Animal Aid

Why?

Since January 2009, we have filmed appalling cruelty to animals in slaughterhouses: pigs burnt with cigarettes, animals kicked, beaten, goaded, dragged, picked up and thrown and deliberately hurt with the electric tongs. This is not a case of one bad apple. Eight of the nine slaughterhouses filmed were breaking the law. That is an 89 per cent failure rate. We hope that people who see our films will realise that slaughter can never be humane and will adopt an animal-free diet as a result. But while animals continue to be killed, we want proper accountability. And we want those who abuse animals at the most vulnerable time of their lives to be punished.

Properly monitored CCTV would help deter the worst abuses and it would provide evidence for prosecutions.

How?

The government department, Defra, could amend the current law to make CCTV in all English slaughterhouses compulsory. The same could be achieved by the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The relevant law has been amended six times already, so it is not a difficult task. However, instead of introducing this sensible and practical legislation, the government has misled the public by implying it cannot make CCTV compulsory in slaughterhouses. In June 2011, Animal Aid sought and received confirmation from the European Commission that Defra’s claims were not true.

Progress

When the government refused to act, Animal Aid and our supporters lobbied the supermarkets to insist on CCTV in all their slaughterhouse suppliers. The ten largest, along with wholesalers Booker, agreed, and committed to having CCTV installed by the end of 2011. This means we have a voluntary scheme in which an estimated 80 per cent of slaughterhouses are covered. But it is only a voluntary scheme, and in order to ensure that supermarkets and slaughterhouses do not have a change of heart, CCTV must be installed in all slaughterhouses.

We have until January 2013 – when a new law which does not allow an ‘upgrade’ in welfare measures comes into force – to persuade the government to do the right thing. So please do all you can.

I want to help!

1. Order campaign postcards to send to the English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish Agriculture Ministers, and to your MP
2. Sign our petition
3. Read our CCTV briefing sheet, download it and send it to your MP.
4. Write a letter to your local paper about this campaign. See a sample letter that you can adapt.
5. Tell the world on Twitter, Facebook and other social media
6. Make a donation to help Animal Aid achieve this historic goal.