Millions of animals are suffering unnecessarily by being slaughtered without stunning to meet religious demands.
That's why we campaign to end religious exemptions to animal welfare laws.
Animal welfare law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter to minimise their pain, suffering and distress. The only exemption is for Jewish and Muslim communities to meet kosher and halal religious dietary preferences.
The scientific consensus is clear that it is more humane to stun an animal prior to slaughter. 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. FAWC concluded that animals slaughtered without pre-stunning are likely to experience "very significant pain and distress".
RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and the British Veterinary Association all support an end to non-stun slaughter to improve animal welfare at the time of death.
- 70% of Brits think stunning animals before slaughtering them is more ethical.
- 72% of the population think food produced from religious non-stun slaughter methods should be clearly labelled.
We support the right to religious freedom. But this is not an absolute right. Religious exemptions shouldn't be made to laws meant to prevent unnecessary animal cruelty.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to end the religious exemption that allows animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Government considering labelling of non-stunned meat
Posted: Thu, 16 Nov 2017 17:44
The Government is considering introducing labelling requirements to ensure consumers know whether halal or kosher meat has been stunned before slaughter, the National Secular Society can reveal.
In a reply to NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans, Lord Gardiner of Kimble, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity, wrote: "This is an issue the Government is considering in the context of the UK's exit from the EU."
"The Government is aware that there is public concern about meat from animals slaughtered in accordance with religious beliefs being sold to consumers who do not require their meat to be prepared in this way," Lord Gardiner wrote.
"There are no domestic or European regulations that require the labelling of halal or kosher meat but where any information of this nature is provided, it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government believes that consumers should have the necessary information available to them to make an informed choice about their food."
The response came after the NSS wrote to Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, last month. The Society highlighted data from the Food Standards Agency, which showed a sharp rise in the number of animals killed without stunning over the last four years.
Mr Evans asked what consideration the Government had given to the idea of labelling either stunned or non-stunned meat, a measure which "would at least allow consumers to make an informed choice".
A previous attempt in 2010 to introduce labelling of non-stunned meat as part of EU food labelling legislation was dropped by European ministers following intense lobbying from Muslim and Jewish groups.
The NSS campaigns for an end to religious exemptions to animal welfare laws, as Mr Evans stressed in the letter. "Whilst we support the right to religious freedom, we recognise that this is not an absolute right, and do not support religious exemptions from animal welfare regulations intended to ensure that farm animals are slaughtered under the most humane conditions possible," he wrote.
While the exemptions exist the NSS has called for clear labelling to meat which is non-stunned.
Lord Gardiner did not indicate a willingness to end the religious exemption to animal welfare laws. "The Government encourages the highest standards of welfare at slaughter and would prefer to see all animals stunned before they are slaughtered for food," he wrote. "However, we also respect the rights of the Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs."
The latest move comes amid concern that hardline interpretations of religious 'law' are being used to justify an increase in animal suffering. Last year the Halal Food Authority, an accreditation body for halal meat which has previously shown a preference for non-stunned meat, introduced a 'stun free' certification to show which of its meat was 'traditional halal'. Its main rival, the Halal Monitoring Committee, only acknowledges meat as halal if it is not stunned before slaughter.
The Government recently announced that mandatory CCTV is to be introduced in all slaughterhouses, with vets being given unrestricted access to the footage. Abattoirs found to be failing welfare standards could face a criminal investigation, the suspension or revocation of staff licenses, or enforcement letters.
Mr Gove said the new plans for mandatory cameras, which are to be phased in this year, would ensure Britain is a "global leader" in animal welfare standards as the country leaves the EU.
And in July the Food Standards Agency announced it will publish quarterly data on the number of abattoirs using non-stun slaughter as well as how many animals are slaughtered without stunning.
The issue has also caused significant local controversies. Last month Lancashire County Council voted to stop supplying non-stunned halal meat to schools, a move the NSS lobbied for. Last week the NSS wrote to Bradford's district council to urge it to follow suit.
Responding to the latest news, Mr Evans said: "The fact that the Government is considering the introduction of method of slaughter labelling is a small but important step. Labelling would at least give consumers who do not wish to eat non-stunned halal or kosher meat the opportunity to avoid it.
"But it is still disappointing that the Government appears unwilling to tackle the religious exemption to the animal welfare laws. We will continue to press for the end of this, in order to protect both animal welfare and the principle of one law for all."
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NSS urges Bradford council to stop supplying un-stunned meat
Posted: Thu, 9 Nov 2017 11:45
The National Secular Society has written to Bradford's district council to urge it to stop supplying un-stunned halal meat in schools and other establishments.
Last month Lancashire County Council voted to stop supplying halal meat from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter to schools. But NSS research has exclusively revealed that Bradford Metropolitan District Council is among those which continue to supply un-stunned halal meat.
Its 87-page halal manual says it is "absolutely essential" that animals slaughtered for halal meat "…must not be stunned, anaesthetised or otherwise rendered wholly or partially insensible before slaughter".
The manual has been written under the guidance of Bradford Council for Mosques and 'Muslim scholars', and contains lengthy discussions on the Qu'ranic definitions of halal. However, animal welfare issues surrounding the non-stun slaughter process are not addressed in the manual. Farming associations, veterinary associations and other authorities on animal welfare do not appear to have been consulted.
Additionally, the council works under the close scrutiny of Bradford Council for Mosques in implementing its halal policies. The manual specifies that "to maintain the confidences of the Muslim community the council welcomes the Council for Mosques and approved Muslim observers to monitor procedures and working practices in school kitchens by prior arrangement with schools." Moreover, whenever the supplier of halal meat changes, "the Council for Mosques must be informed so that approval can be sought and inspection of source/supplier arranged".
In a letter to Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the leader of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, NSS campaigns director Stephen Evans wrote: "It should be noted that halal is not synonymous with non-stun slaughter. In the production of halal meat, pre-stunning is common, both in Muslim majority nations and in the UK.
"Whilst there is no consensus regarding what constitutes halal, the majority of halal meat sold in the UK is from animals stunned before slaughter, indicating that most Muslims accept electrical pre-stunning prior to the cut as being consistent with halal requirements."
Other councils acknowledge that non-stun slaughter is unnecessary and cruel, and for this reason they only supply stunned halal meat to schools. Geoff Driver, the council leader who called for the vote in Lancashire, told the Lancashire Telegraph: "In my view, with modern methods of reversible stunning, there is no need for animals to suffer during slaughter."
And in response to a freedom of information request in 2014, Aberdeen City Council said:
"Our suppliers take animal welfare very seriously. All farmed animals which are slaughtered for their products are done so humanely, in accordance with EU and UK law… Traditional halal slaughter, which forbids the stunning of animals, is a practice which is not accepted by our suppliers on animal welfare grounds."
In response to the latest revelations, Mr Evans added: "Animal welfare issues aside, it is extremely concerning that the council is formulating its policies based on hardline Islamic ideology."
The NSS will continue to investigate the halal policies of councils throughout the UK and contact those that supply non-stunned halal to encourage them to cease.
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