AGR Belgrade Serbia May 2011

Transcription

1 Differing European approaches to the role of legislation and guidelines in stray dog control Workshop on Practical implementation of EU Legislation on the animal welfare at time of slaughter and killing AGR Belgrade Serbia May 2011

2 Differing European approaches to the role of legislation and guidelines in stray dog control Workshop on Practical implementation of EU Legislation on the animal welfare at time of slaughter and killing AGR Belgrade Serbia May 2011 Religious Slaughtering ( British view) David G Pritchard Davidgeorgepritchard@gmail.com

3 Religious slaughter (British experience ) David G. Pritchard Senior Veterinary Consultant Animal Welfare, davidgeorgepritchard@gmail,com Workshop on Practical implementation of EU Legislation on the animal welfare at time of slaughter and killing AGR Belgrade Serbia 2324 May

4 Overview History and DIALREL SHECHITA Jewish beliefs and customs HALAL Moslem beliefs an customs JHATKA Shikh Beliefs and customs UK Ban of rotating cage Slaughter outside abattoirs 1999 FAWC report 2004 Research conciousness EEG, VEP bleeding out,,sight of other animals, 4

5 History (UK/EU) Religious slaughter without prior stunning (SWPS) 1967 Slaughter of Poultry Act and 1974 The Slaughterhouses Act continued to allow religious slaughter without stunning EU Directive 74/ FAWC established Research on period to sensibility EEG VEP SEP and blood loss, handling stress in restraint pens 1984 Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984 Slaughter of pigs ( Anaesthesia) ( Amendments ) Regulations 1985 FAWC report on slaughter by religious methods 1987 Government response to FAWC Report 1990 Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions ) Regulations Banned rotary casting pens 1990 Slaughter of Poultry (Humane Conditions ) Regulations 1993 EU Directive 93/199National rules for SWPS Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 ban rotary crates The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 Prohibition against slaughter by a religious method elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse 2003 FAWC report on slaughter and killing part 1 red meat animals 2005 Government response to FAWC report 2009 EU Regulation on slaughter 5 and killing National Rules for Religious slaughter

6 Slaughter without pre stunning Globally Switzerland banned in 1893 Sweden, Austria Australia Banned Finland require immediate post cut stun New Zealand Shechita require post cut stun within 10 secs ( 5 secs 2009) Halal 1979 all exports of sheep meat to Middle east pre-stunned ( Muslim authorities accept electrical head only stun providing that it renders animal temporarily unconscious. Head only stun of O.5 to 0.9 Amps for 3 seconds is performed with major blood vessels severed within 6 seconds) 1099/2009/EU = National rules for religious slaughter 6 ( Article 13 of Treaty of Lisbon 2010)

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8 DIALREL - Religious slaughter, improving knowledge and expertise through dialogue and debate on issues of welfare, legislation and socioeconomic aspects

9 DIALREL workpackages WP1. Religion, Legislation and Animal Welfare: Conflicting Standards WP2. Religious slaughter: Evaluation of current practices WP3. Halal consumer and consumption issues WP4. Concerns, knowledge and information in the general public WP5. Promotion of the debate and dissemination activities

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13 Jewish beliefs and customs Torah -Bible Old testament Care of animals Specific instructions re killing methods Talmud (Oral Law of Judaism), Orthodox and Unorthodox groups Rabbinical Commission for licensing of Shochetim London Board for Shechita Training Beit Din Rabbinical authority for shochetim BELIEFS Animals must be treated with respect Animal must not have suffered during life Animal must not be damaged before bleeding Heart must beat to ensure full bleeding 13

14 Jewish beliefs and customs Rabbi Religious leader of one or more synagogues Shochet - Jew specifically trained in Jewish slaughter methods Chalaf- specific knife used by Shochet Shechita act of slaughter Meat inspection - Search - Shochet's method of inspection of body cavities for signs of suffering Porging removal of forbidden tissues veins, lymphatics, sciatic nerves from hindquarters Kosher fit for human consumption Trefa not fit for human consumption 14

15 Jewish beliefs (Dialrel) Within Judaism although the consumption of meat is permissible, man is viewed as responsible for the well being of those animals under his control. In Jewish religious law, Halacha, one of the general principles is the prohibition of tza ar ba alei chayim causing anguish to living beings. The requirements of shechita, the method of slaughter to permit meat in Jewish law, must be understood against this background.

16 Jewish beliefs (Dialrel). They are part of a corpus of religious laws that govern kosher food. In Hebrew the word kosher means fit, ritually permitted, clean or in accordance with the rules and shechita is a crucial step in the production of kosher meat.

17 Shechita is the Jewish religious humane method of animal slaughter for food. The Torah (Bible) tells us that God instructed Moses in the laws of shechita, that Jews must only use this humane method of animal slaughter if they are to eat meat. the Talmud (Oral Law of Judaism), Tractate Chullin, Mishneh Torah of Maimonides, the Shulchan Oruch: Yoreh Deah (Codes of Jewish Law) by Rabbi Joseph Karo, of which 28 sections sub-divided into 156 regulations, in addition to commentaries, deal with shechita. 17

18 Licensing Shochetim (GB) In the UK, a Shochet must hold two licences, one issued by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) and the other by the Rabbinical Commission for the Licensing of Shochetim. This Commission is a statutory body established by Parliament and governed by Schedule 12 to The Welfare of Animals [Slaughter or Killing] Regulations A Shochet is examined annually by the Commission, and must apply for renewal of his license every 12 months. 1099/2009/EU requires revision to Licensing 18

19 Five Halachic requirements for the Shochet There are five Halachic requirements that the shochet is obliged to ensure in the performance of shechita, (Shulchan Oruch, Yoreh De.ah: 23): a) there should be no interruption of the incision (Shehiya); b) there should be no pressing of the chalaf against the neck (Derasa), this would exclude use of a guillotine; c) the chalaf should not be covered by the hide of cattle, wool of sheep or feathers of birds (Chalada), and therefore the chalaf has to be of adequate length; d) the incision must be at the appropriate site to sever the major structures and vessels at the neck (Hagrama); e) there must be no tearing of the vessels before or during the shechita process (Ikkur). 19

20 Shochet inspecting the chalaf 20

21 Inversion pen ( USA) Rotary pens banned in UK 1990 Dunn CS ( 1990) found rotary pens more stressful than upright restraint Vet Rec Copyright Rabbi Dovid Bendory. All rights reserved

22 Cincinnati (ASPCA) PEN illustrating the proper cattle position for upright restraint Principles of restraint ( Grandin 2000) 1. Block vision. Slow steady 2. movement 3. Optimum pressure 4. Do not trigger righting reflex by comfortable upright position TIP Belly lift must not lift animal from floor but just support it ( 71 Cms ) 22

23 Use of Conveyor for up right restraint Center track restrainers being used for ritual slaughter. The animal is being restrained in a very humane manner, comfortably upright. A person can hold the head of calves and sheep. For adult cattle, a mechanical head holding device is used. 23

24 Why stunning is not allowed Apart from the halachic prohibition against the above methods of stunning, there is no conclusive evidence that these methods render an animal insensible to pain. There is evidence that they are only paralysed, and thus prevented from displaying their pain. Furthermore when the captive bolt method or electrical stunning fails, as it does in a significant percentage of cases, it causes considerable additional suffering and distress to the animal. Shechita produces an effective and irreversible stun as well as being a humane and efficient slaughter method. Divinely ordained like Brit milah (circumcision) without anaesthetic ( Alderman 1995) 24

25 Legal support for shechita It is noteworthy that since 1928, shechita has been protected by various enactments of primary and secondary legislation. Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, now incorporated into British law, protects freedom of religious belief and practice. In the United States and Canada, the humaneness of shechita is acknowledged in the Humane Methods of Animal Slaughter Legislation. 25

26 Is shechita painless? Yes. Jews believe that God, who is merciful and compassionate would only provide for a merciful and compassionate method of dispatch for his creatures. The Torah is the first systematic legislation which forbids cruelty to animals and mandates that they be treated with consideration and respect. Judaism demands the humane treatment of animals. Shechita has been scientifically shown to be painless because the animal is rendered 26 unconscious by this humane method.

27 Why can't shechita be adapted to account for modern developments in animal slaughter techniques? The Jewish laws pertaining to shechita are precisely geared to the dictates of animal welfare. Other 'modern' methods may serve to assuage the feelings of the observer. Animal welfare organisations and veterinarians have complained continually about the ineffectiveness of other methods and how the animal regains consciousness while being killed. Often animals have to be re-shot or re-electrocuted because the stun was ineffective first time round, causing unnecessary suffering. Shechita avoids such problems because there are no mechanical or electrical parts to go wrong. Shechita stuns and dispatches in one action, and the manner in which it stuns is irreversible. The laws of shechita may be old, but they are not outmoded. 27

28 PORGING and sale of hind quarters of kosher meat For the hindquarters of kosher mammals are to be eaten by Jews, they must be 'porged' - removal of forbidden tissues veins, lymphatics, sciatic nerves from hindquarters in accordance with a strict procedure. Because of the expense of porging and the skill required to properly separate out the forbidden parts, a large portion of the meat of kosher mammals slaughtered through shechita in the ends up on the non-kosher market. 28

29 Issues with Shechita Stress of restraining methods Pain perception during and after incision Latency to onset of complete insensibility 29

30 Moslem beliefs and customs Koran and other texts such as Sharia law No specific requirements for slaughter methods Strong Oral Tradition maintained by and Imams which lay down differing slaughter requirements. Wide variety of Moslem communities e.g. Shia, Sunni groups which differ in extent of adoption of HALAL standards Local Islamic authorities (Muftis) decide if acts and thought conform to Islamic (Sharia) law 30

31 Moslem terms Halal is an Arabic word, which means permissible In connection with food, it means food that Muslims are permitted to consume under Islamic Shariah Law.. In addition to this lexical and technical meaning the word is loaded with overtones of provided by God, Tayyab (wholesome, good); Haram, which means prohibited by God, (unwholesome, foul). 31

32 Halal The Arabic word (Halal) means lawful. In the Holy Quran,Allah commands Muslims and all of mankind to eat of the Halal things. Among the many verses of the Quran that convey this message, here are a few: O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you. (2:168) The Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) incorporates The London Central Mosque and was established in

33 Religious rules and requirements Halal slaughter(dialrel) Provision and consumption of meat for Muslim communities is an essential part of the religious life and certain conditions must be met so that the meat is lawful, Halal. If the treatment and slaughter of meat animals do not meet the criteria then the meat may be regarded as unlawful, Haram.

34 Religious rules and requirements Halal slaughter(dialrel). Some species such as pigs, carnivorous animals and carrions are forbidden. Rules relating to Halal slaughter are based on i) The Holy Quran; ii) Sunnah and Hadith and iii) Views of religious scholars.

35 Muslim organisations Local Islamic authority- Muftis Certifications of abattoirs and Halal foods Halal Monitoring Authority (HMC) 2003 Halal Food Authority (HFA) 35

36 ICC 36

37 Halal meat consumption in UK Islam is the worlds second largest religion, and also the fastest growing, both globally and in Europe. Approximately 8 million Muslim in Europe, and the fast increasing Muslim population in Britain currently about 1.6 Million Muslim, and the worldwide Muslim population is over 1.4 billion Today, Halal meat and meat products form a significant share of the British meat market. The Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) estimate that Muslims in Britain consume about 25% of the lamb meat in this country (about 200, 000 sheep per week). Also Muslims consume about 5 million chickens weekly. The Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) incorporates 37

38 HALAL BASIC REQUIREMENTS Healthy animal Animal other than swine. Welfare of animal eg. not to slaughter in front of other animals. Slaughterman Muslim (qualified and licensed). Sharp knife should be used. Cutting of throat, oesophagus, carotid arteries and jugular vein, but not backbone. Taking name of Allah only. Maximum bleeding. Good hygiene standards The Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) incorporates The London Central Mosque 38

39 Dialrel Conclusions on Halal ( Islamic scholars on Sharia Law and animal scientists at Al-Azhar and Mansoura Universities in Egypt) Animal must be healthy and alive before the slaughter Blood must flow out of the body before death and in sufficient quantities Reciting the name of Allah (Tasmiyyah) is necessary Eating of any meat in necessity and from animals slaughtered by people of the books acceptable Kible (facing of Mecca) is not necessary but optional Recommendation for latest techniques Stunning acceptable if conditions are met and stunning must not result in: Animal s death, not impede blood loss Misunderstandings of techniques and effects apparent and need addressing

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41 DRAWBACKS of STUNNING Whether mechanical, electrical and chemical, stunning causes pain, suffering, paralysis, breaking of bones and death. This intentional act of injury makes the animal unsuitable for consumption according to the Islamic code of practice. Death does occur in many animals and about 1/3 of chickens die before Dhabh/slaughter (Mitah...which is forbidden to eat) The problem is also that nobody knows which animal/chicken has died from stunning, as all are slaughtered and consumed It stops convulsion of animals and therefore blood is not rushing through the body and heart for efficient bleeding. The Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) incorporates The London Central Mosque 41

42 Dialrel -Halal Use of prestunning The most popular stunning method is the use of electrical currents. Specific electrical currents and frequencies need to be used for Halal slaughter, mainly so that death is prevented but only a stun is achieved. Either non-lethal voltages and currents or high frequencies (>100 Hz) are used only to stun animals for Halal slaughter.

43 Dialrel summary of views on prestunning There are 3 views in regard to stunning: i) Those who accept it if conditions are met because welfare of animals is protected and rules are maintained ii) Some reject the idea of stunning completely as they think stunning is not necessary, against religious rules or creates problems for animals ; iii) Others either not sure or want assurances in both cases. 43

44 Dialrel - Halal summary of contentious areas Authenticity of Halal Certification Illegal slaughter and unfit meat sale Lack of auditing standards (from stable to the table ) Mechanical killing of animals (Poultry) Recorded Tasmiyya (Islamic prayer) Animal welfare compromises Labelling stun/non-stun Islamic rules-interpretation Lack of training for Muslim slaughter men in Europe Almost all attention of Halal on fresh, rather than processed meat Hygiene 44

45 Sikh method of slaughter Jhatka International supreme Council of Sikhs in Great Britain met FAWC 1985 Method involves decapitation with a single stroke without prestunning Not practiced in British abattoirs Research concluded considerable doubt if decapitation produces immediate insensibility 45

46 UK actions on slaughter without prestunning Legalisation Research programme 1980s to 2009 (Dialrel) FAWC reports 1985 Moslem Communities council 1999 to 2011 Legislation to ban slaughter without prestunning outside abattoirs FAWC report 2003 Government response Implementing 1099/2009 EU 46

47 Legislation to ban slaughter without prestunning outside abattoirs The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 Prohibition against slaughter by a religious method elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse No person shall slaughter any animal by a religious method, or cause or permit any animal to be so slaughtered, elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse licensed 47

48 Animal welfare: Qurbani/Udhia Important changes are now in effect concerning the welfare of animals at slaughter. These changes bring GB statute law into line with European Union legislation. The law now permits Qurbani/Udhia to be made: by a licensed Muslim slaughterman by the Islamic method, and in a licensed slaughterhouse which is under official veterinary supervision. Qurbani / Udhia is not permitted in fields or in farm buildings or in domestic or other premises. Muslims who wish to make Qurbani / Udhia are encouraged to make arrangements with suppliers in good time before Eid-ul-Adha. The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (Statutory Instrument (SI) No 1995/731 as amended by SI No 1999/400). 48

49 Publicity Campaign to stop slaughter without prestunning outside of abattoirs at Eid-ulAdha 2000 Immans statement in Mosques Leaflets in English, Urdu, Arabic, Turkish. distributed via Mosques Local radio 49

50 URDU ARABIC TURKISH 50

51 FAWC report 1985 In October 1985, The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food invited the Muslim and Jewish ands Sikh communities and others for consultation on the proposal by the Farm Animal Welfare Councils (FAWC) on the welfare of livestock when slaughtered by religious methods, calling for a repeal of the legislative provisions permitting slaughter without stunning. They cited pain and cruelty to animals when slaughtered without prior stunning as the main reason. The FAWC report also remarked that there was a widespread lack of understanding of why religious slaughter was considered necessary in Islam 51

52 FAWC REPORT1985 Noted that there is emphasis in both Islamic and Jewish teaching of the need for kindness and humane treatment of animals and both faiths recognise that taking of life of an animal carries great responsibility Ministers should require both the Jewish and Muslim communities to review methods of slaughter so as to develop methods which permit effective stunning 52

53 FAWC 2004 the basic principles of humane slaughter pre-slaughter handling facilities which minimise stress; use of competent well trained, caring personnel; appropriate equipment which is fit for the purpose; an effective process which induces immediate unconsciousness and insensibility or an induction to a period of unconsciousness without distress; and guarantee of non-recovery from that process until death ensues. 53

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55 FAWC 2004 Exsanguination The argument has been put to us that a pre-cut stun or an immediate post-cut stun adversely affects the efficiency of exsanguination and that this is a reason for not stunning animals during slaughter. Recent research carried out on the efficiency of bleed-out in sheep following slaughter shows that there is no significant difference in the rate of blood loss from a throat cut with or without stunning, whether the stunning is achieved by electrical means or by captive-bolt. We are therefore not persuaded by this argument. In any event, under optimal conditions, only approximately 50% of the body s total blood is exsanguinated at slaughter. Of the blood remaining in the carcass, the majority resides in the viscera (30%) with the rest in the muscles (20%). Therefore, any minor difference in the efficiency of bleed-out would have a very minimal effect on the amount of blood remaining in the tissues. 55

56 Anil et al Bristol University 56

57 FAWC 2004 Delay to bleeding due to Occlusions Occlusion refers to a phenomenon observed in a proportion of cattle, and particularly in calves, when the carotid arteries have been severed transversely. Very rapidly after the cut, the carotids may, by virtue of their elasticity, retract into their own external connective tissue coat. The connective tissue becomes filled with blood, which then clots thereby occluding the flow of blood from the severed arteries by sealing the cut ends. Because the heart is still beating, the blood pressure in the anterior aorta is maintained and hence also in the vertebral artery. This latter vessel supplies the brain an is not severed during the neck cut. Occlusion therefore has the effect of delaying insensibility for a considerable period and therefore increases the time during which an animal may be experiencing severe pain and distress. 57

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59 FAWC 2004 reasons for repeal of exemption on prestunning 200. Overall, we have looked at slaughter without prestunning against the basic principles set out at the beginning of our report which aim to ensure the welfare of animals at slaughter (see Paragraph 8). We consider that at least two of these principles pre-slaughter handling facilities that minimise stress and induction to a period of unconsciousness without distress are not satisfactorily observed. Given that the exemption from pre-stunning is subject to the requirement that unnecessary suffering is not inflicted, we consider that the Government should take steps to repeal this exemption. 59

60 FAWC 2004 Recommendation for repeal of exemption on prestunning Recommendation 201. Council considers that slaughter without pre-stunning is unacceptable and that the Government should repeal the current exemption. 60

61 Government response to FAWC to repeal exemption to stunning Response: Do not accept. The Government does not intend to ban the slaughter of animals without prior stunning by religious groups. We agree with FAWC that the scientific evidence indicates that animals that receive an effective pre-cut stun do not experience pain at the time of slaughter. The balance of current scientific evidence also suggests that those cattle which receive an immediate post-cut stun are likely to suffer less than those that do not. However we recognise that this latter conclusion is disputed. The Government is committed to respect for the rights of religious groups and accepts that an insistence on a pre-cut or immediate post-cut stun would not be compatible with the requirements of religious slaughter by Jewish and Muslim groups. However, others, particularly consumer and welfare groups, oppose slaughter without prior stunning and do not wish to eat meat that has not been stunned prior to slaughter. Meat from these animals can find its way onto the ordinary meat market but is not identifiable by consumers at the point of sale. As part of the wider process of review and consultation on labelling meat, the Government will work with consumer and industry groups to consider whether this problem can be addressed through a voluntary system of labelling, bearing in mind that an early EU agreement on meat labelling according to 61 slaughter method is unlikely.

62 FAWC 2004 Recommendation 203. Until the current exemption which permits slaughter without pre-stunning is repealed, Council recommends that any animal not stunned before slaughter should receive an immediate post-cut stun. 62

63 Government response to FAWC to require post cut stun Response: Partially accept. The Government does not intend to make it a compulsory requirement for animals to receive an immediate postcut stun. The Government considers that the current balance of scientific evidence suggests that cattle which have not received a pre-cut stun would benefit from an immediate post-cut stun. However, we recognise that this conclusion is disputed. The Government is committed to respect for the rights of religious groups and accepts that a compulsory immediate post-cut stun on cattle would not be compatible with the requirements of religious slaughter by Jewish and Muslim groups. We will continue to discuss with the religious authorities the extent to which a voluntary immediate post-cut stun might be introduced in a manner that is compatible with their beliefs. 63

64 Assessing Humaneness Assessing welfare costs in terms of scale, severity, and duration can highlight difference in circumstance when differing types of animals are slaughtered The methods to assess the humaneness of different procedures are largely subjective and include Physiological consciousness,emotion, pain behavioural data - stress suffering mode of action and pathology 64

65 Slaughter without prestunning Slaughter for human consumption should be optimised for each abattoir using risk assessment Assess animals to be slaughtered available handling resources staff handlers Skills of slaughtermen Needs of religious community and local community Available restraint methods optimise humane handling Health and safely Biosecurity 65

66 Behavioural Signs of Stress Poor welfare, during movement, handling, penning and restraint will cause stress and should be avoided at all costs Generic indicators of stress across the species include: Vocalisation Aggression Reluctance to move Escape behaviour Panting Salivation Excessive defaecation Other abnormal behaviours After Tallin CSL 66

67 Search for an objective measure which correlates well with subjective reports of pain in those patients who are able to communicate Electrophysiology Autonomic Nervous System Endocrine Stress Response Behaviour Neurophysiology Craig Johnson Craig Johnson 67

68 Chen et al Pain due to cold in man... patterned EEG activity is closely associated with human pain reactivity. EEG Spectral analysis Fast Fourier Transformation 68

69 Antler removal Johnson et al Horses (Johnson + Murrell) Rats (Johnson + Murrell) Sheep (Johnson et al.) Pigs (Haga et al.) Dogs (Johnson et al.) Cattle (Johnson et al.) Mammals feel pain 69

70 An Investigation into the Effects of Slaughter by Ventral Neck Incision in Calves TJ Gibson, CB Johnson, DJ Mellor and KJ Stafford

71 Dehorning Results F95

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73 Results Sham Ventral Neck Incision F95

74 Results Ventral Neck Incision F95

75 Conclusions of Defra/NZ study Results indicate that Ventral Neck Incision (VNI) produced responses in EEG that have been previously associated with known noxious stimulation in calves. EEG changes resulting from VNI were observed to occur within the window of post cut sensibility identified in other studies and reported in this study. This suggests that VNI has strong potential to be perceived as a noxious stimulus and would therefore be painful in conscious animals subjected to this procedure 75

76 Conclusions Slaughter without pre stunning Need to work with communities to make progress to move to electric pre stunning for Halal and post cut stun for Shechita RISK mitigation Restriction of Slaughter WPS to abattoirs, Licensing slaughter men and training of Shochetim Licensing handling systems, Communication with Stakeholders Research to establish if neck cut is painful FAWC report on white meat 2009 Adoption of Good practice Guides 76

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78 Conclusions Slaughter without pre stunning Need to work with communities to make progress to move to electric pre stunning for Halal and post cut stun for Shechita RISK mitigation Restriction of Slaughter Without Pre stunning to abattoirs, Licensing slaughter men and training of Shochetim Licensing handling systems, Communication with Stakeholders Research to establish if neck cut is painful 78

79 FAWC 2004 the basic principles of humane slaughter pre-slaughter handling facilities which minimise stress; use of competent well trained, caring personnel; appropriate equipment which is fit for the purpose; an effective process which induces immediate unconsciousness and insensibility or an induction to a period of unconsciousness without distress; and guarantee of non-recovery from that process until death ensues. THANK YOU 79