Our False Claims Act case is the first-ever intervention and settlement by the U.S. Department of Justice over humane handling allegations at a ritual slaughter establishment.
COK teamed up with Public Justice to file a lawsuit under False Claims
Act as a whistleblower following our hidden camera investigation; in a rare
move, the Dept of Justice intervened over humane handling allegations.
After COK determined what our investigator caught on hidden camera was
horrific cruelty to lambs at Superior Farms, the largest lamb slaughterhouse
in the US, we not only exposed these abuses for the world to see in a
powerful exclusive New York Times report, we also took legal action to seek
justice and demand change.
Our 2017 investigation inside Superior Farms is the first – and only – look
inside a US lamb slaughter facility, and our investigator documented what we
believe were a variety of humane handling violations, despite the company’s
claim to be using slaughter practices in keeping with federal and religious
law.
At the time of our investigation, Superior Farms had been awarded numerous
contracts from the USDA and Department of Defense to supply both fresh and
frozen meat to the federal government for its food assistance programs,
including the National School Lunch Program. As part of these federal
contracts, companies are required to comply with the Humane Methods of
Slaughter Act.
The False Claims Act (FCA) allows whistleblowers, such as Compassion Over
Killing because we conducted an investigation at the slaughterhouse in this
case, to file complaints when there is possible fraud against the
government, including evidence alleging violations of government contracts.
FCA cases are filed with the Dept. of Justice, which has the option to
intervene and get more directly involved in the case.
Our False Claims Act case is the first-ever intervention and settlement by
the U.S. Department of Justice over humane handling allegations at a ritual
slaughter establishment. As a part of this settlement, Superior Farms parent
company Transhumance has entered into a consent decree with USDA involving
oversight and reform of several of its practices.
COK determined our undercover video showed:
Violations of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires that
animals a) be rendered insensible to pain before slaughtered, or b) be
slaughtered in accordance with religious ritual that prevents the animal
from feeling pain during the remainder of the slaughter process (such as
kosher or halal methods)
A policy of changing the “best by” date on fresh meat to make it appear
fresher than it is. At times the dates were changed by more than two weeks
A repeated failure to comply with its internal policy to run meat through
metal detectors to ensure the meat is safe for consumption
The consent decree with USDA mandates that Superior Farms:
“This case represents a milestone for animal advocates, where a public
advocacy organization teamed up with the federal government to set a
standard for oversight and enforcement and to promote reform,” said Cheryl
Leahy, Executive Vice President at Compassion Over Killing.
“COK pursued this case with the vision that this resolution delivers: real
change for the animals at Superior Farms and a message to animal
agribusinesses that compliance with humane slaughter law is not optional —
they are not free to police themselves, including at ritual slaughter
establishments.”
“This settlement sends a loud and clear message to industrial animal ag that
consumer rights and animal welfare groups alike will hold it to account when
it makes false claims, including leveraging the government where necessary,”
said David Muraskin, Senior Food Project Attorney at Public Justice, who
represents the whistleblower.
Compassion Over Killing was represented by COK’s Cheryl Leahy as well as
Richard Elias of Elias LLC, David Muraskin and Brian Hardingham of Public
Justice, and Jennifer Verkamp of Morgan Verkamp.
Kelli L. Taylor of the U.S. Department of Justice was among the government
attorneys intervening in the case.
-----
Compassion Over Killing’s courageous investigators work undercover to
shine a bright light on the suffering of farm animals kept hidden behind the
closed doors of animal agribusiness.
Send a
NOTE OF THANKS to our brave investigators!
Return to: Litigation