RSPCA repeats call for non-stun slaughter ban but not Halal

21% increase in Halal & 2% Shechita since 2022

The UK’s largest animal welfare charity has renewed its call for a wholesale ban on non-stun slaughter while claiming to respect religious practices.

The RSPCA has responded to figures released by the Food Standards Authority (FSA) that suggest an 18.5% increase in slaughter through pre-stunning since 2022.

Describing the figures to be a “real concern”, the head of public affairs at the RSPCA, David Bowles, reportedly added in passing: “We acknowledge that religious beliefs and practices should be respected, however, all animals should be treated humanely at the time of killing and therefore be stunned prior to slaughter.”

According to the FSA, slaughter through non-stunning has risen for both Islamic Halal and Jewish Shechita practices with an increase of 21% for the former and 2% for the latter.

UK legislation dictates that all farm animals must be stunned before slaughter so as to ensure that they do not feel pain.

Animal welfare charities like the RSPCA subjectively conclude that for slaughter to be humane, all animals must be effectively stunned.

Since the release of the FSA figures, the RSPCA has responded on Twitter to claims that it is calling for a ban of Halal or Kosher by clarifying: “We’re calling for all farm animals to be pre-stunned w[ith] no exceptions. We’re not calling for a ban of Halal or Kosher, but a full non-stun slaughter ban. …

“[W]e’ve campaigned on the issue for many years. Our concerns has nothing to do with expression of religious belief, but b[ecause] slaughter without pre-stunning compromises animal welfare. Previous data has shown around 88% of animals slaughtered in UK for Halal are stunned first.”