Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Non-stun slaughter
The petition of residents of the UK,
Declares that animals killed by having their throats cut
while fully conscious is unacceptable; further that animals
should not be made to suffer such profound trauma in the
name of religion; further that this method of slaughter
runs counter to any belief in compassion and mercy; further
that animals should be stunned before they are slaughtered;
further that, Shechita slaughter does not allow animals to
be stunned before they are slaughtered; further that, when
the Holy Prophet was alive, modern stunning methods did not
exist; further that the Food Research Institute states that
killing an animal before it is bled out by high voltage
electrical stunning does not affect the amount of blood
from the carcass; and further that this petition relates to
e-petition 131591.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons
to debate non-stun slaughter.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented to the House but not read on the
Floor, Official Report, 22 May 2019; Vol. 660, c.
8P.]
Observations from the
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (David Rutley):
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal
welfare and would prefer all animals to be stunned before
slaughter, but is committed to respecting the rights
of Jews and Muslims to eat meat
prepared in accordance with their beliefs.
The European Council Regulation 1099/2009, on the
protection of animals at the time of killing, sets out the
main requirements for slaughter including a requirement
that all animals are stunned by a permitted method before
slaughter. The EU regulation includes a derogation from
stunning for religious slaughter and also allows individual
member states to impose stricter national rules for
religious slaughter.
In England, the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing
(England) Regulations 2015 (WATOK) enforce the EU
requirements and contain stricter national rules that apply
when animals are slaughtered by either the Jewish or Muslim
method.
National regulations on religious slaughter have a long
history. Religious slaughter was first debated in
Parliament in 1875. The Slaughter of Animals Act 1933
introduced a legal requirement for stunning of animals
prior to slaughter, and contained an exemption where
animals were slaughtered for specific religious
communities. Over the years, the rules governing religious
slaughter have developed to provide additional protection
for animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites
and have maintained the long standing exception
for Jews and Muslims to eat meat
prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Animal welfare requirements are monitored and enforced by
official veterinarians of the food standards agency to
ensure that animals are spared unnecessary pain, suffering
or distress during the slaughter process.
The Government are aware that there is public concern about
meat from animals being slaughtered in accordance with
religious beliefs being sold to consumers who do not
require their meat to be prepared in this way and that
there are calls for such meat to be labelled. The
Government believes that consumers should have the
necessary information available to them to make an informed
choice about their food. This is an issue the Government
are considering in the context of the UK leaving the EU.
The Government are currently engaging with religious
communities and other stakeholders on issues around
religious slaughter, including consumer transparency.
