RSPCA responds to new proposals that aim to reduce suffering at slaughter

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Wednesday, 24, Sep 2008 12:00

The RSPCA have cautiously welcomed new proposals to overhaul current EU rules on animal slaughter, which include improvements such as introducing animal welfare officers in slaughterhouses.

However the Society warned that some provisions do not go far enough to ensure animal welfare, and added that failure to amend other existing rules will result in continuing risk of serious suffering.

The planned revision of EU Commission directive [on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing] states that all staff working with animals would have to undergo competence assessments and any new methods, equipment and technologies must be evaluated before they can be used. However, smaller slaughterhouses would be exempt from some of the provisions.

Dr Julia Wrathall, head of RSPCA Farm Animal Science, said: “The proposals are a positive step in the right direction and will benefit millions of animals. It is encouraging that these plans give the industry more responsibility for assuring animal welfare “

Under the proposals an animal welfare office must be available at all times when there are live animals on the premises and would have the authority to take whatever action necessary to safeguard the welfare of animals.

“This is particularly important in terms of welfare and we believe the suffering of animals will be reduced by having well-trained staff and animal welfare officers supervising the treatment of animals in the slaughterhouse,” added Wrathall.

Although the Commission proposals would, overall, be a significant improvement on the current directive, the RSPCA, alongside Eurogroup for Animals -[a group representing animal welfare organisations across the EU] believe there is scope to reduce suffering at slaughter even further.

For example, under the Directive’s revised recommendations, disease culling provisions would move away from a “traditional prescriptive approach” to a “flexible option” for member states.

This is a concern, say the RSPCA, as it could mean member states would not have to devote as many resources to ensuring humane methods of mass killing for disease control than if they were required to meet the prescribed standards recommended by the European Food Safety Authority.

Killing without stunning would also still be permitted and there would be no further assessment of existing methods of stunning and killing, although any new methods would be subject to scrutiny.

Sonja Van Tichelen, director of Eurogroup for Animals, said: “It is unacceptable in a civilised society that animals have to suffer in their final moments. So much of their suffering can be avoided or decreased by having well-trained staff and by using appropriate stunning techniques.”

Notes for editors:

· This week (22-27 September) is the RSPCA’s Freedom Food Farm Animal Week, which aims to raise greater awareness amongst consumers of the importance of good farm animal welfare.

· During the week the RSPCA is urging consumers, wherever possible, to buy higher welfare products such as Freedom Food, free-range or organic.

· The distinctive Freedom Food logo found on a range of meat, chicken, salmon and dairy products gives consumers the reassurance that the product they are buying has come from a farm that has been assessed to the RSPCA’s strict welfare standards.

· And not only that, the farm has been subject to random spot checks by the RSPCA’s farm livestock officers and has also been transported and slaughtered (where necessary) to the RSPCA’s strict welfare standards.

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099 Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 0870 0555500 and ask for pager number 828825

Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk