United States-Animal Rights appeal court decision.

UNITED STATES-ANIMAL RIGHTS MORE MONEY THAN SENSE.

As expected, the state of California and several animal welfare groups have appealed a judge’s decision last month to enjoin a state law that requires all non-ambulatory livestock to immediately be euthanized.

The February decision by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence O’Neill ruled that the Federal Meat Inspection Act preempts the California law, because the state law is different from and in addition to the federal law and usurps the authority of federal veterinarians and inspectors. In doing so, he found in favor of the plaintiffs, the National Meat Association and the American Meat Institute..

NMA and AMI filed suit in December, seeking to block enforcement of the state law because, they say, it is preempted by the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

The appeal, by the state and Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, Humane Farming Association and Animal Legal Defense Fund, goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.