MONTREAL – National animal law organization Animal Justice is disappointed in a Federal Court decision which grants an injunction to halt the enforcement of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) guidelines on stun-free slaughter.
A group including Kosher meat certifiers and distributors sought the injunction as part of an ongoing lawsuit challenging humane slaughter guidelines which came into force in 2019, mandating specific steps to ensure animals subject to ritual slaughter are unconscious before they are hung upside down to bleed out.
Animal Justice is seeking intervener status in the case to ensure the interests of animals being slaughtered remains at the forefront for the court as the case moves forward, and to
draw the court’s attention to steps taken in other jurisdictions to address the serious risks associated with stun-free slaughter.
Several European countries, including Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and Slovenia do not allow any stun-free slaughter while others mandate post-cut stunning to reduce the risk of conscious animals being accidentally hung on the slaughter line.
Animals including cows and calves normally must be stunned, most commonly using a captive bolt gun, to render them unconscious before they are killed, to stop brain activity so the animal doesn’t experience pain, fear, and distress when cut into and hoisted on a shackle to be bled out.
However, ritual slaughter is exempt from having to stun the animal—even though veterinary experts and animal welfare organizations around the world are opposed to the practice on the grounds that it involves cutting the throats of animals before hanging them upside down by one leg on a slaughter line, which can cause significant suffering if animals are not properly rendered unconscious by the cut.
The CFIA released updated guidelines in 2019 to prevent avoidable animal suffering during non-stun slaughter. They were a result of a scientific literature review and concerns about an inspection that revealed signs of sensibility in animals after they were suspended for stun-free slaughter.
The guidelines provide specific methods to check for consciousness in animals after their throats are cut and before they are hoisted on a shackle, to prevent them from experiencing additional fear, distress, and pain.
“No slaughter methods are truly humane. Whether animals are subject to conventional slaughter or ritual slaughter, there is always a risk of pain, fear, and distress,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, lawyer and legal advocacy director at Animal Justice. “When it comes to ensuring unconsciousness before bleeding out, the margin of error is higher for stun-free slaughter so at the very least it makes sense to require science-based steps to check consciousness before the animal is hung up. While Animal Justice recognizes the great importance of religious freedom and respect for individuals’ Charter rights, animal welfare must always remain the top concern when ending the life of an animal.”
Animal Justice is awaiting a decision from the court on whether it will be permitted to intervene in this pivotal case as it proceeds.
Contact:
Josh Lynn
Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
Kaitlyn Mitchell
Director of Legal Advocacy
[email protected]
