Humane Slaughter

Is it possible to get meat that is not only humanely-raised, but also humanely-butchered?  I know an argument can be made that butchering methods are not so inhumane, but I mean something akin to the way you would treat an elderly, beloved pet.  By this, I mean meat that was allowed to enjoy life until a mature age then given anesthesia prior to transport and butchering?  If no such thing is available, could it be? If not, why not? 

For the 1st part of your question, yes it is possible to find meats that are humanely slaughtered.  If you are purchasing meats that have the label or are advertised as "certified humane" than not only will the farm be a member of that organization, but the slaughter facility is visited and audited on a yearly basis by the same organization to ensure that they are abiding by the humane standards that have been set. 

As far as anesthesia prior to slaughter, that is not something that would be possible.  Due to BSE, commonly known as Mad Cow Disease, regulations; all beef that are slaughtered need to be observed walking into a slaughter facility under their own power.  This assures the USDA inspector that the animal does not have any nervous system damage and is a safegaurd for product going into commerce.  Also, some medications can actually contaminate meat if they are still present in the animal's system during slaughter.