I hope all of you went to the BBC website and read the article that I linked to. It was quite an interesting read wasn't it? Well, as promised, here is my opinion.
So, should animals be stunned before slaughter? I think that wherever applicable they should be stunned. There have been many studies which show this to be a humane practice which reduces stress on the animals immensely when used by well trained operators. Unfortunately, just like any other tool, when the operators are poorly trained, the animals will suffer. Does this mean Kosher slaughter is inhumane? No, it does not. When Kosher slaughter is done correctly, the animals suffer as little as, or less than, when they are stunned. In the case of Holland, studies were done on "ritual" slaughter to determine its effectiveness. The scientists would then report to the Dutch parliament so that the body could make an informed decision. This is all well and good except for one not-so-little detail: they scientists conducting the study did not use true Kosher guidelines or equipment. This resulted in a skewed result which is now being passed off as accurate. In light of this, I do not believe that Kosher slaughter should be banned due to concerns of animal welfare. Lawmakers should just come out and say they wish to discriminate against Jews and Muslims. There is a fine line between concern for animal welfare and discrimination.
Have a nice day!
Luke
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