the USDA’s concern about substandard Internet puppy sellers that operate outside the current regulations. However, the unintended consequences of this proposed rule create unreasonable hardships on small hobby breeders. This rule could threaten the future of a vast number of small responsible dog breeders and the very existence of some rare breeds in the United States.
The rule creates an unfair burden on small breeders who may depend on the ability to place dogs very selectively in known situations without physically meeting with the purchaser at the specific time of sale. Likewise, many hobbyists are comfortable purchasing an animal sight-unseen based on known pedigrees, bloodlines, previous relationships or personal knowledge of each other’s facilities and programs. Such scenarios are particularly common and necessary for breeders and fanciers of rare breeds. The proposed rule does not make allowances if the purchaser is willing to sign a waiver of an in-person sale requirement.
It is unreasonable to expect small breeders, who may keep a handful of intact females in their homes, to be able to meet exacting USDA commercial kennel engineering standards that were never intended for home environments. Other pre-existing restrictions such as local ordinances, insurance or licensing may also prevent hobbyists from adapting their facilities.
Under the proposed regulations, breeders - who maintain more than four “breeding females” and who sell even one puppy sight unseen, by any means (including online, by mail or by telephone), would now be regulated as commercial breeders by the USDA. The effect of these proposed regulations would be to take away the public’s opportunity to obtain puppies from some of our nation’s top breeders who in many cases, have dedicated their lives to breeding for health, breed type and temperament.
Under current law, the federal Animal Welfare Act exempts from federal oversight “retail pet stores,” which sell puppies directly to a final customer for use as pets. This exemption means that most non-commercial small or hobby breeders do not have to be licensed and regulated by the USDA. The proposed rule rescinds the exempt “retail pet store” status of anyone selling pets at retail to buyers who do not physically enter the breeder’s facilities in order to personally observe the animals available for sale.
The rule also requires anyone who owns more than four “breeding females” and sells puppies, cats or other small/exotic pets “sight unseen,” by any means, to be licensed, regulated and inspected as a USDA commercial breeder.
The AKC shares the USDA’s concern about substandard Internet puppy sellers that operate outside the current regulations. However, the unintended consequences of this proposed rule create unreasonable hardships on small hobby breeders. This rule could threaten the future of a vast number of small responsible dog breeders and the very existence of some rare breeds in the United States.
The rule creates an unfair burden on small breeders who may depend on the ability to place dogs very selectively in known situations without physically meeting with the purchaser at the specific time of sale. Likewise, many hobbyists are comfortable purchasing an animal sight-unseen based on known pedigrees, bloodlines, previous relationships or personal knowledge of each other’s facilities and programs. Such scenarios are particularly common and necessary for breeders and fanciers of rare breeds. The proposed rule does not make allowances if the purchaser is willing to sign a waiver of an in-person sale requirement.
It is unreasonable to expect small breeders, who may keep a handful of intact females in their homes, to be able to meet exacting USDA commercial kennel engineering standards that were never intended for home environments. Other pre-existing restrictions such as local ordinances, insurance or licensing may also prevent hobbyists from adapting their facilities.
Spent hens= hens from the egg-laying industry who are too old, weak, or sick to keep producing eggs and are rid of.
Spent hens are often heard of as being used in pet food, but no ordinary consumer would go out and purchase this meat which holds a different texture, and a different form of cruelty involved in the process.
But now the truth is circulating about where spent hen meat also ends up at- school lunches. That means elementary, middle, and high schools alike.
According to a USA Today article:
"From 2001 though the first half of 2009, USA TODAY found, the government spent more than $145 million on spent-hen meat for schools — a total of more than 77 million pounds served in chicken patties and salads. Since 2007, 13.6 million pounds were purchased. "
Campbell's Soup won't even purchase spent hen for their products, citing "quality considerations".
Though the USDA now purchases less than 10% of spent hen meat processed nationwide, they are still purchasing it. We would like to encourage them for the sake of the health of our school children, please stop purchasing the meat of spent hens!
To Learn More:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-hen-meat-school-lunch_N.htm
http://www.awfc.ca/english/works/pub/disposehens.htm
Spent hens are often heard of as being used in pet food, but no ordinary consumer would go out and purchase this meat which holds a different texture, and a different form of cruelty involved in the process.
But now the truth is circulating about where spent hen meat also ends up at- school lunches. That means elementary, middle, and high schools alike.
According to a USA Today article:
"From 2001 though the first half of 2009, USA TODAY found, the government spent more than $145 million on spent-hen meat for schools — a total of more than 77 million pounds served in chicken patties and salads. Since 2007, 13.6 million pounds were purchased. "
Campbell's Soup won't even purchase spent hen for their products, citing "quality considerations".
Though the USDA now purchases less than 10% of spent hen meat processed nationwide, they are still purchasing it. We would like to encourage them for the sake of the health of our school children, please stop purchasing the meat of spent hens!
To Learn More:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-hen-meat-school-lunch_N.htm
http://www.awfc.ca/english/works/pub/disposehens.htm
5. Support our Public Land Use Rights
The U.S Department of Agriculture(USDA) / US Forest Service (USFS) is attempting to close Public access to US Forest Lands that are presently stated as "open forest floor" that All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) use to recreate.
Such closure will take our rights to use our lands responsibly and for recreation. The closure will financially have an impact to local communities as well as retail, restaurants, manufactures, and lodging.
According to the USDA/USFS the closure is for sustainability of the forest floor do to un-managed use of the forest - thus managed by USFS.
Such closure will take our rights to use our lands responsibly and for recreation. The closure will financially have an impact to local communities as well as retail, restaurants, manufactures, and lodging.
According to the USDA/USFS the closure is for sustainability of the forest floor do to un-managed use of the forest - thus managed by USFS.