Mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, where official veterinarians can review footage, has been shown to improve compliance with welfare regulations and reduce abuse.
CCTV in slaughterhouses is one of the most evidence-based welfare interventions available. The knowledge that footage will be reviewed changes behaviour — handling becomes more careful, stunning is performed more consistently, and abuse is less likely to occur. Official inspectors cannot be present at every stage of the process; CCTV fills this gap. Countries without mandatory CCTV have weaker protections and greater reliance on undercover investigations to expose abuse. Extending CCTV requirements globally is a high-priority welfare intervention.