Religious non-stun slaughter of animals
The National Secular Society has long campaigned for an end to the exemption that allows religious groups to slaughter animals without pre-stunning.
Animal welfare legislation requires all animals to be stunned before slaughter in order to minimise suffering. The only exemption is for religious communities to meet Jewish and Muslim religious requirements.
Research shows that it is more humane to stun an animal prior to slaughter than not to do so. The slaughter of animals without pre-stunning is permitted in the UK despite a recommendation by the Government's own advisory body, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), that the practice should be banned. The FAWC have concluded that animals slaughtered without pre-stunning are likely to experience "very significant pain and distress" before they become unconscious.
Likewise, the EU's Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) have stated that: "Due to the serious animal welfare concerns associated with slaughter without stunning, pre-cut stunning should always be performed."
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe have stated: "FVE is of the opinion that the practice of slaughtering animals without prior stunning is unacceptable under any circumstances".
Whilst we support the right to religious freedom, this is not an absolute right, and we do not think that exemptions should be made on religious grounds to animal welfare regulations which apply without exception to everyone else.
Labelling
Meat from animals slaughtered without pre-stunning is routinely being sold on the general market to unsuspecting members of the public.
For as long as exemptions are granted, we argue that meat from religious slaughter without pre-stunning should be appropriately labelled, enabling consumers to make an informed choice about the food they purchase.
The current absence of labelling of such meat deprives consumers of information key to their purchase and consequently also serves to fuel the demand for meat from slaughter without stunning.
To find out more about the issue read our Religious Slaughter Campaign FAQ and our Religious Slaughter Briefing Paper.
Ritual Slaughter of Animals Briefing (PDF, 240 Kb)
Take action!
Sign the petition to end non-stun slaughter
The NSS is backing a petition by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to end non-stun slaughter of animals to improve animal welfare.
Contact your MP
Using this briefing to inform your letter, please contact your MP/AM/MSP to let them know that you oppose exemptions from animal welfare legislation that permits slaughter without pre-stunning.
Please ask them to support any proposals that ensure that meat from animals slaughtered without pre-stunning, is clearly labelled.
Please send any replies you receive to admin@secularism.org.uk
Related News
NSS slams government for backtracking on non-stun slaughter labels
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:11
Defra consultation on "fairer food labelling" omits slaughter, despite 97% supporting labels for slaughter method.
Wales Green Party drops pledge to ban non-stun slaughter
Posted: Wed, 8 Nov 2023 15:30
Members vote to monitor slaughter "without prejudice towards minority religious and cultural groups".
Clear support for mandatory labels for non-stun meat, report finds
Posted: Thu, 1 Sep 2022 10:02
There is significant support for mandatory labels for meat from animals slaughtered without stunning, a government report suggests.
The report published this week found nearly 97% of responses to question in a Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) consultation on labelling said the government should introduce mandatory labelling for meat to indicate the method of slaughter. There were over 1,400 responses to this question.
The National Secular Society also supported mandatory labelling for non-stun slaughtered meat in its response to the consultation last year.
Non-stun slaughter: Animal welfare concerns
Defra said many respondents argued there was a need for mandatory labelling on meat to indicate whether the animal had been stunned prior to slaughter so consumers can "make informed purchases in line with their values".
Some asserted consumers' right to avoid purchasing non-stun meat "out of concern for animal welfare".
Animal welfare legislation requires all animals to be stunned before slaughter to minimise avoidable pain, distress, or suffering. The only exemption is for religious communities to meet Jewish and Muslim religious dietary preferences for kosher and halal meat. The religious exemption has been widely criticised by secularist and animal welfare organisations.
Despite the majority of Brits supporting an end to religious exemptions for stunning, there is no legal requirement for meat from animals slaughtered without stunning to be labelled as such.
Polling last year found over 70% Brits think food produced from religious non-stun slaughter methods should be clearly labelled.
All animals killed for kosher meat are slaughtered without stunning. While the majority of animals slaughtered for halal meat are stunned, a significant proportion are not.
Some parts of animals killed by Jewish ritual slaughter methods (shechita) are not themselves regarded as kosher and are sold on the general market unlabelled. It has been estimated that less than half of the meat from animals slaughtered by shechita is sold in kosher shops, according to the RSPCA.
Additionally, figures published by Defra last month found over half of all cows slaughtered by shechita during a survey were rejected as not meeting religious requirements but "fit for wider consumption".
Some respondents who opposed labelling to indicate the method of slaughter "voiced concerns that labelling might present problems for Kosher and Halal supply chains".
Defra concluded "there is public appetite for improved welfare labelling" to help overcome barriers to purchasing products produced to high welfare standards. It said the government will "co-develop proposals for labelling welfare standards with stakeholders" prior to a further consultation in 2023.
NSS: Labelling of non-stun meat "essential"
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "The overwhelming support for compulsory labelling of slaughter method for meat gives the government a clear mandate to act.
"Recent figures reveal an outrageous amount of non-stun meat is entering the general market unlabelled, despite most Brits opposing this slaughter method on animal welfare grounds.
"Ultimately, religious exemptions from laws meant to protect animals from unnecessary cruelty should be revoked. But while those exemptions remain, it is essential that meat from animals slaughtered without stunning is clearly labelled as such so consumers can choose to avoid such products".
Policy could drive up non-stun meat in public sector, NSS warns
Posted: Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:24
Policy changes could lead to more meat from animals slaughtered without stunning supplied in the public sector, the NSS has warned.
Over half of kosher-slaughtered cows rejected by Jewish authorities
Posted: Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:16
The NSS has called for mandatory labelling for non-stun meat as figures suggest over half of all kosher-slaughtered cows may end up on the general market.
