RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association call made to end non-stun slaughter in UK
February 6, 2019 from Farminguk.com
"The RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association have joined forces to call on the government to repeal a legal exemption that permits animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning."
"In an open letter to Defra Secretary Michael Gove, the BVA and the RSPCA urge the UK government to change legislation in England which currently allows non-stun slaughter for religious purposes."
"The RSPCA and BVA are calling for the following: "
- "Meat to be labelled with the method of slaughter, e.g. stunned or non-stunned, so consumers are fully informed about the meat that they are buying."
- "A ban on export of meat from non-stunned animals or live animals destined for non-stun slaughter."
- " An immediate post-cut stun for cattle, sheep, goats and deer to reduce the period of pain and distress. "
"The letter follows a recent, high profile decision to ban the slaughter of animals without prior stunning in the Flanders region of Belgium which came into force at the start of the year."
"Belgium joins several other European countries, including Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in making this decision, demonstrating that a full ban on non-stun slaughter is possible within EU law."
"The most up-to-date FSA figures show that between October 2017 to September 2018, over 120 million animals were slaughtered without pre-stunning, including 118 million meat poultry (11% of the total number of poultry slaughtered), 3 million sheep and goats (25% of the total number of sheep and goats slaughtered) and 24,000 cattle (1% of the total number of cattle slaughtered)."
"All animals slaughtered under the Shechita (for Kosher) are non-stunned, however, between two thirds and three quarters of meat labelled Halal is from animals that have been pre-stunned."
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