Lancashire County Council has voted to end the provision of non-stunned meat in its local maintained schools. The vote, which took place yesterday, means that 27 schools catering to 12,000 pupils will now switch from serving meat from animals that were not stunned prior to slaughter to other sources. Humanists UK, which campaigned in support of the move, has welcomed the outcome.
Non-stunned slaughter involves the cutting of an animal’s throat whilst the animal is still fully conscious and alert. Current regulations regarding the welfare of animals specify that all animals must be stunned so that they are insensitive to pain at the time of slaughter, reducing the animal’s suffering. However, there are loopholes in this law that allow Muslims and Jews to slaughter meat in accordance with halal and kosher traditions without stunning, for consumption only by members of their respective religions. No kosher meat is stunned, while about 20 percent of halal meat is non-stunned. Up to now, Lancashire’s schools have been serving non-stunned halal meat.
However, much of this meat makes its way onto the general market, and is served to those of other religions and beliefs. This is in spite of the fact that organisations like the RSPCA, the British Veterinary Association, and the Humane Slaughter Association, and the Government’s own Farm Animal Welfare Committee all recommend an end to non-stunned slaughter, due to the inhumane nature of the slaughter.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs Richy Thompson commented, ‘We are delighted that Lancashire County Council has voted to end the provision of non-stunned meat in its schools. This important step will help to reduce suffering and ensure a more humane life for thousands of animals every year. We hope that other public authorities, including councils, hospitals, prisons, and Academies, will look again at their own policies on the matter and arrive at similar decisions.’
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For further comment or information contact Richy Thompson, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at richy@humanists.uk or 020 7324 3072.
Read more about the vote: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-41765927
Read more on our campaigns on animal welfare: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/animal-welfare/
We support the reduction of animal suffering resulting from human behaviour and see compassionate attitudes to animal suffering as a hallmark of a humane society. As we wish to reduce suffering, humanists are concerned about the treatment of food animals, both during their lives and when they are slaughtered. Pre-stunning is mandated by law but there are exemptions for religious groups to provide kosher (or shechita) and halal meat. We believe these exemptions should end, as has happened in some other countries. We note that there is in fact widespread certification of meat as halal with pre-stunning. If the exemptions enabling religious slaughter are not to be brought to an end, then we think at the very least rules should be introduced requiring all such meat to be labelled as such.
About Humanists UK
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and campaigning work, we’re committed to creating a fair and equal society for all.
Humanists UK recently changed its name from the British Humanist Association: https://humanists.uk/2017/05/22/bha-becomes-humanists-uk/