Cat walk closed at sale barn.

[Susie David]

The owners of the sale yard announced on Monday that the cat-walk over the pens would be closed from now on. The closure is due to the animal rights folks taking pictures with cell phones at various locations and using the pics for negative advertising in their campaign against the beef industry.
Haven't had any pics of the local sale published but they arn't taking any chances.
Had to take one last walk just so I can tell tell the grand kids that I was out there on the last day...to bad I didn't have them with me to witness this sad day.
Dave Mc

 

[Victoria]

What's going on there that could be used as negative advertising? Up here the humane society has access to everything. They could close the catwalk and the humane society people would still be out there, just us ranchers that wouldn't be out there.
I don't think closing it is the way to go - just makes the normal people wonder if there is something to hide...
I like going out and looking at what I want to buy from overhead and watching how they act getting moved before the real stress of the ring gets to them. Sad day indeed.

 

[Susie David]

Folks worried about the pictures being taken out of context...the animal that slips when being moved and portrayed as a downer cow, the foot man whacking a animal with his sorting stick, the emanciated cow, the hauler with his hot-shot; all can be used to give a false impresion.
DMc

 

[Victoria]

True, sad but true. At the same time though they close it and they'll just say things are so bad they aren't even allowed in. There's a group here in Alberta - Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) that works on educating the public. The problem is that people used to all either grow up around animals or at least have a farm friend. Not anymore. Makes it too easy for PETA to tell a bunch of lies. This group has two main goals - educate the public on the fact that animals are handled humanely and they also work on making sure animals are handled humanely. They have a confidential number to call if you suspect that an animal is being mistreated. It's a great group. Anything like that in your area or anywhere in the US?

 

[mnmtranching]

Since peta had all that media attention on the deal out in CA, all members want to get on national TV.
I think catwalks and public access to the back areas may be a thing of the past.
The sale barn I use has gone to paddles only for handling cattle, shockers haven't been used for a long time.
Seems to me, the lame, thin cows aren't going through the ring anymore. I don't know if producers aren't bringing them in? Or if the sales company won't except them? I think they are handled differently, euthanized, and do not go into human food. I think this is OK, there's always going to be a few lame poor cattle, and something needs to be done with them. Anyway, this is where the camera phones from the peta folks want to get at.

 

[dun]

As was previously mentioned, a photo can be taken out of context. Kind of like "When did you quit beating your wife".

 

[ALACOWMAN]

wait till some ol' farmer gets plowed under when walking the pens and alleys.. they'll open em back up

 

[tup]

they wont be happy till we are all on fixed diet of tofu and brown rice. i hope our cat walk don't close. many of us trade information to each other up there, before the sale. i feel so claustraphobic lately, if its not people buying up land around us. its people sticking thier noses directly into our way of life. i know this is whining and i'm sorry, but things are hard enough already, and it's not hard for me anymore to want ot lash out at those who don't understand or care about what it is we need to do. i'm waiting for these floridians that just bought this land down from us, to start complaining about somethin and trust, it's always somethin. those fema people do all thier talkin an protestin then climb into thier gas guzzlin hummers to the next chicken house. hooo weee lol i feel better now lol :banana: