Livestock

Humane Slaughter: Standards, Failures, and Reform

Slaughter is the final welfare event in an animal's life; current standards leave enormous room for suffering at massive scale.

Key Facts

The US slaughters approximately 10 billion land animals annually
The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act excludes chickens and turkeys
Stunning failures occur in 1-2% of cattle slaughters, meaning millions are conscious during killing
Line speeds have increased dramatically, reducing time for proper stunning
Video auditing in slaughterhouses has documented systemic welfare violations

Welfare Considerations

Animals in slaughterhouses experience fear and distress from novel environments, sounds, and smells. Stunning failures mean millions of animals are conscious when killed. Line speed pressure incentivizes shortcuts. The exclusion of poultry from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act leaves 9 billion of the most-consumed animals entirely unprotected. Better stunning technology and mandatory video auditing are proven interventions.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory continuous video auditing in all slaughter facilities
Advocate for poultry inclusion in the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act
Reduce meat consumption, prioritizing welfare improvements for remaining consumption
Support controlled atmosphere stunning certification for poultry
Donate to Animal Equality and Humane Society investigations that document conditions