UK: RSPCA calls for non-stun slaughter ban as numbers rise nearly 20%

The RSPCA has called for end to non-stun slaughter in the UK after new figures show a near 20% increase in animals slaughtered without pre-stunning. The Food Standards Authority (FSA) released the figures, with non-stun slaughter now accounting for around half million animals every week. This totals an 18.5% increase in animals being slaughtered without pre-stunning since 2022. The RSPCA said it was 'disappointed' in the figures as it was a 'real concern' for animal welfare in the UK. The figures show that there were 30.11 million animals slaughtered without pre-stunning in 2024, compared to 25.4 million in 2022. Non-stun slaughter rose for both halal and Shechita, with a 20.9% increase in non-stunned halal and a 2% increase in non-stunned kosher. Legislation in the UK requires all farm animals to be stunned before they're slaughtered, as stunning ensures animals are unconscious at the time of slaughter so they cannot feel pain. For slaughter to be humane, the RSPCA and other ...