Farm Animals

Slaughter Welfare Global Standards

Slaughter welfare varies enormously around the world, with billions of animals still killed without effective stunning or under conditions that cause significant suffering.

Key Facts

The OIE has published animal welfare standards for slaughter but enforcement is entirely national
In many countries, traditional methods without pre-stunning remain common
The EU mandates pre-stunning for slaughter with religious exemptions that remain controversial
Approximately 80 million farm animals are estimated to be slaughtered without pre-stunning annually in the UK
Mobile slaughter units can reduce transport stress by bringing slaughter to farms

Welfare Considerations

Slaughter is the final welfare moment for billions of animals annually. Mandatory pre-stunning, skilled slaughter workers, and effective monitoring are the most impactful interventions to reduce end-of-life suffering globally.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory pre-stunning of all animals at slaughter
Engage with the evidence on religious slaughter methods and welfare outcomes
Choose meat products from supply chains with verified humane slaughter practices
Advocate for CCTV in slaughterhouses as a monitoring and compliance tool
Support international development of slaughter welfare standards through OIE engagement