Federal officials shut down a New Jersey slaughterhouse involved in the veal and lamb business for more than 65 years after a posted video showed the "unethical treatment" of animals.
According to ABC News, the U.S Department of Agriculture, suspended the Collingswood, N.J.-based company's operations after reviewing five instances of secretly taped footage showing the "egregious inhumane handling and slaughter of cattle" at the production plant.
In one video, a calf is seen being dragged by workers and unable to walk and another on a faulty "kill" line. During the video, one calf is seen bleeding from an open neck wound and being shot several times with a stun gun.
The Humane Society of the United States is claiming to have filmed the video after raiding the slaughterhouse in 2013. The video was reportedly shot by an undercover operative.
"This plant was slaughtering many calves, some called downer calves, too sick or injured to walk to their slaughter," said Paul Shapiro, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States.
The animal rights group said Monday that an investigation into the company's treatment of cattle has already began. HSUS praised USDA's action in a statement on their website.
"Downed calves are still suffering the sort of appalling abuses that we exposed in 2009 at another calf slaughter plant in Vermont," said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. "We commend USDA for taking action to shut down the operation at Catelli Brothers, but it's long past time to close the loophole in the downed animal rule that perpetuates continuing cruelty to young calves."
Catelli Bros. is a major supplier of veal and lamb to restaurants and retailers, supplying products to major food chains and employing more than 250 people. Tony Catelli, CEO and president of the NJ company, said animal abuse of any kind is "unacceptable," and promised to fully cooperate with the USDA.
"We are deeply concerned about the allegations that have been made regarding the care of calves at our facility," Catelli stated in an email to ABC News. "Any mistreatment of animals at our facility is unacceptable, and our established practices strictly prohibit the processing of any downed calves."
Catelli noted that the company has hired "one of the nation's leading experts on animal care and handling in meat plants" to help deal the animal abuse situation and identify necessary changes.
