Downed Animal Protection Act
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Downed Animal Protection Act - States that it is U.S. policy that all nonambulatory livestock in interstate and foreign commerce be immediately and humanely euthanized when such livestock become nonambulatory.
Amends the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1958 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate regulations providing for the humane treatment, handling, and disposition of nonambulatory livestock by a covered entity, including a requirement that nonambulatory livestock be humanely euthanized.
Requires an entity to: (1) humanely euthanize nonambulatory livestock (while not limiting the Secretary's ability to test nonambulatory livestock for disease, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy); and (2) not move nonambulatory livestock while such livestock is conscious, and ensure that such livestock remains unconscious until death.
Prohibits an inspector at an establishment covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act to pass nonambulatory livestock, carcass, or carcass parts through inspection. Requires an inspector or other employee at such establishment to label such material as "inspected and condemned."
Defines "covered entity," "nonambulatory livestock," and "humanely euthanize."
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3931: Downed Animal Protection Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3931/
"H.R. 3931: Downed Animal Protection Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3931/.
H.R. 3931, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3931/.
[H.R. 3931: Downed Animal Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3931/)