Millions of animals are suffering unnecessarily by being slaughtered without stunning to meet religious demands.
That's why we campaign to end religious exemptions to animal welfare laws.
Animal welfare law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter to minimise their pain, suffering and distress. The only exemption is for Jewish and Muslim communities to meet kosher and halal religious dietary preferences.
The scientific consensus is clear that it is more humane to stun an animal prior to slaughter. The slaughter of animals without pre-stunning is permitted in the UK despite a recommendation by the government's own advisory body, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), that the practice should be banned. FAWC concluded that animals slaughtered without pre-stunning are likely to experience "very significant pain and distress".
RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming and the British Veterinary Association all support an end to non-stun slaughter to improve animal welfare at the time of death.
- 70% of Brits think stunning animals before slaughtering them is more ethical.
- 72% of the population think food produced from religious non-stun slaughter methods should be clearly labelled.
We support the right to religious freedom. But this is not an absolute right. Religious exemptions shouldn't be made to laws meant to prevent unnecessary animal cruelty.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to end the religious exemption that allows animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
NSS: Labour animal welfare plan will not end unnecessary suffering
Posted: Wed, 14 Feb 2018 13:12
The National Secular Society has welcomed Labour party proposals to introduce mandatory method of slaughter labelling but warned they are not enough to prevent animals suffering unnecessarily.
Labour said it would bring in the "mandatory labelling of meat, both domestic and imported" to include details on "method of slaughter (stun or non-stun)" in plans announced this morning. The party made the announcement as it laid out what it called a plan of "radical action" on animal welfare.
Its 50-point draft policy document, 'Animal Welfare For The Many, Not The Few', also includes proposals to enshrine the principle of animal sentience in law, introduce mandatory CCTV in all slaughterhouses and appoint an animal welfare commissioner. The party is planning to submit the document for consultation until the end of May.
Sue Hayman, the shadow environment secretary, said the party was "making proposals for real, long-term progress".
"Our vision is one where no animal is made to suffer unnecessary pain and we continue to drive up standards and practice in line with the most recent advances and understanding."
Stephen Evans, the NSS's chief executive, said: "The labelling of meat to show method of slaughter is a welcome step because it would at least give consumers the opportunity to avoid non-stunned halal or kosher meat if that's their choice. Labour's plan will not, however, end the needless suffering caused to millions of farm animals in the name of religion.
"The scientific consensus is clear that non-stun slaughter causes unnecessary pain and suffering. The shadow environment secretary is therefore wrong to suggest that the plan will mean no animal is made to suffer unnecessary pain. The pain and distress caused during religious slaughter certainly should not be considered 'necessary'. We look forward to pointing this out during the upcoming consultation."
The NSS has long campaigned for an end the religious exemption to animal welfare legislation. In November the Government told the NSS it was considering introducing labelling requirements to ensure consumers know whether halal or kosher meat has been stunned before slaughter.
Ms Hayman also said: "With new trade deals on the horizon and the UK no longer subject to EU-wide rules on animal welfare, we want to ensure there is a comprehensive legislative agenda in place so that the UK becomes a world leader on animal rights."
Council launches consultation on unstunned meat plan for schools
Posted: Thu, 8 Feb 2018 13:51
Lancashire County Council has launched a consultation on its plans to stop supplying unstunned meat to schools after an Islamic group threatened legal action and a boycott over its decision.
In October the council voted to stop supplying non-poultry meat to schools and other establishments unless the animals were stunned before slaughter. But last month the council's leaders said they would reconsider the policy after the Lancashire Council of Mosques (LCM) said it would launch a judicial review and encourage a boycott of school meals.
The council currently supplies unstunned meat to 12,000 pupils at 27 schools in Blackburn, Nelson, Burnley, Rawtenstall, Hyndburn, Clitheroe and Preston.
The consultation opened yesterday and will last until 7 March.
The National Secular Society has called on its supporters in Lancashire to respond. Stephen Evans, the NSS's CEO, said: "Lancashire council should be encouraged to ensure that the meat it supplies to schools adheres to basic welfare standards. Meat from non-stun slaughter clearly falls below that an acceptable standard.
"As long as religious groups are granted an exemption from legislation aimed at ensuring animals do not suffer avoidable distress or pain, the number of animals killed under the exemption should be kept to an absolute minimum. Routinely supplying meat from non-stun slaughter to thousands of children fails to adequately target the supply of such meat and unreasonably imposes a hardline interpretation of Islam on pupils across the county.
"The powerful and entitled so-called 'community leaders'" demanding that all halal meat must be non-stun need to be resisted."
In 2013 the Food Standards Agency carried out an animal welfare survey in abattoirs across Britain which found about 84% of animals slaughtered by the halal method were stunned before being killed. But the NSS is concerned that the non-stun slaughter industry is growing.
On the same day that the Lancashire consultation opened the sharp rise in non-stunned slaughter in Britain was discussed in the House of Lords. Lord Trees raised the fact that the number of sheep slaughtered without stunning between 2011 and 2017 had doubled, according to new Food Standards Agency figures. He said "we are going backwards" on animal welfare.
The NSS, which has long called for an end to the religious exemption to animal welfare laws, wrote to the Government about the figures in October. In reply the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity said the Government was considering introducing labelling requirements to ensure consumers know whether halal or kosher meat has been stunned before slaughter.
Leading vets are among those who say slitting animals' throats and allowing them to bleed to death without prior stunning for halal and kosher meat causes unnecessary suffering. Significant meat-producing countries such as Denmark and New Zealand have no exemption to laws requiring pre-stunning for all slaughter.
While the religious exemption exists the NSS campaigns for consumers to have clear and accurate information on the provenance of the meat they eat.
Geoff Driver, Lancashire County Council's leader, said: "We know people have strong views on this issue and would encourage them to help shape future policy by taking part in this consultation."
Abdul Hamid Qureshi, LCM's chief executive, has accused the council of creating "unnecessary division" and said LCM does not "want any stunned meat at all".
"If you have stunning and other processes it retains the blood to a certain extent in the meat. That's not healthy," he claimed. "It's our faith perspective."
