Henry Smith MP has called for all slaughterhouses to introduce CCTV to ensure animal safety, ahead of the debate he is leading in the House of Commons this evening, and following an Animal Aid investigation showing violations of animal welfare regulations.

Henry said;

“Working with Animal Aid I am grateful for their investigations going back to 2009.

“Animal Aid’s work includes secretly recording inside ten randomly-selected slaughterhouses, and finding shocking animal welfare abuses in nine of them.

“CCTV in slaughterhouses provides welfare oversight and helps prevent abuse; something, from the appalling scenes witnessed, is clearly now needed. 

“Most supermarkets have already taken decisive action. All the major chains now insist that their slaughterhouse suppliers have CCTV installed.

“I am pleased to have support of over 170 MPs, and that 80,000 people have signed a petition on the Government website.

“Personally I've been vegetarian for over a quarter-of-a-century because of animal welfare and food sustainability reasons, but I believe the vast majority of those who eat meat also want to know that their food has been produced without cruelty."

Kate Fowler, Head of Campaigns at Animal Aid, commented;

“The findings from Animal Aid’s latest investigation at Bowood show that there is routine and inexcusable cruelty to animals there. Sheep were picked up by their ears and legs, and thrown headfirst into solid structures.

“One man stood on the neck of a sheep and bounced up and down, while one slaughterman allowed his knife to become so blunt that he hacked away at the throats of still-conscious sheep. Sadly, however, this is not an isolated case.

“Animal Aid has now filmed inside ten UK slaughterhouses and found breaches of animal welfare laws in nine of them, including animals being burnt with cigarettes and being punched, kicked and beaten.

“The government cannot ignore this widespread cruelty any longer, and we are grateful to Henry Smith for his work to support the campaign for mandatory CCTV inside slaughterhouses.”

To watch Henry introduce this bill at approximately 7pm this evening, please visit Parliament TV or BBC Parliament.

Picture: Henry being interviewed on Sky News about the Animal Aid findings

External link:
Undercover: Inside a UK Non-Stun Slaughterhouse
Animal Aid, 3 February 2015