Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations give effect to the provisions of Council Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at time of slaughter or killing (O.J. No. L340, 31.12.93, p. 21).

The Regulations apply to the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter and killing of animals bred or kept for the production of meat, skin, fur or other products, to methods of killing animals for the purpose of disease control and to the killing of surplus chicks and embroys in hatchery waste (regulation 3(1)), subject to exceptions for acts done lawfully under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (regulation 3(2)), sporting events (regulation 3(3)) and wild game (regulation 3(4)).

The Regulations—

(a) prohibit persons engaged in the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter or killing of animals from causing any avoidable excitement, pain or suffering to any animal (regulation 4(1));

(b) prevent persons from engaging in the movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter or killing of animals without the necessary knowledge and skill (regulation 4(2));

(c) provide for the licensing of slaughtermen by the Department of Agriculture (“the Department”) (regulation 4(3) and Schedule 1);

(d) require occupiers of slaughterhouses or knackers' yards to ensure (i) that there is a person available who has authority to take whatever action may be necessary to safeguard the welfare of any live animals on the premises (regulation 5), and (ii) that any person who is engaged in activities governed by these Regulations is acquainted with the legislation and welfare codes which are relevant to those activities and, where necessary, is licensed (regulation 6);

(e) provide powers for the Department to make statutory codes of practice (regulation 7);

(f) specify the construction, equipment and maintenance requirements for slaughterhouses and knackers' yards (regulation 8 and Schedule 2);

(g) regulate the movement and lairaging of solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and birds (regulations 9(a) and 10(a) and Schedule 3);

(h) regulate the restraint of solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and birds in slaughterhouses and knackers' yards (regulations 9(b) and 10(b) and Schedule 4) and elsewhere (regulation 14(a) and Schedule 4);

(i) regulate the stunning and killing of solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and birds in slaughterhouses and knackers' yards (regulations 9(c) and 10(c) and Schedule 5) and elsewhere (regulations 14(b) and 15 and Schedule 5);

(j) regulate the bleeding and pithing of solipeds, ruminants, pigs, rabbits and birds in slaughterhouses and knackers' yards (regulation 9(d) and Schedule 6) and elsewhere (regulation 14(c) and Schedule 6);

(k) regulate the killing of pigs or birds by exposure to gas mixtures (regulation 11 and Schedule 7);

(l) specify additional conditions for the slaughter or killing of horses (regulation 12 and Schedule 8);

(m) provide for slaughter or killing for private consumption (regulation 16);

(n) regulate the slaughter or killing of animals for the purpose of disease control (regulation 17 and Schedule 9);

(o) regulate the killing of fox and mink which are farmed for their fur (regulation 18 and Schedule 10);

(p) regulate the killing of surplus chicks and embryos in hatchery waste (regulation 19 and Schedule 11);

(q) require occupiers of premises where birds are kept for slaughter at the place of purchase to ensure that the birds' accommodation gives them enough room and that the birds are fed and watered (regulation 20);

(r) regulate slaughter by a religious method (regulations 21 and 22 and Schedule 12);

(s) specify the powers of authorised persons (regulation 23), create offences and prescribe penalties (regulations 24 to 26) and provide a defence for emergency acts (regulation 27);

(t) make an amendment and repeals (regulations 28 and 29 and Schedule 13).