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
Majority oppose ritual slaughter of animals
Posted: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 16:56
A new Yougov poll for the Jewish Chronicle shows a majority back a ban on religious slaughter. 45% of respondents supported a ban, 27% were against and 28% said they didn't know.
The same poll found an almost even split among the population as to whether male circumcision on religious grounds should be outlawed, with 38% supporting a ban, 35% against and 27% undecided.
Dayan Yisroel Lichtenstein, head of the Federation Beth Din, said: "It's worrying and it shows we need to do a lot more public relations to put our case."
41% of 18-24 year-olds would ban both shechita and circumcision.
The most striking difference emerges in the political inclinations of those polled. As many as 71% of people who say they would vote UKIP back a ban on religious slaughter, and 51% support a ban on male circumcision — the only political allegiance where more than half back bans in either case.
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, senior rabbi of the Masorti movement, was also not surprised by the figures because "there has been a lot of discussion acrossEurope". He said there had not been proven to be "a kinder method" to kill animals than shechita.
"The real issue is the frequent cruelty within the meat industry generally and the question of how animals live their lives, not only how they die."
The National Secular Society has long campaigned for stricter legislation to ban religious slaughter.
Stephen Evans, campaigns manager at the National Secular Society, said: "The prevailing scientific consensus is that slaughter without pre-stunning causes unnecessary and avoidable pain and distress to animals. We therefore support an end to the exemption from animal welfare legislation that permits religious communities to slaughter without prior stunning.
"For as long as such exemptions are granted, meat from religious slaughter without pre-stunning should at least be accurately labelled, which would enable consumers to make an informed choice about the food they purchase. It is disturbing that at present, this isn't the case, and consumers are being hoodwinked into subsidising the religious slaughter business, often against their will."
A consultation on new domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (to be brought into force later this year), closed in September 2012. Read the NSS's response to this consultation.
NSS calls on Environment Minister to consider labelling of meat from religious slaughter
Posted: Wed, 6 Mar 2013 09:49
The National Secular Society has called on the Government to consider mandatory labelling of meat from religious slaughter as part of its response to the horse meat scandal.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson MP recently called on the European Commission to 'accelerate' its recommendations on labelling the origin of all processed meat, stressing consumers should have confidence in what they're buying.
Animal welfare legislation requires animals to be stunned before slaughter in order to minimise suffering. The only exemption is for religious communities to meet Jewish and Muslim religious requirements.
At present, meat from non-stun religious slaughter methods routinely enter the general food chain. The National Secular Society has argued that this is both ethically unacceptable and potentially unlawful.
NSS campaigns manager Stephen Evans has written to both the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP, seeking assurances that the rights of consumers who wish to avoid meat from animals killed under the religious exemption are also properly considered when considering labelling of meat products.
Stephen Evans said: "Current legislation supposedly restricts meat from religious slaughter to the food of religious communities, but this targeting of supply is simply not enforced, leaving consumers hoodwinked into subsidising the religious slaughter business – whether they like it or not.
"It therefore seems appropriate and reasonable to consider the impact on consumers in this regard, a significant number of whom would be alarmed to find that simply not buying or eating labelled halal and kosher meat does not mean that they have avoided meat from non-stun slaughter.
A consultation on new domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (to be brought into force later this year), closed in September 2012. Read the NSS's response to this consultation.
