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The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

    1. 1.Title, commencement and extent

    2. 2.Interpretation

    3. 3.Application and exemptions

    4. 3A.Immobilisation after stunning

    5. 4.Humane treatment of animals

    6. 5.Safeguarding the welfare of animals

    7. 6.Animal welfare legislation and codes

    8. 7.Codes of practice

  3. PART II REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND KNACKERS' YARDS

    1. 8.Construction, equipment and maintenance of slaughterhouses and knackers' yards

    2. 9.The slaughter of animals in slaughterhouses and knackers' yards

    3. 10.The killing of animals in slaughterhouses and knackers' yards

    4. 11.The killing of pigs and birds by exposure to gas mixtures

    5. 12.Additional provisions for the slaughter or killing of horses

  4. PART III SLAUGHTER OR KILLING ELSEWHERE THAN IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES OR KNACKERS' YARDS

    1. 13.Application of Part III

    2. 14.The slaughter of animals elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard

    3. 14A.The killing of birds by exposure to gas mixtures elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse

    4. 15.The killing of animals elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard

    5. 16.The slaughter or killing of animals elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard for private consumption

    6. 17.The slaughter or killing of animals for the purpose of disease control

    7. 18.The killing of fox and mink which are farmed for their fur

    8. 19.The killing of surplus chicks and embryos in hatchery waste

    9. 20.Birds awaiting slaughter at place of purchase

  5. PART IV SLAUGHTER BY A RELIGIOUS METHOD

    1. 21.Additional requirements relating to slaughter by a religious method

    2. 22.Exemption for slaughter by a religious method

  6. PART V EXECUTION, OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

    1. 23.Powers of authorised persons

    2. 24.Obstruction

    3. 25.Offences by bodies corporate

    4. 26.Offences and penalties

    5. 26A.Time limit for summary prosecution

    6. 27.Defence

  7. PART VI REPEALS, REVOCATIONS AND AMENDMENTS

    1. 28.Repeals, revocations and amendments

    2. 29.Review

  8. Signature

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      1. 1.Scope of this Schedule

      2. 2.The licensing of slaughtermen

      3. 3.Operations which require a licence

      4. 4.Certificates of competence

      5. 5.The grant and registration of licences

      6. 6.Modification of registered licences

      7. 7.Grant of provisional licences

      8. 8.Refusal of a provisional licence, a certificate of competence or a registered licence

      9. 9.Suspension and revocation of licences

      10. 10.Fees

      11. 11.Appeals system

      12. 12.Savings provisions

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      THE CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND KNACKERS' YARDS

      1. PART I REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND KNACKERS' YARDS

        1. 1.General requirements for all slaughterhouses and knackers' yards

      2. PART II ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES OR KNACKERS' YARDS TO WHICH ANIMALS ARE DELIVERED OTHER THAN IN CONTAINERS

        1. 2.Additional requirements for slaughterhouses or knackers' yards to which animals are delivered other than in containers

        2. 3.Additional requirements relating to lairages other than field lairages

        3. 4.Additional requirements for field lairages

      3. PART III SHACKLE LINES

        1. 5.Additional requirements for slaughterhouses containing shackle lines for birds

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMALS AWAITING SLAUGHTER OR KILLING

      1. PART I INTRODUCTORY

        1. 1.Interpretation

      2. PART II REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ANIMALS AWAITING SLAUGHTER OR KILLING

        1. 2.General requirements

        2. 3.Inspection of animals

        3. 4.Slaughter or killing of animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals

        4. 5.Emergency slaughter and killing

      3. PART III ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMALS DELIVERED OTHER THAN IN CONTAINERS

        1. 6.Treatment of animals delivered other than in containers

        2. 7.The lifting or dragging of animals

        3. 8.The driving of animals

        4. 9.Moving animals with care

        5. 10.Instruments for guiding animals

        6. 11.Instruments to make animals move

        7. 12.Treatment of animals

        8. 13.Lairaging of animals

      4. PART IV ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMALS DELIVERED IN CONTAINERS

        1. 14.Handling of animals delivered in containers

        2. 15.Slaughter or killing of animals delivered in containers

      5. PART V ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BIRDS

        1. 16.Birds awaiting slaughter or killing at place of purchase

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      RESTRAINT OF ANIMALS BEFORE STUNNING, SLAUGHTER OR KILLING

      1. 1.In this Schedule “animal” means any soliped, ruminant, pig, rabbit...

      2. 2.No person shall stun, slaughter or kill, or cause or...

      3. 3.Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 2 above, no...

      4. 4.No person shall— (a) place, or cause or permit to...

      5. 5.No person shall tie, or cause or permit to be...

      6. 6.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, no person shall suspend,...

      7. 7.The occupier of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and any...

      8. 8.No person shall use, or cause or permit to be...

      9. 9.(1) No person shall operate, or cause or permit to...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      STUNNING OR KILLING OF ANIMALS OTHER THAN ANIMALS REARED FOR FUR

      1. PART I INTRODUCTORY

        1. 1.Interpretation

        2. 2.General provision

      2. PART II STUNNING

        1. 3.Stunning of animals

        2. 4.Permitted methods of stunning animals

        3. 5.Specific requirements for stunning by use of a captive bolt instrument

        4. 6.Any person who uses a captive bolt instrument shall check...

        5. 7.Specific requirements for stunning by concussion

        6. 8.Specific requirements for stunning by electronarcosis — electrodes

        7. 9.No person shall use, or cause or permit to be...

        8. 10.Specific requirements for stunning by electronarcosis — waterbath stunners

        9. 11.No person shall use, or cause or permit to be...

        10. 12.No person shall use, or cause or permit to be...

      3. PART III KILLING

        1. 13.Methods of killing animals

        2. 14.Specific requirements for killing by electrocution

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      BLEEDING OR PITHING OF ANIMALS

      1. 1.In this Schedule “animal” means any soliped, ruminant, pig, rabbit...

      2. 2.(1) The occupier of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard shall...

      3. 3.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, any person engaged in...

      4. 4.(1) Where one person is responsible for the stunning and...

      5. 5.Manual back up of automatic machinery

    7. SCHEDULE 7

      KILLING PIGS AND BIRDS BY EXPOSURE TO GAS MIXTURES

      1. PART I GENERAL

        1. 1.Scope

        2. 2.Interpretation

      2. PART II THE KILLING OF PIGS BY EXPOSURE TO CARBON DIOXIDE

        1. 3.The killing of pigs by exposure to carbon dioxide

        2. 4.Construction of the chamber

        3. 5.The operation of the chamber

        4. 6.The occupier of a slaughterhouse at which a chamber is...

      3. PART III KILLING BIRDS BY EXPOSURE TO GAS MIXTURES

        1. 7.The killing of birds by exposure to gas mixtures

        2. 8.Construction of the chamber

        3. 9.The operation of the chamber

        4. 10.The occupier of a slaughterhouse at which a chamber is...

    8. SCHEDULE 7A

      KILLING OF BIRDS BY EXPOSURE TO GAS MIXTURES ELSEWHERE THAN IN A SLAUGHTERHOUSE

      1. PART I Interpretation

        1. 1.In this Schedule– “bird” means any domestic fowl, turkey, pheasant,...

      2. PART II End of lay hens and end of life breeder hens

        1. 2.(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), end of lay...

      3. PART III Killing where there is a restriction on movement

        1. 3.(1) The Scottish Ministers may permit the killing of birds...

      4. PART IV The chamber

        1. 4.Chamber operator

        2. 5.Construction of the chamber

        3. 6.Operation of the chamber

      5. PART V Combinations of gas mixtures and chamber

        1. 7.Birds may only be killed by exposure to gas mixtures...

    9. SCHEDULE 7A

      1. PART I

        1. 1.In this Schedule— “bird” means any domestic fowl, turkey, pheasant,...

      2. Part II

        1. 2.(1) No bird may be killed by exposure to gas...

      3. PART III

        1. 3.(1) The Secretary of State may authorise the killing of...

      4. PART IV

        1. 4.Chamber operator

        2. 5.Construction of the chamber

        3. 6.Operation of the chamber

      5. PART V

        1. 7.Birds ... shall be killed by exposure to one of...

    10. SCHEDULE 7A

      1. PART 1

        1. 1.In this Schedule— “bird” means any domestic fowl, turkey, pheasant,...

      2. Part II

        1. 2.(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), end of lay...

      3. PART III

        1. 3.(1) The Welsh Ministers may authorise the killing of birds...

      4. PART IV

        1. 4.Chamber operator

        2. 5.Construction of the chamber

        3. 6.Operation of the chamber

      5. PART V

        1. 7.Birds, end of lay hens and end of life breeder...

    11. SCHEDULE 8

      ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR THE SLAUGHTER OR KILLING OF HORSES IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND KNACKERS' YARDS

      1. 1.Subject to paragraph 3 below, no person shall slaughter or...

      2. 2.Subject to paragraph 3 below, no person shall slaughter or...

      3. 3.Paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall not apply in the...

    12. SCHEDULE 9

      SLAUGHTER OR KILLING METHODS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISEASE CONTROL

      1. 1.Interpretation

      2. 2.Permitted methods of slaughtering or killing animals for the purpose of disease control

      3. 3.Specific requirements for killing for the purpose of disease control by electrocution

      4. 4.Specific requirements for stunning by use of a captive bolt instrument

      5. 5.Any person who uses a captive bolt instrument shall check...

      6. 6.Specific requirements for killing for the purpose of disease control by ventilation shutdown

    13. SCHEDULE 10

      METHODS OF KILLING FOX AND MINK

      1. 1.Application

      2. 2.Killing fox which is farmed for its fur

      3. 3.Killing mink which is farmed for its fur

      4. 4.Specific requirements for killing mink by a lethal injection of a drug with anaesthetic properties

      5. 5.Specific requirements for killing mink by exposure to carbon monoxide

      6. 6.Specific requirements for killing mink by exposure to carbon dioxide

    14. SCHEDULE 11

      KILLING OF SURPLUS CHICKS AND EMBRYOS IN HATCHERY WASTE

      1. 1.Permitted methods of killing surplus chicks

      2. 2.Specific requirements for killing surplus chicks by use of a mechanical apparatus producing immediate death

      3. 3.Specific requirements for killing surplus chicks by exposure to gas mixtures

      4. 4.Specific reqirements for killing surplus chicks by dislocation of the neck

      5. 5.Permitted method of killing embryos in hatchery waste

      6. 6.Specific requirements for killing embryos in hatchery waste by use of a mechanical apparatus producing immediate death

    15. SCHEDULE 12

      ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR SLAUGHTER BY A RELIGIOUS METHOD

      1. PART I GENERAL

        1. 1.Interpretation

        2. 2.Slaughter by a religious method

      2. PART II PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS BY A RELIGIOUS METHOD

        1. 3.Slaughter of bovine animals by a religious method

        2. 4.Use and maintenance of restraining pens

        3. 5.Handling of animals during slaughter

        4. 6.Method of slaughter

        5. 7.Handling animals after slaughter by a religious method

        6. 8.Prohibition against slaughter by a religious method elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse

      3. PART III PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SLAUGHTER OF BIRDS BY A RELIGIOUS METHOD

        1. 9.Slaughter of birds by a religious method

        2. 10.Handling birds after slaughter by a religious method

      4. PART IV THE RABBINICAL COMMISSION FOR THE LICENSING OF SHOCHETIM

        1. 11.Membership

        2. 12.The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of Great...

        3. 13.Of the members of the Commission other than the permanent...

        4. 14.Supplementary provisions

        5. 15.The quorum of the Commission shall be four.

    16. SCHEDULE 13

      REPEALS

    17. SCHEDULE 14

      AMENDMENTS OF ENACTMENTS AND REGULATIONS

      1. Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27)

        1. 1.In section 10(1) of the Firearms Act 1968 (slaughter of...

      2. Slaughterhouses Act 1974 (c. 3)

        1. 2.(1) In subsections (2)(c) and (3) of section 2 of...

      3. Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 13)

        1. 3.(1) The Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980 shall be...

      4. Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/539)

        1. 6.(1) In regulation 2 of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and...

    18. SCHEDULE 15

      REVOCATIONS

  10. Explanatory Note

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