The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995

Regulations 9(c), 10(c), 14(b), 15 and 16(b)

SCHEDULE 5 STUNNING OR KILLING OF ANIMALS OTHER THAN ANIMALS REARED FOR FUR

PART I INTRODUCTORY

Interpretation

1.  In this Schedule “animal” means any soliped, ruminant, pig, rabbit or bird.

General provision

2.  The occupier of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and any person engaged in the stunning or killing of any animal shall ensure that any instrument, restraining equipment and other equipment, and any installation, which is used for stunning or killing is used in such a way as to facilitate rapid and effective stunning or killing in accordance with these Regulations.

PART II STUNNING

Stunning of animals

3.  No person shall stun, or cause or permit to be stunned, any animal unless it is possible to—

(a) bleed or pith it without delay and in accordance with Schedule 6; or

(b) kill it without delay and in accordance with Part III of this Schedule.

Permitted methods of stunning animals

4.  No person shall stun any animal, or cause or permit any animal to be stunned, except by one of the following methods—

(a) captive bolt;

(b) concussion; or

(c) electronarcosis.

Specific requirements for stunning by use of a captive bolt instrument

5.—(1) No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, a captive bolt instrument to stun any animal unless—

(a) subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, the instrument is positioned and applied so as to ensure that the projectile enters the cerebral cortex; and

(b) the correct strength of cartridge or other propellant is used, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, to produce an effective stun.

(2) No person shall shoot, or cause or permit to be shot, any bovine animal in the back of the head.

(3) No person shall shoot, or cause or permit to be shot, any sheep or goat in the back of its head, unless the presence of horns prevents use of the top or the front of its head, in which case it may be shot in the back of the head provided that—

(a) the shot is placed immediately behind the base of the horns and aimed towards the mouth; and

(b) bleeding is commenced within 15 seconds of shooting or the sheep or goat is killed within 15 seconds of shooting in accordance with Part III of this Schedule.

6.  Any person who uses a captive bolt instrument shall check that the bolt is retracted to its full extent after each shot and if it is not so retracted shall ensure that the instrument is not used again until it has been repaired.

Specific requirements for stunning by concussion

7.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, no person shall stun, or cause or permit to be stunned, by concussion any animal except by an instrument which is applied in the proper position and which is used with the correct strength of cartridge or other propellant, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to produce an effective stun without fracture to the skull by administering a non-penetrative blow to the skull.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) above shall not apply to small batches of rabbits, which may be stunned using a non-mechanical blow to the skull provided that the operation is carried out in such a way that the animal is immediately rendered unconscious and remains so until it is dead.

Specific requirements for stunning by electronarcosis — electrodes

8.  No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, electrodes to stun any animal unless—

(a) the electrodes are so placed that they span the brain, enabling the current to pass through it;

(b) appropriate measures are taken to ensure that there is good electrical contact; and

(c) the strength and duration of the current used is such that the animal is immediately rendered unconscious and remains so until it is dead.

9.  No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, electrodes to stun any animal individually unless the apparatus—

(a) incorporates a device which—

(i) measures the impedance of the load; and

(ii) prevents operation of the apparatus unless a current can be passed which is sufficient to render an animal of the species being stunned unconscious until it is dead;

(b) incorporates an audible or visible device indicating the length of time of its application to an animal; and

(c) is connected to a device indicating the voltage and the current under load, positioned so as to be clearly visible to the operator.

Specific requirements for stunning by electronarcosis — waterbath stunners

10.  No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, a water bath stunner to stun any bird unless—

(a) the level of the water in the waterbath has been adjusted in order to ensure that there is good contact with the bird’s head;

(b) the strength and duration of the current used is such that the bird is immediately rendered unconscious and remains so until it is dead;

(c) where poultry are stunned in groups in a waterbath, a voltage sufficient to produce a current strong enough to ensure that every bird is stunned is maintained; and

(d) appropriate measures are taken to ensure that the current passes efficiently, in particular that there are good electrical contacts and the shackle-to-leg contact is kept wet.

11.  No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, any waterbath stunner unless—

(a) it is adequate in size and depth for the type of bird being slaughtered;

(b) it does not overflow at the entrance, or, if an overflow is unavoidable, measures are taken to ensure that no bird receives an electrical shock before it is stunned; and

(c) the electrode which is immersed in the water extends the length of the waterbath.

12.  No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, any waterbath stunner unless a person is available to ascertain whether it has been effective in stunning the birds and who, where it has not been effective, will either stun and slaughter or kill any bird without delay.

PART III KILLING

Methods of killing animals

13.  No person shall kill, or cause or permit to be killed, any animal except by one of the following methods—

(a) free bullet;

(b) electrocution;

(c) for birds only, decapitation or dislocation of the neck; or

(d) exposure of pigs and birds to gas mixtures in accordance with Schedule 7.

Specific requirements for killing by electrocution

14.  No person shall kill, or cause or permit to be killed, any animal by electrocution unless—

(a) the strength and duration of the current used are sufficient to kill immediately an animal of that species; and

(b) the animal has been stunned in accordance with paragraph 5 or with paragraphs 8 and 9 or with paragraphs 10 and 11 above.