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
NSS criticises lack of transparency over non-stun slaughter
Posted: Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:03
The National Secular Society has warned of an "unacceptable lack of transparency" after the Food Standards Agency stopped publishing data on the number of animals being slaughtered without pre-stunning.
In a letter to the environment secretary George Eustice, the NSS has highlighted the fact the FSA has stopped publishing the data in quarterly reports on animal welfare non-compliances.
In correspondence with the society, the FSA said data on animals slaughtered by stun, non-stun and combined methods was "no longer collected".
UK law requires that farm animals are stunned before slaughter, with an exemption for non-stun kosher or halal meat to meet Jewish and Muslim religious dietary preferences.
NSS letter
In the NSS's letter, its chief executive Stephen Evans said the lack of data "amounts to an unacceptable lack of transparency over a serious animal welfare issue".
He noted that the 2019 Conservative party manifesto pledged to raise standards in animal welfare, adding: "A failure to closely monitor and report non-stun slaughter figures will represent a huge step backwards that will undermine both animal welfare and public trust."
He said surveys had suggested a sharp rise in non-stun slaughter in the last decade, adding that it was "of serious concern if greater numbers of our animals are being subjected to unnecessary suffering".
He added that the non-stun slaughter industry was "already fraught with transparency issues" because there is no requirement to label meat which has not been pre-stunned.
NSS comment
Explaining the letter, Mr Evans said: "Non-stun slaughter causes avoidable pain and distress to animals. While non-stun slaughter is permitted, no more animals than necessary to meet religious demand should be slaughtered without prior stunning.
"The government must ensure that meat from non-stun slaughter is not sold to markets it is not intended for. Without accurate labelling and data on the number of animals being slaughtered without pre-stunning, it's impossible to ensure this targeting of supply occurs, and unsuspecting members of the public don't have meat from non-stun slaughter foisted upon them.
"The government should seek to reduce and ultimately end non-stun slaughter. And in the meantime it should ensure this data remains available as a point of democratic principle, so the public can remain informed about the impact of deeply contentious policy."
Previous FSA findings on non-stun
- The FSA's 2018 slaughter method survey revealed that more than 94m cattle, sheep and poultry were slaughtered without being stunned first that year, and a significant proportion of the meat was exported.
- The survey revealed that nearly a quarter (24%) of sheep meat that wasn't stunned before slaughter was exported from the UK.
- The figures also showed that 71% of sheep slaughtered in the UK are killed by a halal method (stun or non-stun). Around five per cent of the UK population is Muslim.
- The FSA has now said it's "not aware" if the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the Welsh government plan to hold another slaughter method survey in future.
The government's position
- Last year the previous environment secretary, Theresa Villiers, said the government opposed restrictions on non-stun slaughter, including labelling requirements.
The NSS's campaign on non-stun slaughter
- The NSS campaigns for the repeal of the religious exemption which allows non-stun slaughter. While the exemption exists, the NSS argues for the labelling of meat from non-stun slaughter to inform consumer choice.
- NSS research has previously found that non-stun slaughter is widespread in UK supermarkets and at least 17 councils supply non-stun halal meat to schools.
Support for an end to non-stun
- The Farm Animal Welfare Council (a government advisory body), the EU's Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe are among those who have said non-stun slaughter causes unnecessary suffering in recent years.
- The RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and the British Veterinary Association all work to end non-stun slaughter to improve animal welfare at the time of death.
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay.
Government expects “industry” to inform consumers on non-stun meat
Posted: Thu, 31 Oct 2019 17:22
The government has said it expects food producers and outlets to give consumers information on meat from non-stun slaughter – but has denied backtracking on requiring the meat to be labelled.
In a letter to the National Secular Society, a minister said the government "expects the industry… to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices".
An exemption to the animal welfare laws allows animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning for religious reasons, to meet the dietary preferences of some Jews and Muslims.
Animal welfare experts and campaigners widely support repealing the exemption, or mitigating its impact by requiring meat from non-stun slaughter to be labelled.
Since 2017 ministers have repeatedly suggested the government would consider requiring meat from non-stun slaughter to be labelled in the context of the UK's exit from the EU.
The government has also acknowledged "public concern" that meat from non-stun slaughter is sold to "consumers who do not require their meat to be prepared in this way".
But last month environment secretary Theresa Villiers told Jewish News she "wouldn't accept labelling changes". The NSS wrote to her to challenge her position after the remarks were published.
In response Zac Goldsmith – a minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – has now claimed the government's position on the issue has "not changed".
He also said the government "respects religious freedoms" and has "no intention of banning religious slaughter". It made no reference to any commitment to review labelling requirements.
NSS spokesperson Chris Sloggett described the government's position as "a cop-out" and said the society would urge the next government to repeal the legal exemption allowing non-stun slaughter.
"It seems clear the government's position has changed, despite its claims to the contrary.
"The legal exemption allowing animals to be subjected to non-stun slaughter for religious reasons should end as soon as possible, to protect animal welfare and uphold the principle of one law for all. If ministers are committed to retaining it, labelling requirements would mitigate the damage and allow consumers to make informed choices.
"Expecting the non-stun slaughter industry to provide accurate information for all consumers, despite the fact that doing so is not in its interests, can generously be described as naïve."
Notes
- Experts including the Farm Animal Welfare Council (a government advisory body), an EU scientific panel and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe have criticised non-stun slaughter.
- Campaigners including the RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and the British Veterinary Association support an end to non-stun slaughter.
- Last year NSS research revealed that at least 17 councils were supplying non-stun halal meat to schools.
- Last year NSS research found that meat from animals which have not been stunned before slaughter was widespread in UK supermarkets.
- Labour peer Ann Mallalieu raised the government's backtracking in the House of Lords earlier this month.
Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay.
