Petition · past parliament · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ban the religious slaughter of animals without first stunning them
Closed
12,864 signatures
What the petition asks
Muslim & Jewish communities are exempt from the legal requirement to stun animals before slaughter. All Shechita (Jewish) & 42% of Halal (Muslim) slaughter involves cutting an animal's throat without stunning it
We ask the govt to remove this exemption to the law & end this barbaric practice
We ask the govt to remove this exemption to the law & end this barbaric practice
(From a 2003 report on animal welfare)
"The level of restraint of conscious animals required for slaughter without pre-stunning was far greater than for conventional slaughter.
A large cut made across the neck of a conscious animal would "result in very significant pain and distress" before the animal loses consciousness (around 5 to 7 seconds for sheep, 22 to 40 seconds for adult cattle)"
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/farm/slaughter/religiousslaughte
Slaughter without pre-stunning is barbaric & the law prohibiting it must applied to all communities
"The level of restraint of conscious animals required for slaughter without pre-stunning was far greater than for conventional slaughter.
A large cut made across the neck of a conscious animal would "result in very significant pain and distress" before the animal loses consciousness (around 5 to 7 seconds for sheep, 22 to 40 seconds for adult cattle)"
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/farm/slaughter/religiousslaughte
Slaughter without pre-stunning is barbaric & the law prohibiting it must applied to all communities
Government response · 26 October 2022
The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter. However, we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.
The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter. However, we are committed to upholding the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals at slaughter. There are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered without stunning to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce these animal welfare requirements.
A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter, and the 2022 FSA Slaughter Sector Survey shows that this is around 85% in the case of white meat and 69% in the case of red meat in England and Wales. The ‘Demonstration of Life Protocol’, an industry-led initiative supported by the Government, provides assurance for Muslim consumers that stunning is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Legislation sets out the main requirements to protect the welfare of animals at slaughter. There are additional rules that apply when animals are slaughtered without stunning to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering, or distress during the slaughter process. Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are present in all approved slaughterhouses to monitor and enforce these animal welfare requirements.
A significant proportion of halal meat comes from animals that are stunned before slaughter, and the 2022 FSA Slaughter Sector Survey shows that this is around 85% in the case of white meat and 69% in the case of red meat in England and Wales. The ‘Demonstration of Life Protocol’, an industry-led initiative supported by the Government, provides assurance for Muslim consumers that stunning is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved.
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Timeline
| 19 Apr 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 2 Oct 2022 | Passed 10,000 signatures, requiring a government response |
| 26 Oct 2022 | Government responded |
| 2 Nov 2022 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
12,864
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened
19 Apr 2022
Closed
2 Nov 2022
Response
26 Oct 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.