All slaughterhouses in England will be required to install closed-circuit television as a step toward strengthening and enforcing animal welfare standards throughout the nation. This will give veterinarians unrestricted access to footage in all areas where animals are unloaded, stunned and killed.
Violators of the standards will face consequences including a welfare enforcement notice, suspending or revoking staff licenses, or even referral for a criminal investigation.
“We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and the actions I am setting out today will reinforce our status as a global leader,” said Environment Secretary Michael Gove. “As we prepare to leave the [European Union], these measures provide a further demonstration to consumers around the world that our food is produced to the very highest standards.”
The demand for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses is nothing new, however, as animal welfare groups have been calling for such a measure for years. Animal welfare organization Animal Aid has secretly filmed inside 13 slaughterhouses since 2011. Twelve of them were found to be breaking the law, as animals in the video footage suffered deliberate, horrible abuses. Animals were kicked, slapped, stomped on and thrown. Recordings showed pigs burned with cigarettes, conscious sheep having their throats hacked and animals being improperly stunned and electrocuted. Animal Aid has also been running a campaign called ‘Say Yes to Slaughterhouse CCTV‘.
Animal Aid
Other organizations, including the British Veterinary Association, Farm Animal Welfare Committee, Food Standards Agency and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have expressed their support for mandatory CCTV. FSA Chairman Heather Hancock stated, “I and the Board of the FSA warmly welcome [the] consultation about making CCTV mandatory. We look forward to the introduction of a comprehensive requirement for using, accessing and retaining footage from CCTV in abattoirs.”
Animal Aid
While this proposal is indeed a step in the right direction for animal welfare, there is no humane way to kill an animal that does not want to die. Director of Animal Aid Isobel Hutchinson said, “After many years of campaigning for mandatory, independently monitored CCTV in slaughterhouses, we are greatly encouraged by this news. But although this development is a huge step forward, we urge the public to remember that even when the law is followed to the letter, slaughter is a brutal and pitiless business that can never be cruelty-free.”
Make sure the person/people who monitor these cameras are reliable people and don’t try to cover up what the cameras are showing. All animals should have free range and be able to enjoy what life they can have before they are slaughtered. What sense does it make to torture them and treat them inhumanely as well. I can’t believe the hearts of some human beings. Which is why It doesn’t bother me that I don’t associate with many people anymore.
THIS STILL DOESN’T MAKE ME FEEL BETTER
CCTV in slaughter houses has to happen & those found guilty of any abuse must be severely punished
Slaughter houses should be made illegal. There are so many other ways for humans to obtain protein rather than killing all these animals that GOD placed on this Earth with us. These animals are innocent and deserve respect by humanity.
have you noticed that GOD upside down give DOG ? amazing isn’t it ? All living beings are the God’s creatures and nobody deserves this kind of treatment !!!!
Video control, 24/7, is the only way to reduce animal abuse in slaughterhouses: should be mandatory by law in every slaughterhouse since yesterday…
CCTV cameras are a necessity to stop violent people hurting the animals, it is barbaric and inhuman and has no place in a civilised world
I agree completely with you !!! France must do the same thing !!! this barbaric way of killing the animals for eat has not place in our civilised world !!! the world changes !!! the people change !!! so the behavior must change too !! what was allowed before, has no place now !!! we are thinking to look for another sign of life out our our galaxy, and we are unable to respect the life on our EARTH !!! this a big shame for the whole humanity to tolerate this !!! this cruel way of killing the livestock and horrible condition of wellfarming d’animal are disgusting and do not give the will to eat the meat of the animals killed in this way ! personally I do not eat the meat after seeing what happens in french abattoirs !! we produce so much meat that almost quarter is lost and not sold !!! it’s nonesense !! we too, we have to change our manner of eating !! it’s horrible ! hope that soon all countries adopt the camera system in their abattoirs !!!
one word BRAVO !!! now, France must do the same !!!!!
It is better not to eat any animal!!
I always have said, and always will say; animals that we slaughter to eat should lead lives of pleasure for the short time they have on this planet. Why keep them in tiny, filthy cages for their whole lives in some cases? Let them run free in pastures, they aren’t going anywhere. Chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc. too, they don’t run away, they always come home to roost, let them go out and enjoy their short lives while they can. Animals love life, they love running and playing, and they should be able to. I would think that the meat would taste better too, if the donors led happy lives. Veal should be outlawed, calves should be able to grow to adulthood, at least. And newborn baby chicks; treat them kindly and you wouldn’t be killing so many before they can even grow up. If I get fried chicken and the wings are all broken; that tells me that the poor chicken was raised horribly, maybe in a cage their whole life. That’s no way to treat any living thing, especially when it’s not required.
The GALARNEAU FAMILY believes all slaughter houses need hidden cameras. It’s bad enough the animals are going to be killed for human consumption. The mammals should be humanely killed, and the company’s that don’t get on board should be held accountable. Its one of the worst jobs held by individuals whom enjoy the persecution of other creatures. Some individuals are forced into this work because the pay scale is higher. We want to THANK ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHOM REPORTED ABUSE, TORTURE AND ALL OTHER ATROCITIES, OUR FAMILY COMMENFS YOU.
TIME FOR CORPORATIONS TO STEP UP AND STOP TURNING THEIR HEADS. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS HORRIFIC UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
NAMASTE????
THE GALARNEAU FAMILY
Years and years ago, industry expert Temple Grandin stated that ALL US slaughterhouses NEEDED video cameras and they needed to be monitored by outside entities – because NO US slaughterhouse follows the Humane Slaughter Act, ALL commit horrible abuses to these animals who give their lives to feed us humans. If it was a company that manufactured TVs, do you think physically abusing the TVs would be tolerated? Of Course not – so why is abusing these animals, which are at this point a commerical product, allowed? Grandin also said that these acts of abuse are a direct reflection of MANAGEMENT. Pretty sad state of affairs when grown adults can’t manage to process living animals into food for the supermarket without violently attacking and abusing them for pleasure first. We live in a sick, sick, society.
Lets change the rules,lets support the animals for once!..these animals have feelings as well as we do as humans…we’d be put behind bars n charged if we treated each other like they do animals…stop the violence at all cost..lets say no more!!!!..do things in a humane way…it’s 2017 for pete sake!..put cameras in their space,let’s check these bastards!!!
All slaughter houses everywhere should be outfitted with cameras. In many of them you think people who are hired to work are told its okay to abuse the animals because it happens too frequent to just go unnoticed. Time that legislation catches up to the 21st century and starts protecting all animals everywhere. Stop kissing big businesses asses.