Non-Stun Slaughter (for Kosher and Halal Meat)

Slaughter is a painful process. UK law currently requires that all animals are stunned before slaughter in order to try and reduce as far as possible the suffering they endure. However, Jewish and Muslim communities are exempt from this law. All Shechita (Jewish) and some Halal (Muslim) slaughter involves cutting the animals’ throats without stunning them first.²

Stunning is intended to render an animal unconscious so that they cannot feel the blade. It does not always work but not stunning means the animals feel pain during the throat-cutting right up until the point of death. For cows, that could be as much as two minutes.³ There is no doubt this increases suffering and The British Veterinary Association is clear: “All animals should be stunned before slaughter.”⁴