30,000 animals slaughtered every year without anesthesia in Brussels
More than 30,000 cattle, sheep and goats are slaughtered without stunning in Brussels every year. This is apparent from the answer by Brussels Minister of Animal Welfare Bernard Clerfayt (Défi) to a question from Member of Parliament Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA). Van Achter repeated ban on introducing a slaughter without stunning in Brussels.
Since 2019, Abattoir in Anderlecht has been the last place in the country where slaughter is still taking place without stunning. The figures provided by Van Achter showed that a large part of the slaughter in the Abattoir takes place without anaesthetic. In 2020, for example, half of the total of 16,000 cattle were slaughtered without stunning. This is 9 out of 10 in calves and 7 out of 10 in sheep and goats. Nearly 5,000 calves and 18,000 goats and sheep were therefore slaughtered without stunning.
Cieltje Van Achter argues in favor of slaughter without stunning and refers to the proposal for an ordinance that N-VA submitted in 2017. “We have known for longer than today that there should be a ban on slaughter without stunning. Yet, just like about all other points of contention, nothing has been included in the coalition agreement.”
The discussion about slaughter without stunning whether caused or not has been raging in Brussels politics for some time. So far there is no consensus. Slaughter without stunning is already banned in Flanders and Wallonia. The ban this year also protected standings before the constitutional court, which heard complaints from practicing and Islamic associations that the ban was contrary to freedom of religion.