Protection of animals at the time of killing

KEY POINTS

Animals must be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing. Businesses, such as slaughterhouse operators, must ensure that animals:

• are provided physical comfort and protection, kept clean, protected from injury and handled and housed taking into account normal behaviour;
• do not show signs of avoidable pain or fear or abnormal behaviour;
• do not suffer from prolonged withdrawal of feed or water;
• are protected from avoidable interaction with other animals that could harm their welfare.

Facilities used for killing must be capable of fulfilling all these conditions at all times of the year.

Restraining and stunning methods

The regulation sets out detailed rules about restraining and stunning animals, including the training of operators and the proper maintenance of equipment. It covers the application of different methods for different animals. In particular, stunned animals must remain unconscious until death, unless they are subject to particular methods prescribed by religious rites, which must take place in a slaughterhouse.

Certificate of competence

Killing and related operations can only be carried out by persons with the level of competence to do so without causing the animals any avoidable pain, distress or suffering. Some operations require individual certificates of competence, for instance:

• the handling and care of animals before they are restrained;
• the restraint of animals for the purpose of stunning or killing;
• the stunning of animals and the assessment of effective stunning;
• the shackling or hoisting or bleeding of live animals;
• slaughtering in accordance with religious practices.

The health certificate accompanying meat imported from non-EU countries must certify that the equivalent requirements have been met.

Slaughterhouses

There are detailed rules for the construction, the equipment and operations of slaughterhouses. Procedures must be constantly monitored by slaughterhouse operators, who must also appoint an Animal Welfare Officer to help ensure compliance. The following methods of restraint are among those banned:

• suspending or hoisting conscious animals;
• mechanical clamping or tying of the legs or feet;

There are some exceptions where an inverted position is allowed in the case of poultry or in the context of slaughter for religious rites.

Depopulation¹ and emergency killing

An action plan must be in place to ensure compliance with this regulation, before any depopulation operation begins. In addition, depopulation operations must be reported every year. The report must include, in particular:

• the reasons for the depopulation;
• the number and the species of animals killed;
• the stunning and killing methods used;
• difficulties encountered and solutions to minimise the suffering of the animals concerned.

Where animals face severe pain or suffering, the keeper of the animals concerned must take all necessary measures to kill the animals as soon as possible.

Non-compliance and penalties

EU countries must ensure that the rules are implemented and that the competent authorities have the power to:

• change procedures, or slow down or stop production;
• increase the frequency of checks;
• suspend or withdraw certificates of competence.

Penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.