Michael Gove announces legislation on mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses
The RSPCA responds to Gove's announcement of mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses from May 2018.
23 February 2018
2 minute read
By: David Bowles, head of public affairs for the RSPCA said:
The RSPCA welcomes the news that CCTV will become mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England by November 2018.
We are pleased that the details released today suggest cameras will be compulsory in all areas where live animals are present and Official Veterinarians will have unfettered access to the footage. We hope this vital step, which mirrors the existing requirement in the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards for compulsory CCTV in all slaughterhouses, will help lead to higher welfare across the food chain.
The RSPCA also believes there are further ways to improve the slaughter of farm animals once the UK exits the EU such as prohibiting electrical waterbath stunning for poultry and prohibiting slaughter without stunning.
We also strongly feel that this year’s new Agricultural Bill should contain proper incentives for British farmers to move towards meaningful higher welfare production standards and strong safeguards to protect those higher welfare standards from being undercut by imported food that has come from animals reared outside the UK under poorer conditions.
As reported by the RSPCA
Ryan Johnson
Ryan worked in conservation from 2008 to 2017, during which time he operated a rainbow trout hatchery and helped to maintain public and protected green spaces in Canada for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. As editor of The Poultry Site, he now writes about challenges and opportunities in agriculture across the globe.
