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
States may restrict non-stun slaughter on welfare grounds, ECJ rules
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020 10:54
The EU's highest court, the European Court of Justice, has ruled that states subject to its jurisdiction may ban non-stun slaughter on animal welfare grounds.
In a ruling published on Thursday the ECJ said states may require all animals to be stunned before slaughter, including those slaughtered according to religious rites for kosher or halal meat.
The court upheld laws introduced in the Flemish region of Belgium and said restricting non-stun was not an undue infringement of the right to religious freedom, provided it was conducted for a legitimate purpose.
The court also noted a scientific consensus that prior stunning was the optimal means of reducing an animal's suffering at the time of slaughter. This backed up the similar case made by a range of animal welfare bodies.
The case
The Flemish region removed religious exemptions from its laws requiring all animals to be stunned before slaughter in 2017, in order to "eliminate all avoidable animal suffering".
The change in law requires animals slaughtered according to religious rites to receive a "reversible, non-lethal" stun, which it says achieves a balance between the protection of animal welfare and freedom of religion.
Several religious groups challenged the prohibition, claiming that it infringed the freedom of Jews and Muslims to slaughter animals for consumption according to religious teachings.
Freedom of religion is enshrined in Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, but this freedom may be limited in certain circumstances.
Animal welfare
EU regulations require animals to be stunned before slaughter because scientific studies show this reduces their suffering. However, member states are given the flexibility to make exceptions to this law for animals slaughtered according to religious rites.
The court said that because societies attach "increasing importance" to animal welfare, it may be taken into account "to a greater extent" in the context of ritual slaughter and help to justify laws that prohibit non-stun slaughter in EU countries.
The Belgian ban on non-stun slaughter therefore struck a "fair balance" between the importance of animal welfare and the freedom of Jews and Muslims to manifest their religion.
Furthermore, the ban did not prevent Jews or Muslims from obtaining meat imported from countries that permit non-stun slaughter, the court found.
NSS reaction
The National Secular Society, which campaigns for religious exemptions to UK animal welfare laws to be repealed, described the ruling as "reasonable and sensible".
A spokesperson for the NSS said: "This ruling is a reminder that religious freedom is a qualified right, and it can be limited where it causes unnecessary animal suffering.
"The government in the UK should take note and look again at the case made by a wide range of animal welfare groups for addressing the unnecessary cruelty caused by non-stun slaughter."
Non-stun in the UK
- Animal welfare legislation in the UK requires all animals to be stunned before slaughter in order to minimise suffering. There is an exemption is for religious communities to meet Jewish and Muslim religious dietary preferences.
- There is also no requirement for non-stun meat to be labelled. The NSS argues that, short of a repeal of the religious exemption that allows non-stun slaughter, labelling should be introduced.
- In 2019 it emerged that a large proportion of non-stun sheep meat is exported.
- In 2018 NSS research found that non-stun meat was widespread in UK supermarkets and at least 17 councils were supplying non-stun halal meat to schools.
Note: the ECJ and Brexit
- The ECJ is not expected to have jurisdiction over UK laws from 1 January, when the Brexit transition period ends.
Read a summary of the ruling on the Law & Religion UK blog.
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay.
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.
