Meat from animals not stunned before they are slaughtered must be labelled, vet association says

Supposedly religion makes people more moral.  That has not been my observation.  This is certainly an example.

https://news.yahoo.com/meat-animals-not-stunned-slaughtered-114852438.html

Valerie Elliott
,The Telegraph•October 24, 2020

Meat that comes from animals which are not stunned before they are killed must be labelled, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has said.

Without new labelling rules, consumers risk unwittingly eating meat from animals suffering “unnecessary pain” before their death.

Until now the BVA, which represents 18,000 vets, has campaigned for an outright ban on the “cruel practice” of religious slaughter - which involves killing live animals with a sharp knife before allowing them to bleed to death.

A ban remains their goal but the professional body has adopted a new pragmatic approach believing it has more chance persuading ministers to introduce “no stun” labels.

James Russell, new BVA president, said: “Our concern is that every animal should have a good life with the highest welfare through life up to the point of death.

“But we just don’t know the destination of meat from some of this we animals that are killed without stunning and we believe it should be labelled.

“We don’t know where fresh meat on sale at counters and butchers’ shops comes from and we don’t know whether ‘no stun’ meat is used in some pies, ready meals or other meat products.”

Meat sold under certified assurance labels such as the Red Tractor, Quality Meat Scotland, RSPCA Assured and the Soil Association requires animals to be stunned before slaughter.

But as there is no legal requirement to label this meat, it is unclear how much meat from animals that aren't stunned goes on general sale.

A Food Standards Agency report last year however suggested some was entering the wider food chain.

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