The Same Outcry?

[B00]

Last week Fender posted a news story link regarding the abhorrent slaughter of animals in a Halal slaughterhouse.

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1398161.html

Whilst the vast majority of us agreed that it was indeed terrible what the link showed, some of us tried to argue the fact that the cruelty involved had nothing to do with the fact that the perpetrators appeared to be muslim and that it does indeed happen in 'our own' abattoirs.

Sadly, evidence is now here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2944609/Kicked-punched-hit-thrown-sickening-violence-inside-family-butchers-slaughterhouse-distressing-video-captured-campaigners-hidden-cameras.html

Will we hear the same outcry from some of our more vocal AB members? I hope so!

[jno]

ladybirder, isn't that to spare them pain? Pain theyr'e already in, not pain they're about to inflict by killing them, I mean.

[jourdain2]

A bullet/bolt through the brain is quick as long as the animal is well-treated and not frightened beforehand. I saw a programme (Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall) where a communally-reared pig went for slaughter. It was snuffling about happily until a slaughterman affixed ends of electronic bolts (or whatever, I don't do scientific) to each ear - he was very skilled, a quick touch - and it dropped. Completely out of it, probably less than a second, no fear, no trauma. That I have no problem with and it is what should be happening.

[ladybirder]

I take your point jno, but it must be one of the better ways to go, for an animal that is.
Has anyone got anything to say regarding my point about people who actually slaughter animals for a living? Do any ABers know a slaughterman?

[B00]

No ladybirder, I don't know a slaughter person, and to be honest im not sure I could even become friends with one, which I know makes me a hypocrite as im not a vegetarian.

I'm pretty sure after a while, if you weren't before, you'd become pretty hardened to an animals suffering whilst you're doing your job.

[humbersloop]

to go back to your OP B00, evidently not, but animal cruelty was never really the point before was it?

[ladybirder]

Thanks B00. I did vaguely know a guy many many years ago, a friend of a friend, who worked in a slaughterhouse. From what I remember he was always joking, laughing, larking about and hyperactive. Don't know whether that fits the profile or not.

[B00]

Yes it was humbers :-)

The point I was (probably badly) trying to make was in the initial thread by Fender most people seem centered on the fact that the slaughterhouse was Halal and therefore their method of finally killing the animal was wrong. I felt at the time, and still do, that it wasn't how they died that was the main issue there but the sadistic cruelty the men seemed to enjoy inflicting on the beasts.

Here, we have the same thing- men seemingly enjoying torturing animals prior to them being killed, the difference being the men appeared to be white and (probably) British.

I was curious whether the most ferocious on the on the former thread would raise their heads on this threads, which so far they haven't, which leads me to believe it's really more to do with race and religion why they participated on that thread and not animal welfare.

[humbersloop]

was with you all the way B00 ;)

[Prudie]

I don't know any slaughtermen but I used to know quite a few 'zookeepers' and was horrified to find that the daily requirement to kill chickens for feed was done with some degree of fun and a big stick. Obviously not everybody but yes I think some get desensitised to the feelings of animals around them and some of them just enjoy the control/cruelty, call it what you will..

[B00]

oh god, really Prudie? That's horrific! I assumed they bought 'em wholesale or something from the abattoir already dead.

[mrs.chappie]

I watched a programme some time ago where a reporter had gone undercover in a slaughterhouse and a slaughterman was clearly heard saying the stun gun was a waste of time as half the time it didn't work.

He (or another worker) was also heard saying that many of the animals that had been stunned (where the gun worked) were being left too long and had started to come round before slaughter.

I agree with an earlier comment - we'd be daft to think they all worked by the book all the time...I just hope the slaughterhouse in the programme I watched was not typical of how most of them operate.

Our builder in North Yorkshire took a job in a slaughterhouse but left after two weeks as he couldn't stand the cruelty (his words). I can't type what he told me - still makes me feel sick thinking of it - it was just horrendous.

[ladybirder]

I hope that's not still the case today Prudie.

[jourdain2]

Just seen question by Ladybirder. Eric, son of across-the-road neighbour, is a slaughterman. He's a perfectly decent guy and proud when he announces how many they managed to 'process' in a day, takes pride in his work and absolutely hates the 'halal' days. He thinks they are inefficient as much as cruel and he dislikes them hugely. He would not be deliberately cruel or unfeeling.

I have to give the caveat that he is French; his dad (our neighbour) raises 2 successive piglets a year in a sty and shoots them through the brain, then hangs them and keeps offering us blood sausages - which find their way to the bin.

I cannot persuade him that this is a cruel way of raising meat - the pig grows so big that it cannot turn in its confines However it is what they have always done and the end is fast and unexpected so far as the pig is concerned. I am more concerned about the method of raising than the ending, quite frankly. The ending of the pig's life is not, in these cases, cruel.

[Prudie]

I hope not too but you never know. I think I was trying to give the example that guys who were really nice, fun down the pub, had kids etc could still do that sort of thing without a thought.

[jourdain2]

^^^ Probably went off thread there, sorry.

[Orderlimit]

I think you may be missing the point with trying to compare this illegal activity to some peoples reaction to allowing Halal slaughter. Lots of people don't want to see the slaughter methods used for Halal meat to be allowed in the UK. I'd imagine the very same people would be equally against what has been disclosed in this latest article. It's about animal welfare, not automatically islamophobia, racism and so on.

[B00]

No Orderlimit you're missing my point :-)

[B00]

Thank you DB, my point exactly, though you made it sound simpler with far less words x

[tonyav]

Well with halal slaughter cruelty seems to be the norm, haven't looked at your link B00 and neither will I. Cruelty is cruelty in my book, however I would like to think that this 'Family butchers slaughterhouse video' isn't the norm.