Downed Animals & Organic Dress-Shirts

1. Today, and all this week are National Call-In Days for Downed Farm Animals! The recent Human Society undercover investigation of the cruel treatment of cows at a California slaughter plant has sparked renewed attention to the downer issue, with several Congressional hearings and bills introduced. Now it's essential that we keep Congress focused on the issue and ensure they take action.

At the California slaughter plant, "downed" animals -- those too sick or injured to stand and walk on their own -- were prodded with electric shocks, dragged with chains, rammed with forklifts, and subjected to other egregious abuse in efforts to forcibly move them to slaughter. Downed animals may also be left to languish without food, water, or veterinary care, and they are at a higher risk of carrying harmful diseases.

The following bills have already been introduced and others are in the works:

Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act (H.R. 661/S. 394) to ban slaughter of downed livestock and require their immediate humane euthanasia.

Downed Animal Enforcement Act (S. 2770) to ban slaughter of downed livestock and establish stricter penalties for violations of the downer ban and humane slaughter law.

Food Safety Recall Information Act (H.R. 5762) to require release of names of retailers and school districts that purchased meat, poultry, or egg products subject to recall, and ban slaughter of downed livestock.

TAKE ACTION

When you call, you will speak to a staff member who will pass your message along to your legislator. Remember to be polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is clear that you are a constituent.

• Please call your U.S. Representative.

FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES HERE You can say: "Hello, my name is [your name] and I'm calling from [your town] to urge Representative Maloney to do everything possible to enact legislation to protect downed animals -- including H.R. 661, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, and H.R. 5762, the Food Safety Recall Information Act. It's time to ensure that animals unable to stand are humanely euthanized and do not enter the food supply. Thank you."

• Please call Your Senator

FIND YOUR SENATORS' CONTACT INFO HERE You can say: "Hello, my name is [your name] and I'm calling from [your town] to urge [senator's name] to do everything possible to enact legislation to protect downed animals -- including S. 394, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, and S. 2770, the Downed Animal Enforcement Act. It's time to ensure that animals unable to stand are humanely euthanized and do not enter the food supply. Thank you."

• HSUS is tracking the impact of your calls, so click here to let us know you called your legislators:

• Finally, please tell all of your friends and family to call their legislators today and throughout this week.

2. Organic Dress Shirts

A lot of you have asked for resources on standard organic dress shirts, so here ye, here ye! These are some styles from Organic and Arbitrage.

(Above: Arbitrage, designed to benefit charity: water, an organization that provides clean, safe drinking water to people in the developing world by constructing freshwater wells. For each shirt purchased, Saks will donate $25 to charity: water.)