WELFARE BREACHES IN UNDER TWO YEARS
a cow was stunned six times before it lost consciousness.
Most incidents led to trading standards or animal health offices being passed information.
As well as four legal investigations, the FSS issued 14 enforcement notices and gave verbal or written advice in 146 cases. The names of abattoirs and farms where the breaches were found were redacted but the investigators found seven slaughterhouses where problems were highlighted in FSS inspectors’ audits carried out in 2016.
These included 2 Sisters Poultry in Coupar Angus, Perthshire; Scotbeef Inverurie in Aberdeenshire; Shotts Abattoir in Lanarkshire; Wishaw Abattoir in Lanarkshire and Avonvogie Abattoir on the Isle of Islay.
Green MSP Alison Johnstone, vice convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on animal welfare, said: “These figures are absolutely horrifying.
“It is essential that those responsible receive appropriate penalties and sentences.”
Unison, who represent meat inspectors, were “disgusted, appalled and saddened” by the extent of welfare breaches.
UK national officer Paul Bell said: “The level of inhumanity applied before and during slaughter is a national disgrace.”
The Scottish Government urged anyone concerned about animal welfare to report it.
A spokeswoman said: “Scotland has high welfare standards at slaughter, with strict legal requirements that must be adhered to.”
FSS director of operations Ian McWatt said: “We take proportionate action, which ranges from verbal advice to the suspension or revocation of the slaughterer’s certificate of competence.”
The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers said they and their members give all reports of welfare breaches “their full attention and have carried out all necessary corrective action to avoid future issues”.
According to 2 Sisters Poultry, their facility complied with 77 criteria and was graded as satisfactory overall.
They added: “A single case of historic noncompliance on birds held before slaughter was highlighted, which was picked up on FSS review of our own welfare officer’s records.
“Due to machinery breakdown, birds were housed in our holding area overnight, as agreed by veterinary staff.” Other abattoirs audited by FSS did not respond to requests to comment.
ALISON JOHNSTONE