Animal welfare probe prompts call for CCTV in all Australian abattoirs
Victoria’s meat safety regulator, PrimeSafe, has shut down a Victorian abattoir after it was shown video footage of inappropriate treatment of pigs. The case has prompted calls by animal welfare group Animals Australia for CCTV to be introduced to abattoirs in Australia.
Based on the footage it received, PrimeSafe has ordered the L. E. Giles & Sons abattoir, in Trafalgar, Victoria, to cease all operations pending an investigation.
In a statement published on its website on 29 November 2011, PrimeSafe said it was “appalled” by the treatment of animals shown in the video footage and that it will “vigorously pursue” the issue.
The PrimeSafe statement said, “Animal welfare is an integral part of an abattoir’s Quality Assurance program. On that basis, PrimeSafe is authorised to cancel the operating licence of any abattoir that does not satisfactorily meet animal welfare standards.”
All Victorian abattoirs are required to be licensed with PrimeSafe and to have a quality assurance program that complies with the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption.
Call for CCTV in all Australian abattoirs
Animals Australia says Australia should fit all abattoirs with closed circuit television cameras. This currently UK’s lead and
Animals Australia Executive Director, Glenys Oogjes said the Trafalgar abattoir case exposed a “severe flaw” in the regulatory system.
She said, “Pigs were being stabbed in the eyes and ears with stunning equipment in what seemed to be the regular method of stunning animals. One escaped pig was beaten to death with a sledgehammer despite a stunning device being nearby. Another was left unaided to bleed out after the throat cut for more than 5 minutes.”
“One of the problems is that unlike export abattoirs, domestic abattoirs don’t have an inspector or government officer on site most of the time. This lack of oversight leaves farm production animals incredibly vulnerable.”
Meanwhile, UK Government Ministers are currently considering making CCTV compulsory in slaughterhouses in England, Scotland and Wales to help enforce laws against animal cruelty.
Great Idea.
Short of closing them all down Lets Do It
I am appalled that this video and it’s production was not investigated further before shutting down the entire abattoir. Local rare pig producers are now without any abattoir for at least 4 hours additional travel as a result of this action and may need to euthanase them as a result. Couldn’t supervision be provided to allow it to continue. What’s more cruel?
No investigation is like shutting an entire hospital down because of one doctor. The Giles family willingly offered a tour of their facilities when we needed to send our pigs and I would find this normal if they are practising without cruelty. I took that tour, randomly offered, ie they didn’t know what day I was arriving.
I find the video suspect because anyone who knows the equipment knows it is not placed on noses or eyes. Pig squealing is no reference point. They squeal like that if you pick them up. If you work with pigs you’d know that.
Was this for the camera’s benefit? With management permission indeed… it was given I would assume because they knew nothing was going on. 60 years clean record of no cruelty and an open practise of always welcoming scrutiny by their customers. Something is not right in the land of nod on this one… The locals are petitioning for a thorough and proper investigation.