Animal Slaughter (#)
Do not think for a second that animals die a peaceful and painless death in slaughterhouses across Europe - you could not be more wrong. That the EU should introduce a common law on CCTV in member states is the least one could ask for.
Harrowing undercover footage in butcher's abattoir shows farm animals kicked, punched and thrown around
Sheep, pigs and cows destined for the butcher’s block scream in harrowing footage captured by animal welfare campaigners. Distressed and writhing in torment as they are prepared for slaughter, farm animals suffer apparent agony in abattoir scenes exposed in an undercover investigation.
Sheep, pigs and cows destined for the butcher’s block scream in harrowing footage captured by animal welfare campaigners.
Some of the doomed beasts appear not to have been properly stunned as they should under strict regulations.
In one of the most distressing scenes from six months of filming, three men repeatedly kick and slam a metal gate against a black pig they have already tried to shoot with a bolt gun.
Sheep, pigs and cows destined for the butcher’s block scream in harrowing footage captured by animal welfare campaigners.
Some of the doomed beasts appear not to have been properly stunned as they should under strict regulations.
In one of the most distressing scenes from six months of filming, three men repeatedly kick and slam a metal gate against a black pig they have already tried to shoot with a bolt gun.
The pig staggers around after being shot, seemingly incorrectly, and to pin it down the men use the metal gate to ram it against the wall of a pen.
The film also shows cows hanging up by a leg, still mooing and writhing around even after their throats have been cut.
A sheep is picked up and slammed against a wall in further disturbing scenes.
A second is smacked with a metal hook, and another flipped upside down and slammed back down on to the floor.
An investigator from Hillside Animal Sanctuary, which carried out the probe, said: “For the pig to be kicked in the head as it was is incredibly cruel and shows a level of behaviour that is deeply, deeply shocking. It’s barbaric.
“With the sheep, the slaughter man is getting aggravated. The sheep stay together and it’s hard for him to shoot the last one. You can see him getting angry with it and starting to throw it around.
“But with the pig that almost seems to be for pleasure. It’s as if they’re enjoying what they’re inflicting on the animals.
The film also shows cows hanging up by a leg, still mooing and writhing around even after their throats have been cut.
A sheep is picked up and slammed against a wall in further disturbing scenes.
A second is smacked with a metal hook, and another flipped upside down and slammed back down on to the floor.
An investigator from Hillside Animal Sanctuary, which carried out the probe, said: “For the pig to be kicked in the head as it was is incredibly cruel and shows a level of behaviour that is deeply, deeply shocking. It’s barbaric.
“With the sheep, the slaughter man is getting aggravated. The sheep stay together and it’s hard for him to shoot the last one. You can see him getting angry with it and starting to throw it around.
“But with the pig that almost seems to be for pleasure. It’s as if they’re enjoying what they’re inflicting on the animals.
“The cows look to me as if they’re watching what’s going on as they’re having their throats slit, as if they’re aware.”
It is an offence “to cause or permit avoidable pain, excitement or suffering to any animal” under animal welfare regulations.
TV vet Marc Abraham, who watched the footage, said: “What I witnessed is extreme levels of fear exhibited by the animals, especially the pigs. They weren’t really being slaughtered, they were being punished.”
Investigators said the apparent cruelty revealed in the probe, at the abattoir of a family butchers’, would shock those who believe they are supporting more humane treatment of animals by avoiding supermarket meat.
One of the Hillside team, which launched its probe at the 112-year-old S Bagshaw and Sons butchers in Butterton, Staffs, last summer, after a tip-off about the bad practices.
The investigator said: “The slaughterhouse and shop looks very nice from the outside. You wouldn’t think there’s all that cruelty going on in there. We put up hidden cameras mostly where they stun the animals. What we saw was truly horrific.”
The investigator said the slaughter man appears to be using a bolt gun instead of electronic tongs to stun the animals. The animals are supposed to be put on the shackle for the cutting room soon after being stunned. The investigator added: “There is another guy in there who is supposed to slit their throat and take their head off.
“But if a brain’s conscious, it will hang on for some time. The theory is if you stun an animal it won’t feel anything and come back to life.
It is an offence “to cause or permit avoidable pain, excitement or suffering to any animal” under animal welfare regulations.
TV vet Marc Abraham, who watched the footage, said: “What I witnessed is extreme levels of fear exhibited by the animals, especially the pigs. They weren’t really being slaughtered, they were being punished.”
Investigators said the apparent cruelty revealed in the probe, at the abattoir of a family butchers’, would shock those who believe they are supporting more humane treatment of animals by avoiding supermarket meat.
One of the Hillside team, which launched its probe at the 112-year-old S Bagshaw and Sons butchers in Butterton, Staffs, last summer, after a tip-off about the bad practices.
The investigator said: “The slaughterhouse and shop looks very nice from the outside. You wouldn’t think there’s all that cruelty going on in there. We put up hidden cameras mostly where they stun the animals. What we saw was truly horrific.”
The investigator said the slaughter man appears to be using a bolt gun instead of electronic tongs to stun the animals. The animals are supposed to be put on the shackle for the cutting room soon after being stunned. The investigator added: “There is another guy in there who is supposed to slit their throat and take their head off.
“But if a brain’s conscious, it will hang on for some time. The theory is if you stun an animal it won’t feel anything and come back to life.
“What it looks like is this guy is using a bolt gun, which is unusual because they’ve got electronic tongs to do the job. Some of them aren’t getting stunned at all.
“There are a couple of cases where I believe he misses the sheep completely, they get up and walk off. It’s hard to believe they’re unconscious when they’re struggling that much.
“They struggle for some time and look as if they’re trying to get off the shackle. It doesn’t look as if they’re stunning them correctly.”
Three pigs are seen being abused and kicked at the abattoir, which has a licence for sheep and cows only.
The investigator said: “Each one of the pigs is abused and kicked. The first one they haven’t stunned correctly. But rather than stun it again, they’ve decided to slam the gate against it and kick it every time it came at them.
“At one point they throw a shackle at it. And finally when they’ve battered it enough with the gate, they shoot it again.
“Each of the three pigs is treated that way, which is absolutely inhumane. The way they are seen kicking and punching the animals is just cruel. It’s absolutely disgraceful.”
Anyone who is cruel to an animal or does not provide for its welfare faces a fine of up to £20,000 or a jail term, vet Mr Abrahams said.
The RSPCA have launched a probe into the footage. Abattoir boss Anthony Bagshaw today admitted he was in the wrong and expected to have his licence suspended.
Farmers can kill pigs for their own use without a licence but Bagshaw admitted the pigs were slaughtered for a friend. He said: “I shouldn’t have done it. Perhaps I’m harsh on them a little bit. You’ve got to be or you’ll get injured otherwise.”
He said of footage showing cattle struggling on the shackle: “They’re thrashing about, but that’s what they do.”
Asked about slamming sheep on the wall and floor, he said: “I admit what I am doing is wrong.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/harrowing-undercover-footage-butchers-abattoir-5124981
“There are a couple of cases where I believe he misses the sheep completely, they get up and walk off. It’s hard to believe they’re unconscious when they’re struggling that much.
“They struggle for some time and look as if they’re trying to get off the shackle. It doesn’t look as if they’re stunning them correctly.”
Three pigs are seen being abused and kicked at the abattoir, which has a licence for sheep and cows only.
The investigator said: “Each one of the pigs is abused and kicked. The first one they haven’t stunned correctly. But rather than stun it again, they’ve decided to slam the gate against it and kick it every time it came at them.
“At one point they throw a shackle at it. And finally when they’ve battered it enough with the gate, they shoot it again.
“Each of the three pigs is treated that way, which is absolutely inhumane. The way they are seen kicking and punching the animals is just cruel. It’s absolutely disgraceful.”
Anyone who is cruel to an animal or does not provide for its welfare faces a fine of up to £20,000 or a jail term, vet Mr Abrahams said.
The RSPCA have launched a probe into the footage. Abattoir boss Anthony Bagshaw today admitted he was in the wrong and expected to have his licence suspended.
Farmers can kill pigs for their own use without a licence but Bagshaw admitted the pigs were slaughtered for a friend. He said: “I shouldn’t have done it. Perhaps I’m harsh on them a little bit. You’ve got to be or you’ll get injured otherwise.”
He said of footage showing cattle struggling on the shackle: “They’re thrashing about, but that’s what they do.”
Asked about slamming sheep on the wall and floor, he said: “I admit what I am doing is wrong.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/harrowing-undercover-footage-butchers-abattoir-5124981
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/556946/Slaughterhouse-farm-animals-slaughtered-undercover-investigation
Graphic video - #
Graphic video - # - "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."
– Sir Paul McCartney.
– Sir Paul McCartney.
“Auschwitz begins wherever someone looks at a slaughterhouse and thinks: they’re only animals.”
~ Theodor W. Adorno
~ Theodor W. Adorno
