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 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.
NSS challenges government backtracking on non-stun meat labelling
Posted: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 13:58
The National Secular Society has urged the government to rethink its position on non-stun slaughter after a minister appeared to backtrack on requiring meat from unstunned animals to be labelled.
The NSS has written to Theresa Villiers, the environment secretary, after she said the government opposes restrictions on non-stun slaughter, including labelling requirements.
In an interview with Jewish News, published this week, she said the government supports "the right of faith communities to eat according to their own religious beliefs".
She added that she "wouldn't accept labelling changes which could put up the costs of food for the [Jewish] community".
She said she "would not have supported" amendments to an Agriculture Bill, proposed earlier this year in parliament's last session. One of the amendments would have required the labelling of non-stun meat.
And she said the government had "more to do to provide reassurance" to 'faith communities', adding: "I believe, as the new secretary of state, that it is very important for people to be able to follow their faith."
A religious exemption to UK animal welfare legislation currently allows meat to be slaughtered without stunning if it is intended for consumption by Jews or Muslims.
In previous comments since 2017 ministers at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have suggested the government would review labelling requirements.
In its letter the NSS urged the government to end the religious exemption which allows non-stun slaughter, or short of that to introduce labelling requirements and prohibit the export of non-stun meat.
It added that Villiers's statement on labelling "seems to accept that the economic viability of the kosher industry is dependent on non-stun meat being allowed to slip into the general food chain". It noted: "This means non-stun meat is routinely being sold on the general market to unwitting members of the public."
The NSS asked what progress, if any, had been made on reviewing the government's position on labelling requirements.
And the society highlighted figures from the Food Standards Agency which highlighted the extent of non-stun slaughter in England and Wales.
The figures showed that over 94m cattle, sheep and poultry were subject to non-stun slaughter in 2018, and almost a quarter of sheep meat from non-stun slaughter was exported.
Explaining the NSS's letter, chief executive Stephen Evans said: "It's concerning to see a secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs prioritising religious interests over improving animal welfare and providing consumers with accurate information about their products they're buying.
"Theresa Villiers's stated position would mean farm animals continue to endure unnecessary suffering and the principle of one law for all is undermined, diluting efforts to uphold citizens' rights consistently. We're urging the government to reconsider its stance."
Ministers' previous positions
- In a letter to the NSS in March Defra minister David Rutley said the government was "considering labelling in the context of the UK leaving the EU". That echoed a similar line in a letter from John Gardiner to the NSS in 2017.
- In a Lords debate in December 2018 government peer Charlotte Vere also said the government was "committed" to reviewing food labelling "once our future partnership with the EU is clear".
The animal welfare case against non-stun
- Bodies including the Farm Animal Welfare Council (which advises the government) and an EU scientific panel have said slaughter without pre-stunning causes animals excessive distress.
- Animal welfare groups including the British Veterinary Association, Compassion in World Farming and the RSPCA support an end to non-stun slaughter.
Further notes
- The NSS's letter noted that Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which defends the freedom to practice religion, is "a qualified right that can be restricted on reasonable grounds". The NSS said the defence of animal welfare "provides a sufficient justification for ending non-stun slaughter".
- In her remarks Villiers also said a minister in her department who recently called for a free vote on non-stun slaughter would be expected to adhere to "collective responsibility". George Eustice, who is now a junior minister at Defra, made the call as a Conservative backbencher in July.
- Last year NSS research found that meat from animals which have not been stunned before slaughter is widespread in UK supermarkets.
- Theresa Villiers is a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation.
Image: Theresa Villiers, © Chris McAndrew [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
