Another Botched Killing at Ida-Beef—PETA Renews Call for Criminal Probe

For Immediate Release:
June 10, 2019

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Rupert, Idaho –

After PETA recently requested that the Cassia County prosecuting attorney file criminal cruelty-to-animals charges against Ida-Beef over the repeated shootings of two downed cows, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report, a worker at Ida-Beef botched the shooting of another downed cow on May 29. The wounded animal attempted to crawl away before being shot a second time in the head. PETA has just sent a follow-up letter to the Cassia County prosecuting attorney urging him to launch a criminal probe into this facility, which has repeatedly and inexcusably violated the law.

“Again and again, animals have suffered behind Ida-Beef’s walls,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. “This latest bungled killing shows that USDA enforcement action alone isn’t enough to keep this facility from subjecting cows to slow, torturous deaths, which is why PETA is demanding a criminal investigation immediately.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a supremacist worldview. Our letter to Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney Douglas G. Abenroth follows, and more information about our work is available here.

June 10, 2019

The Honorable Douglas G. Abenroth

Prosecuting Attorney

Cassia County

Dear Mr. Abenroth,

I hope this letter finds you well. To follow up on my March 14, 2019, correspondence regarding the repeated shooting of two downed cows in the head on January 10 at IDA-Beef LLC, located at 729 S. 600 W. outside of Burley, I’m writing to make you aware that on May 29, a worker there botched the shooting of another downed cow—who attempted to crawl away after being wounded—before shooting the animal again. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) report regarding the latest incident is attached for your convenience.

These recurrent violations of law are a clear indication that FSIS enforcement actions alone are insufficient to deter future violations at this facility and that criminal prosecution is in the best interests of the animals killed there and the public. We respectfully ask that you consider this latest incident in your review of this matter.

Please let us know what we might do to assist you. Thank you for your time and for the difficult work that you do.

Sincerely,

Colin Henstock

Investigations Specialist | People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)