The government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter. However, we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. The government, therefore, has no plans to ban slaughter without stunning.

The first national legislative requirement for stunning before slaughter in England and Wales was the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933. The Act also introduced an exception from the requirement to stun when animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites, for the food of Muslims and Jews.

Over the years, the rules governing religious slaughter have developed to provide additional protection to animals slaughtered without stunning. These rules ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, suffering or distress during the slaughter process.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs