Government points verdict on Halal slaughter as petition passes milestone | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The Government has responded to a petition calling for a ban on non-stun animal slaughter. The on-line doc arrange by Chris Fulgoni has garnered greater than 25,000 signatures, and on the time of writing has 26,262 supporters. It reads: “Ban non-stun slaughter. We think it is cruel and causes unnecessary harm to the animals being slaughtered/butchered.” The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated in a response on February 10: “The Government prefers all animals to be stunned before slaughter.

“The regulation established in 1933 respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat ready in accordance with their non secular beliefs. The Government encourages the very best requirements of animal welfare at slaughter and would favor all animals to be shocked earlier than slaughter. However, we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat ready in accordance with their non secular beliefs. The Government, subsequently, has no plans to ban slaughter with out beautiful.”

It added: “The first nationwide legislative requirement for beautiful earlier than slaughter in England and Wales was the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933. The Act additionally launched an exception from the requirement to stun when animals are slaughtered in accordance with non secular rites, for the meals of Muslims and Jews.

“Over the years, the rules governing religious slaughter have developed to provide additional protection to animals slaughtered without stunning. These rules ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering or distress during the slaughter process.”

It comes after Mark Weekes, 60, a sheep farmer north of Exeter in Devon, advised The Express in June: “When we’ve cared for these animals for their entire lives and put blood sweat and tears into looking after them, many, many farmers don’t really want to think about that.

“We have to consider it, as a result of it is a part of our enterprise, and I do imagine that, if any farmer has any probability to stroll a abattoir manufacturing line, they need to.

“Because it reveals respect to these animals. But finally, I drop my lambs to slaughter, and it is fairly an emotional factor to do.

“So, shifting on from there, it is good to assume that they’ve the most effective dying they will have.

“Which is probably what we’d all hope for, isn’t it? To have the best death we can have.”

Non-stunned halal is on the up, he added.

Mr Weekes stated: “I completely understand and appreciate that halal slaughtered lamb is a massive, massive trade for UK sheep, and I completely understand and respect people’s want to have properly slaughtered halal meat.”

Brits must have a “really sensible, grown-up conversation about it”, the farmer added, “and really drill into the pros and cons of both systems”.

“I’m fairly certain that most of the general public wouldn’t be comfortable with non-stunned slaughter,” Mr Weekes stated.