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Animal cruelty

(66 Posts)
Rosina Wed 24-Jan-18 17:33:32

I have read this morning a really horrible and upsetting article about the ghastly treatment of sheep in a halal abattoir. (I think most of them are halal now) I just cannot understand how, when we have strict rules about and penalties for those who are guilty of animal cruelty, that this barbarous and disgusting practice is allowed to continue. I wrote to our M.P. about it some years ago and his response was that it was 'difficult'. You bet it is for the poor creatures suffering a terrible death.
Ghandi said 'The greatness of a nation, and its moral progress, can be judged by the way its animals are treated'.
I don't know what this says about us - we seem to be going backwards and sliding into medieval cruelty.

ExaltedWombat Sat 27-Jan-18 12:35:20

Slaughtering is never going to be pleasant. Attack the whole 'animals for meat' thing if you want. But it's ingenuous to agonise over the final few seconds of the ctreature's life. And if you're going to attack Muslim practice, attack Jewish equally.

patriciageegee Sat 27-Jan-18 12:49:13

Islam has been singled out on this thread because it is meat slaughtered to Islamic Halal regulations not Kosher or any other cultural/religious practice that is predominant in the meat on sale in this country.

caocao Sat 27-Jan-18 13:11:13

I would prefer that the animals were pre stunned. I saw a video where they were not and those in line were screaming and thrashing about on hooks as they could smell the blood of those ahead of them. This is because they "need" to be sentient while a prayer they do not understand is said over them before they are slaughtered. It is barbaric and I cannot help but wonder whether slaughter houses have jumped on the Halal bandwagon because it cuts out a stage in the process and therefore cuts costs?

Soniah Sat 27-Jan-18 13:12:58

Don't get carried away with the information spread by the Daily Mail and other media, don't blame just one section of the community, there is no pretty way of killing animals and never has been though I admit some are worse than others. Now many abattoirs have been closed animals are often transported long distances arriving stressed and smelling death in their arrival too. The days when animals were reared and killed on the farm were probably less cruel. I have no problem with people eating meat, I don't for many reasons, but don't pretend it is anything other than it is. People want cheap meat and therefore some is produced in less than desirable conditions. Sorry to any farmer's I might upset, I know you work very hard to produce food for this country and it is hard to make a profit, most of you will do the best you can for your animals in difficult financial conditions.

Soniah Sat 27-Jan-18 13:15:06

help.sainsburys.co.uk/help/products/1926-halal-meat

www.gov.uk/guidance/halal-and-kosher-slaughter

GabriellaG Sat 27-Jan-18 14:13:17

It all books down to religion and religion is the root of unrest, wars, hate, violence and ridiculous and man-made 'fantasy' rules regarding dress, rituals, food and behaviour.
They are facts. No woman has had any influence in these bizarre practices.

GabriellaG Sat 27-Jan-18 14:13:42

Fgs...boils.

GoldenAge Sat 27-Jan-18 14:16:27

Barnet, you are correct, abhorrent things do occur in non-halal abbatoirs but that's no reason not to focus on halal abbatoirs because there is lots of evidence to show that these are by far the worst. I have a second home in Turkey and have seen the cruelty meted out to goats at times of religious festival - the idea that someone says a prayer over the animal and covers its eyes while its throat is being slit open, and that makes it all OK is quite frankly ridiculous. The Q'uran is clear in its message that for any meat to be halal it must not only be killed in this way but that it must also have been reared in a way that has not harmed it - well we all know that that part of the commandment is not adhered to, so why allow halal abbatoirs at all in the UK? Let's just have decent standards of animal slaughter and let the law of the land reign supreme over religious requirements by various sections of the population - I know I won't be popular but I've seen halal slaughter and it's barbaric

Solitaire Sat 27-Jan-18 14:45:11

I feel angry and nauseated to know that some humans have such little regard for their fellow creatures.
I don't understand how such barbaric practices are allowed in our country.
How were halal abbatoirs able to flourish in Britain?
If we were to try to impose our beliefs and practices in some countries we could be imprisoned.

durhamjen Sat 27-Jan-18 14:55:14

So a million chickens dying on the way to the abbatoir doesn't matter, does it not, GoldenAge?

piscarii Sat 27-Jan-18 15:34:07

Lilyflower - if you have ever, i mean ever, eaten halal or kosher meat I don't think that 'disgusting' is too strong a word!

durhamjen Sat 27-Jan-18 15:55:20

How would you know if the meat you eat is halal or kosher?
This thread started by saying that most abattoirs are halal now.

Wally Sat 27-Jan-18 16:05:17

Here's my take on this. I Abhor cruelty especially on the defenceless which against us all animals are. I don't eat red meat and if I find that by eating chicken I am encouraging cruelty I will stop.

durhamjen Sat 27-Jan-18 16:20:57

Is this cruelty enough for you, Wally?

www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2018-01-22/why-chickens-are-dying-on-the-way-to-the-abattoir

Wally Sat 27-Jan-18 17:09:21

durhamjen Thank you.

icanhandthemback Sat 27-Jan-18 20:30:03

Never mind chickens dying on the way to the abattoir, are you aware of what happens to male chicks who are not used for meat or the reptile trade? They are minced alive for pet food. It is absolutely criminal what the human race will do in order to save a few pennies for their production of meat and we condone it by buying the eggs produced in huge production farms. We also anaesthetise children from the horror of meat production by not letting them see that their meat products are real animals. The outcry when butchers hang up a whole pig, etc is just incredible.

Azie09 Sat 27-Jan-18 23:29:08

My grandma would have said two (or more) wrongs don't make a right.

pollyperkins Sun 28-Jan-18 08:17:23

I agree with polyester57.

johnofwhixall Sun 28-Jan-18 09:13:30

Lets no get all sanctimonious about it
Slaughtering creatures by any means for our ingestion is inhumane
Its not fair to target one method against another without being in possession of the facts
Has anyone ever been in a slaughter house?
I have and you can see the fear on the faces of the condemned creatures before they get to the stunning area and sometimes stunning wears off before the deed is done I have seen the, oh so prized Christmas turkeys hanging by their feet wholly conscious before being killed having "come round"
Don't blank your mind to the normal practice of slaughter in non muslim slaughter houses, it horrible, but its the price we pay for being an omnivore, which means that humans eat anything thats going just like pigs, mackerel, or some primates so the point is we have nothing to be proud of in our system
Want to know more????
Just Google "stunning turkeys" and also an objective article can be found at
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/what-is-halal-meat-the-big-questions-about-religious-slaughter-answered-9331519.html

Skweek1 Sun 28-Jan-18 11:06:10

I agree with Barnet, but animals for food are all treated abysmally throughout their whole lives (not only for Halal/kosher reasons), the muck that is shoved into them, the lack of space given to them, etc. I was vegetarian for many years, but had a huge row with my DH, MIL and DS over Xmas when they insisted on buying goose and ham and since I have always hated meat anyway decided to go vegan, so have just gone the whole piggywig and stopped eating any animal products with immediate effect. So far feel much better for it, healthwise and conscience-wise and if I'm doing my best to protect animals, so much the better!

durhamjen Sun 28-Jan-18 11:17:49

Much easier when you and your husband are on the same wavelength over it, Skweek.

POGS Sun 28-Jan-18 11:23:22

This is a subject we debated on GN in 2012./2014/2015 and her we are in 2018 and nothing has changed to my knowledge. I am fully understanding of cultural requiremts when it comes to Halal/Kosher food , although I am against it personally, my view has always been we should be told if the meat and poultry we buy should be labelled as Halal/Kosher to choose if we wish to buy the product .

www.gransnet.com/forums/aibu/1192172-Halal-meat?pg=1

"POGS Thu 10-May-12 20:47:55
April 24th a Tory M.P. lost a motion to get all meat produce labelled as to whether or not it was halal produced.

This is a report in a well known newspaper, what do you think.

VET ATTACKS ABATTOIRS FOR FAILING TO STUN ANIMALS.
A leading vet has called for a crackdown on the rising sale of meat from animals that have not been stunned prior to slaughter.
Bill Reilly, a former president of the British Veterinary Association said killing conscious animals by slitting their throats caused them distress, fear and pain.
Stunning animals before slaughter is MANDATORY in the U.K., although there are are exemptions on religious grounds to produce halal meat for islam and kosher meat for judaism.

He went on to say 25% of the meat market is now halal produced and is being sold to unwitting customers in supermarkets and takeaways.

I for one would want to know if the meat I buy was halal and unlike some of the M.P.s who tried to make it a racist point of view I fully understand the requirement for halal and kosher meat but I don't feel I should not be told as the consumer. I also think it would be a good idea for those who need to buy halal meat in a supermarket etc., to be able to buy for their religious requirements too. Am I wrong?"
--

POGS Tue 03-Feb-15 10:58:06
Bump from 10th May 2012

I have bumped this thread as I just hope the opposition benches who opposed the motion by Conservative MP Philip Davies from getting halal meat 'at least' labelled as such are ashamed of their tactics stopping it going through. I heard Labour MP's even using racism in the debate they were quite pathetic.

Well now there is the case being reported today showingshowing video evidence of abuse at a halal slaughter house and I hope he raises it again in Parliament. He does keep trying but he might just 'shame' Labour into passing legislation this time as this slaughter house is disgusting and it is cruel.

I was pleased to see the Muslim community has condemned the slaughter house also.

It's high time slaughter houses whether they are halal producers or not are on CCTV and halal meat has labelling in our food outlets as I certainly want to know. angry"
---

www.gransnet.com/forums/news_and_politics/1205436-Halal-and-Kosher-meat?pg=2

jinglbellsfrocks Thu 06-Mar-14 13:35:10

"The president of the British Veterinary Association has called for the banning of this way of slaughtering animals for meat. I agree with him on this. It is cruel and inhumane. Nothing to do with anti-muslim feeling or antisemitism. Just totally abhorrent."
---

May be interesting to some to read these threads and no doubt since 2012 if nothing has been done by our politicians by now it never will. I still remain of the opinion the buyer/consumer should be informed if the food they eat/purchase is Halal . We would be shocked to see how much of our food chain is Halal produced whether we like it or not.

durhamjen Sun 28-Jan-18 11:58:30

I would like it too. It might make people think about the fact that they are not just buying a piece of steak, but part of an animal that was slaughtered.

However, you should still not think that all is right in other abattoirs. There's cruelty there as well.

www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/slaughter/slaughter-farmed-animals-uk

POGS Sun 28-Jan-18 13:06:18

durhamjen

"However, you should still not think that all is right in other abattoirs. There's cruelty there as well."

If you read my posts I did say:-

" It's high time slaughter houses whether they are halal producers or not are on CCTV and halal meat has labelling in our food outlets as I certainly want to know. angry"

I gave no comment nor thought to some abbatoirs being
'all right' on any thread or post since 2012 so I don't know why you suggest I think that way .

Fennel Sun 28-Jan-18 13:48:54

Where we live there are many poultry farmers - they rear literally thousands at once. I asked a local how they get them all in the lorry for the abbatoir. Evidently there are teams of workers who go into the chicken house early in the morning when the birds are still dozey. Each person grabs as many as he can (by the legs) then throws them into a container. This goes on until all are caught. Bedlam.They're then taken to a building where they're gassed before being killed.