UK: An end to ritual slaughter?
Vegetarianism offers an alternative
to ritual killings and slaughter in
general. More and more people are
discovering the advantages of a
meatless diet, among them many
Jews and Muslims, and the European
Vegetarian Union works in the interest
of all those who are interested in
non-violent lifestyles.
The question of ritual slaughter
without prior stunning, whereby a
religiously trained slaughterman cuts
the throat of a cow, sheep or chicken
and lets it bleed to death, has led to
heated arguments in many countries
and to a variety of solutions and
compromises. When the government-
funded Farm Animal Welfare
Council (FAWC) advised the UK
Department for the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs that ritual
slaughter leads to "severe suffering
to animals" and "should be banned"
because "cattle can take up to two
minutes to bleed to death - amounting
to an abuse of the animals", a
serious conflict with some religious
groups became imminent.
According to European regulations
all farm animals must be
stunned prior to slaughter, unless
exemptions for religious reason are
granted. However, FAWC recommends
an end to these exceptions.
On 10 June, listeners to BBC
News heard the distressed comments
of members of the Jewish and
Muslim communities, culminating in
the outcry from one man who
claimed that without halal meat he
would have nothing to eat and starve
to death.
Nothing to eat?
Vegetarians do not get involved in
the discussion of different killing
techniques because they simply
refuse to participate in slaughter,
which takes away the only possession
an animal has: life. However,
the present heated discussion calls
for the need to emphasize that a
meatless diet is not only possible but
even beneficial to human health, as
has been established by many different
studies conducted with a large
number of participants, over long
periods and in many different corners
of the world.
It is a remarkable coincidence that
just at the point when emotions
about slaughter procedures are flaring
up, British Heart Week is being
celebrated from 7-15 June 2003 as
part of which eating "a healthy diet
with plenty of fruit and vegetables"
is recommended.
Under the sub-heading "There is
good evidence that eating a diet that
is rich in a range of vegetables and
fruits lowers the risk of heart disease"
the British Heart Foundation
states: "It is not known exactly why
fruit and vegetables have this good
effect. It seems to be due to the
antioxidants (vitamins and other substances)
in the fruit and vegetables.
Antioxidants prevent 'oxidation' -
the chemical process which allows
cholesterol to form atheroma within
the coronary artery walls. However,
there is no evidence that taking vitamin
tablets has the same effect. Fruit
and vegetables are also rich in potassium,
a mineral which may help to
control blood pressure and prevent
irregular heart rhythms. Fruit and
green vegetables are also rich in folic
acid. This reduces the blood level of
a substance called homocysteine,
which itself may be a risk factor for
heart disease. However, more
research is needed to find out
whether eating more folic acid will,
by itself, reduce heart disease. Aim
to eat at least five portions of fruit
and vegetables a day. On average,
people in the UK eat only three portions
a day. Five portions may sound
a lot, but in some countries people
eat an average of eight or nine portions
a day."
The reason for more and more
concerned citizens turning vegetarian
can be explained by the continuously
emerging proof of the beneficial
consequences of that compassionate
lifestyle and its positive consequences
on human health, the
well-being of animals, environmental
issues, natural resources and the
fight against global hunger.
Furthermore a vegetarian diet is
acceptable to all religions.
The organisation "Compassion in
World Farming" reports that "800
million chickens, 15 million sheep, 9
million pigs and 3 million cattle are
slaughtered every year in the UK". It
is the aim of the European
Vegetarian Union to stress that a
meatless diet is a valid option and
that a change from the traditional
meat- to a plant-based culinary alternative
will bring about positive
changes for the society of humans
and the community of animals alike.
European Vegetarian Union
26, Rue Moncoureur
B 7011 Ghlin
Tel. 00 32 65 362584
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