The Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990

PART I INTRODUCTORY

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) (Scotland) Regulations 1990, and shall come into force on 5th July 1990.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

“the Act” means the Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980;

“animal” means any description of cattle, sheep, goat, swine or horse (including asses, ponies, hinnies or mules);

“bovine” means a bull, ox, bullock, cow, heifer or steer or a calf which is too large to be restrained on a cradle or table, and for the purposes of regulations 5, 9, 14 and 24 of these Regulations includes all calves;

“casting pen” means a rotary pen capable of casting animals for slaughter;

“contravention” in relation to any provision of these Regulations includes a failure to comply with that provision and “contravene” shall be construed accordingly;

“knacker’s yard” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is not intended for human consumption; and “knacker” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;

“lairage” means any premises or yard used for the confinement of animals awaiting slaughter forming part of or used in connection with a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and, for the purposes of regulations 3 and 5 of these Regulations, includes a field so used;

“local authority” means an islands or district council;

“mechanically-operated instrument”, except for the purposes of regulations 14(b) and 16(1)(b), includes an instrument for stunning by means of electricity;

“occupier” means–

(a)

in relation to a slaughterhouse provided by a local authority, that local authority;

(b)

in relation to any premises used as a slaughterhouse, the person registered in respect of the premises for that purpose under section 4 of the Act, and

(c)

in relation to premises used as a knacker’s yard, the person holding a licence in respect thereof under section 6 of the Act;

“restraining pen” means a pen or compartment which is–

(a)

suitable for restraining in an upright position a bovine while it is being slaughtered by the Jewish or Muslim method;

(b)

constructed so as to confine one such animal at a time, without discomfort, and so as to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways once it has been placed in position for slaughter; and

(c)

the subject of an approval by the Secretary of State under regulation 20 of these Regulations;

“slaughterhall” means that part of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard in which the actual slaughtering of any animal or the dressing of any carcase is carried out;

“slaughterhouse” means any building or place used for the killing of animals the flesh of which is intended for sale for human consumption; and “slaughterman” means a person whose business it is to carry out such killing;

“sticking” means the severance of the major blood vessels in the neck or immediately anterior to the heart by means of a knife and “stuck” shall be construed accordingly;

“stunning pen” means a pen or compartment which is suitable for confining a bovine while it is being stunned and which is so constructed as to confine, without discomfort, only one such animal at a time and to prevent any substantial movement of the animal forwards, backwards or sideways;

“vehicle” means any vehicle (including a trailer of any description) constructed or adapted for use on a road.

(2) Any provision of these Regulations which applies to an animal awaiting slaughter applies until the animal is dead.

(3) Any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation shall be construed as a reference to the regulation bearing that number in these Regulations.