The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Wales) Regulations 2014

PART 3 Handling operations

General requirements

11.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals must ensure that—

(a) every animal is unloaded as soon as possible after its arrival;

(b) every animal is protected from adverse weather conditions and is provided with adequate ventilation;

(c) if an animal has been subjected to high temperatures in humid weather, it is cooled by appropriate means;

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

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

Inspection of animals

12.  The business operator must ensure that the condition and state of health of every animal is inspected at least every morning and evening by the business operator or by a competent person acting on the business operator’s behalf.

Animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals

13.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals must ensure that the following animals are killed immediately—

(a) animals which have experienced pain or suffering during transport or following arrival; and

(b) animals which are too young to take solid feed.

Emergency killing

14.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals must ensure that an animal which is unable to walk is not dragged to its place of killing but—

(a) is killed where it lies; or

(b) if it is possible and to do so would not cause any unnecessary pain or suffering, is transported on a trolley or movable platform to a place of emergency killing where it is then immediately killed.

Animals delivered other than in containers

15.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or lairaging of animals which are delivered other than in a container must ensure that—

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

(b) no animal is overturned;

(c) if an animal is not killed immediately on arrival, it is lairaged; and

(d) no animal is taken to the place of killing unless it can be killed without delay.

The lifting or dragging of animals

16.  No person may lift or drag an animal by the head, horns, ears, feet, tail, fleece or any other part of its body in such a way as to cause it unnecessary pain or suffering.

The driving of animals

17.  No person may lead or drive an animal over ground or floor, the nature or condition of which is likely to cause the animal to slip or fall.

Moving animals with care

18.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals must ensure that every animal is moved with care and, when necessary, that animals are led individually.

Instruments to guide animals

19.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals must ensure that any instrument intended for guiding an animal is used solely for that purpose and only for short periods on individual animals.

Instruments to make animals move

20.  No person may use an instrument which administers an electric shock to make an animal move, except that such an instrument which has been designed for the purpose of making an animal move may be used on adult bovine animals and adult pigs which refuse to move, provided that—

(a) the use of such an instrument is avoided as far as possible;

(b) the shocks last no more than one second each, are adequately spaced out and are not used repeatedly if the animal fails to respond;

(c) the animal has room ahead of it in which to move; and

(d) such shocks are applied only to the muscles of the hindquarters.

Treatment of animals

21.  No person may—

(a) strike, or apply pressure to, any particularly sensitive part of the body of an animal;

(b) crush, twist or break the tail of an animal or grasp the eyes of an animal; or

(c) inflict any blow or kick to an animal.

Lairaging of animals

22.  The business operator and any person engaged in the lairaging of an animal must ensure that—

(a) an adequate supply of suitable bedding material is provided for all animals kept in the lairage overnight, unless the lairage has a slatted or mesh floor;

(b) an animal which is kept in a lairage has drinking water available to it from appropriate facilities at all times;

(c) a sufficient quantity of wholesome food is provided for an animal on its arrival at the lairage and twice daily thereafter, except that no animal need be fed within 12 hours of the time at which it is killed;

(d) food is provided in a way which will permit the animals to feed without unnecessary disturbance;

(e) an animal which is lairaged untethered is able to lie down, stand up and turn round without difficulty; and

(f) an animal which is lairaged tethered is able to lie down and stand up without difficulty.

Handling of animals delivered in containers

23.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement of animals delivered in containers must ensure that—

(a) any container in which an animal is transported is handled with care and is not thrown, dropped or knocked over;

(b) where possible, the container is loaded and unloaded horizontally and mechanically;

(c) any animal delivered in a container with a perforated or flexible bottom is unloaded with particular care in order to avoid injury; and

(d) where appropriate, animals are unloaded from containers individually.

Killing of animals delivered in containers

24.  The business operator and any person engaged in the movement or handling of animals delivered in containers must ensure that—

(a) animals which have been transported in containers are killed as soon as possible; and

(b) if killing is delayed and if it is necessary—

(i) the animals have drinking water available to them from appropriate facilities at all times; and

(ii) a sufficient quantity of wholesome food is provided for the animals on arrival at the lairage and twice daily thereafter, except that no animal need be fed within 12 hours of the time at which it is killed.

Poultry awaiting killing at place of purchase

25.  The business operator or person in charge of any premises at which poultry are offered or exposed for sale prior to being killed there must ensure that, on arrival at the premises, the poultry are without delay—

(a) placed in accommodation in which they are able, without difficulty, to stand upright, turn around and stretch their wings; and

(b) provided with a sufficient supply of wholesome food and clean drinking water.