The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012

Regulation 16

SCHEDULE 1 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND THE KILLING OF POULTRY, RABBITS OR HARES FOR DIRECT SUPPLY

Lairages (including field lairages)

1.  The business operator of a slaughterhouse must ensure that a lairage has—

(a) where necessary, suitable equipment for tethering animals; and

(b) racks, mangers or other equipment adequate in number and size for the feeding of all animals confined in the lairage, fixed where practicable, and constructed and placed so that they are easily accessible to all the animals, can readily be filled and cannot readily be fouled.

Facilities for horses

2.  Where a slaughterhouse is one in which horses are killed, the business operator must ensure that—

(a) a separate room or bay is provided for the killing of horses and no person may kill a horse except in that separate room or bay; and

(b) a lairage in which a horse is confined must contain at least one loose box which is so constructed as to minimise the danger of any horse injuring itself or any other animal confined in that lairage.

General requirements – handling operations

3.—(1) The business operator of a slaughterhouse and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals must ensure that—

(a) when unloaded, every animal is protected from adverse weather conditions and is provided with adequate ventilation;

(b) any animals which might injure each other on account of their species, sex, age or origin or for any other reason are kept and lairaged apart from each other;

(c) pending the killing of a sick or disabled animal in the slaughterhouse it is kept apart from any animal which is not sick or disabled; and

(d) no person drags an animal which has been stunned or slaughtered over any other animal which has not been stunned or slaughtered.

(2) The business operator of a slaughterhouse and any person engaged in the movement of animals must ensure that—

(a) care is taken not to frighten, excite or mistreat any animal;

(b) no animal is overturned;

(c) if an animal is not slaughtered immediately on arrival at the slaughterhouse it is lairaged; and

(d) without prejudice to paragraph 1.11 of Annex III, an animal which experienced pain during transport, or is experiencing pain on arrival at the slaughterhouse, or is too young to take solid feed, is slaughtered immediately;

(e) animals are moved with care and, when necessary, led individually; and

(f) animals are not led or driven over any ground or floor that is likely to cause the animal to trip or fall.

General requirements – restraining operations

4.—(1) No person may stun or slaughter an animal without restraining it in an appropriate manner in such a way as to spare the animal avoidable pain, distress or suffering.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph (1), the business operator of a slaughterhouse and any person engaged in the stunning or slaughter of any animal must ensure that any animal which is to be stunned or slaughtered by mechanical means applied to the head is presented in such a position that the equipment can be applied and operated easily, accurately and for the appropriate time.

Restraining equipment

5.—(1) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 7, no person may stun a large bovine animal in a slaughterhouse unless at the time it is stunned it is confined in a stunning pen or in a restraining pen which (in either case) is in good working order.

(2) No person may use, or cause or permit to be operated, any shackle line unless—

(a) each bird suspended from it is kept clear of any object which may cause it avoidable excitement, pain or suffering, including when its wings are outstretched, until it is stunned;

(b) it is possible to—

(i) relieve any avoidable excitement, pain or suffering when a bird suspended from a shackle appears to be in that condition; or

(ii) remove the bird from the shackle;

(c) the speed at which the shackle line is operated is such that any act or operation intended to be performed in relation to, or on, any bird suspended from it can be performed without undue haste and with proper regard for the welfare of the bird; and

(d) there is ready access to the shackle line and its controls.

Captive bolt device

6.—(1) No person may use a captive bolt device to stun an animal unless—

(a) subject to sub-paragraph (3), the instrument is positioned and applied so as to ensure that the projectile enters the cerebral cortex; and

(b) the correct strength of cartridge or other propellant is used, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, to produce an effective stun.

(2) No person may shoot a bovine animal in the back of the head.

(3) No person may shoot a sheep or goat in the back of the head, unless the presence of horns prevents use of the top or the front of its head, in which case it may be shot in the back of the head provided that—

(a) the shot is placed immediately behind the base of the horns and aimed towards the mouth; and

(b) the sheep or goat is slaughtered within 15 seconds of shooting.

7.  A person who uses a captive bolt device must check that the bolt is retracted to its full extent after each shot and if it is not so retracted must ensure that the device is not used again until it has been repaired.

Stunning by waterbath stunners

8.  No person may use a waterbath stunner to stun poultry unless—

(a) the level of the water in the waterbath has been adjusted in order to ensure that there is good contact with each bird’s head;

(b) it is adequate in size and depth for the type of poultry being slaughtered; and

(c) a person is available to ascertain whether it has been effective in stunning the birds and who, where it has not been effective, will either stun and slaughter or kill any bird without delay.

Gas stunning of pigs

9.—(1) No person may stun a pig by exposure to gas unless—

(a) the gas stunner provided for that purpose, including any equipment used for conveying a pig through the gas mixture, is designed, constructed and maintained so as to enable each pig—

(i) to remain upright until it loses consciousness; and

(ii) to see other pigs as it is conveyed into the chamber;

(b) adequate lighting is provided in the gas stunner and conveying mechanism to allow pigs to see other pigs or their surroundings;

(c) the gas stunner is equipped to maintain the required gas concentration (in accordance with Table 3 of Chapter I of Annex I) in the gas stunner;

(d) there is a means of flushing the gas stunner with atmospheric air with the minimum of delay; and

(e) there is a means of access to any pig with the minimum of delay.

(2) The business operator of a slaughterhouse and any person engaged in the stunning of pigs by exposure to gas must ensure that—

(a) no pig enters the gas chamber if the displayed concentration by volume of carbon dioxide falls below the required gas concentration; and

(b) no pig is allowed to pass through or allowed to remain in the chamber at any time when the visible and audible warning signals have been activated or when there is any defect in the operation of the chamber.

10.  In the case of stunning by exposure to gas mixture 1 in Table 3 of Chapter I of Annex I (“carbon dioxide at high concentration”), once a pig enters the gas stunner it must be conveyed to the point in the gas stunner of maximum concentration of the gas mixture within a maximum period of 30 seconds.

Gas stunning of poultry

11.—(1) No person may stun poultry by exposure to gas unless—

(a) the gas stunner provided for that purpose, including any equipment used for conveying poultry through the gas mixture, is—

(i) designed, constructed and maintained so that once a bird enters the chamber it is conveyed to the point of maximum concentration of the gas mixture within a maximum period of 10 seconds;

(ii) equipped to maintain the required gas concentration (in accordance with Table 3 of Chapter I of Annex I) in the gas stunner; and

(iii) fitted with a means of visually monitoring the poultry;

(b) there is a means of flushing the gas stunner with atmospheric air with the minimum of delay;

(c) there is a means of access to the poultry with the minimum of delay; and

(d) birds are exposed to the gas mixture for long enough to ensure they are stunned;

(2) No bird is allowed to enter the chamber if the displayed concentration of oxygen is above 2% by volume or the displayed concentration of carbon dioxide is above 30% by volume.

(3) No bird is allowed to pass through or allowed to remain in the chamber at any time when the visible and audible warning signals have been activated or when there is any defect in the operation of the chamber.

Bleeding

12.—(1) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 3.2 of Annex III, if an animal is bled after simple stunning, no person may cause or permit any further dressing procedure or any electrical stimulation to be performed on the animal before the bleeding has ended and in any event not before the expiry of—

(a) in the case of a turkey or goose, a period of not less than 2 minutes;

(b) in the case of any other bird, a period of not less than 90 seconds;

(c) in the case of bovine animals, a period of not less than 30 seconds; or

(d) in the case of sheep, goats, pigs and deer, a period of not less than 20 seconds.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to an animal which has been pithed.

Killing of horses

13.  No person may kill a horse within sight of any other horse.