Mail Online - Millions more animals are slaughtered for halal food: Numbers rise 60 per cent amid calls for them to be stunned before death

Millions more animals are slaughtered for halal food: Numbers rise 60 per cent amid calls for them to be stunned before death

• - 2.4million sheep and goats had throats cut for halal or kosher meat
• - They die of loss of blood, but campaigners want them stunned first
• - Petition for ban on non-stun slaughter reaches 100,000 signatures

"More animals are being slaughtered by having their throats cut because of increased pressure from Muslim campaigners, it emerged last night."

"According to analysis by the British Veterinary Association, some 37 per cent of sheep and goats, 25 per cent of cattle and 16 per cent of poultry were killed in this way in halal premises."

"Under the method, the animals’ throats are cut so they die from loss of blood.

But campaigners say it would be kinder if the animals are stunned first.
BVA president John Blackwell said the method ‘unnecessarily compromises animal welfare at the time of death’ and its petition calling for a ban on non-stun slaughter last night had more than 100,000 signatures."

"Mr Blackwell said it showed the strength of public opinion on the issue and called for a debate in Parliament.

But Awal Fuseini, of the Halal Food Authority, said the increase in non-stun slaughter was due to ‘stronger campaigning’ by Muslims who wrongly believed that stunning killed the animals, The Times reported.

He said Muslims needed to be sure animals could recover from being stunned, but said: ‘It is illegal to do a trial in the UK without a licence and it takes forever to get a licence. "

Click here to read The Mails full article

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Millions more animals are slaughtered for halal food: Numbers rise 60 per cent amid calls for them to be stunned before death

By Ben Wilkinson

Daily Mail

PUBLISHED: Friday 30 January 2015 

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