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Is Ritual Slaughter Really Humane?

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WellBeing International WBI Studies Repository 6-1974 (No. 28) -- Is Ritual Slaughter Really Humane? Humane Information Services, Inc. Follow this and additional works at: https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/rephum Recommended Citation Humane Information Services, Inc., "(No. 28) -- Is Ritual Slaughter Really Humane?" (1974). Report to Humanitarians. 20. https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/rephum/20 This material is brought to you for free and open access by WellBeing International. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of the WBI Studies Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. REPORT TO HUMANITARIANS Number 28 - June, 1974 published quarterly by 4521 - 4th Street South EDI TORS: J-/,,,-ue duf�'::!�" c£etviw St..Petersburg, Florida 33705 Frederick L. Thomsen, Ph.D. A NON-PROFIT NATI_ONAL HUMANE SOCIETY Miss Emily F. Gleockler FOR THE PREVENTION OF ANIMAL SUFFERING Dues and Contributions Tax Deductible . d\0humane problem is more important ter of the animal is kosher, because it is well-planned and executed project leading than the slaughter of food ani­ easier and less costly to devein that part to the development of such equipment and mals. This involves more potential suf­ of the carcass. This leaves the rear half methods has been under way at the Connec­ fering by more millions of animals than of the animal for consumption only by gen­ ticut Agricultural Experiment Station, un­ any other single treatment or mistreatment tiles. In addition, kosher inspectors re­ der the auspices of the Council. of animals. ject a relatively high percentage of the Some other humanitarians and humane or­ The.wisdom of our choices of alterna­ beef carcasses after slaughter, and this ganizations in this country, although they tive approaches to th;is probl1':111 and have never to our knowledge attempt­ the success achieved in implementing ed to scientifically refute claims the programs selected depends on that carotid section while the ani­ mal is conscious is itself humane, having adequate factual information - about this highly technical process. I S- R aI t U I I U g h t appear to believe that the only sat­ a . s a _ · -e r- For far too long we have been ac- isfactory approach to the problem of cepting the "conventional wisdom" in kosher slaughter is to repeal or our inadequate and frequently futile ? have declared unconstitutional the efforts to deal with slaughter prob- R- ea I I y H -umane . ritual slaughter exemption in the lems. This has led to differences' - i..-----·--------------------------....1 present state and federal humane among humane societies and humanitarians meat must be sold to the gentile trade. slaughter laws, and to pass laws in other about what should be done. This is a These conditions combined res!..llt in a states requiring that all animals be made field of humane work, above all others, volume of kosher slaughter much larger unconscious before shackling, hoisting and where we should stick together in meeting than otherwise would be required to satis­ cutting. That is a big order! the formidable array of opposition to fy the demand for 'kosher meat by the Jew­ If carotid section itself does produce slaughter improvement. But we can't do ish population. The humaneness of kosher substantial pain and suffering, ·regardless that unless we obtain and agree on the slaughter hence is a matter of rightful of how the animal is positioned for the facts. What is needed, above all else, is concern to�fles-as well asJews. "Re­ cut, the development of proper positioning more factual light on the subject. We ligious freedom" thatpermitsfollowers of equipment would not make kosher slaughter can't make intelligent decisions without one religion to observe its customs but humane. It will be better to find that adequate facts. denies those belonging to another the same out now than later, after more money has To many humanitarians, details about a_ privilege is not freedom, but tyranny. been spent on the assumption that carotid disagreeable subject like slaughtering For any Jew to say that gentiles have no section is painless. It would be putting methods are best swept under the rug. The right to question the humaneness of the the cart before the·horse to plan a pro­ average humanitarian is likely to say, method of-slaughtering the meat they are gram based entirely upon an untested as­ "Oh, I just can't bear to hear about such forced to buy is like a gentile saying the sumption. things." And that is a principal reason Jew should not be allowed to buy kosher If, on the other hand, examination of why so !!'Uch slaughter still is inhumane. meat. Sticklers for religious freedom the basic question provides reasonable as­ If we do not understand the problem, we cannot have their cake and eat it, too. surance that carotid section while · the an·­ will not take effective action to solve Humane Information Services is as free imal is conscious does not cause signifi­ it. It is not enough that a few officers of religious prejudices as it is practi­ cant pain, then any who have been holding of humane.societies understand; the indi­ cally possible to be, and there is no re­ back their support of the Council's pro­ vidual members also must understand if ligious purpose in offering this article. gram or advocating alternative approaches they are to make intelligent choices of We have leaned over backwards to present because of their doubts of this ba$ic as­ -9,l!:@.f:Il?t¾,Ye p,rog,raI!ls offered by the dif- the Jewish viewpoint of Shechita slaughter sumption, could get behind the Council's -- fe:rent societies •. in the words of. a Jewisii' authority. Any­ · p1-cgrwt: wiw:ehea:r.C: .::,2ily. _____, ;-·--- one who thinks he detects religious preju­ But there is still another reasod for RITUAL SLAUGHTER dice or anti-Semitism in this article is pursuing the point at this time. The so­ prejudiced himself. called humane methods of rendering the an­ The slaughtering of food animals to imal unconscious before shackling and· produce meat religiously acceptable for hoisting in many cases may be far from consumption by Jews and Muslims is by what ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES painless. Examination of the central is technically known as "carotid section",. In R�poltt to Human.,L:t,aJuano No. 27, is­ question of the humaneness of the carotid the severing of the carotid arteries. The sued in March of 1974, there appeared an section itself may throw much-needed light Jews call it Shechita, or Shehita. The article entitled "Pre-Slaughter Handling on these aspects of conventional "humane" revealed holy book of the Muslims, QWta.n, for Ritual Slaughter". In this article it slaughter. describes the process by two technical was shown that there are two alternative And, if the evidence supports the Jew­ terms, Zabah and Zokak {cutting and drain­ ways of approaching the problem of ritual ish claims that carotid section is pain­ ing the blood). It is Conrrnonly referred slaughter. The first is to assume that less, it might be that the positioning to as "ritual slaughter" and "kosher the ritual cut itself is painless, and equipment developed for use in connection slaughter". that the ensuing rapid loss of blood from with the ritual cut could also be suitable "Kosher" literally means "fit", .and ap­ the severed carotid arteries produces al­ for use for non-ritual slaughter in plants plies to any food including meat processed most instantaneous unconsciousness. This and states where ritual slaughter is im­ :i.n conformance with the Jewish dietary is the claim made by Jews and Muslims who portant, and hence facilitate the passage laws. have attempted to explain and justify of humane slaughter legislation in these The slaughter methods used by the Jews their method of slaughter. states. and Muslims are similar, although the Mus­ If this claim is correct� then the only {See RITUAL SLAUGHTER, page 2, column 1) lim method uses several cuts in severing problem involved in making ritual slaugh­ the vessels in the neck of the animal in­ ter humane is to invent and obtain the use stead.of the single clean cut under the of humane equipment for positioning the Jewish method•. Muslims in the United ,.::i animals for slaughter. At present, in ko­ lfl States are said to accept kosher meat. t,'I. Q) r,.. sher s1aughtering plants the animals are M t,'I .. I.O Although slaughter by Muslims is not im­ 0 Ill Ill shackled and hoisted while conscious, and .µ °'M portant in this country, in the world as a .µ Cl] ::I • the throats of the suspended animals then ·r-1 0 Q..Q 0 whole it is more commonly practiced than ll< - Cl] z are brought into position for the ritual 0 <C !-l Jewish slaughter. cut. This whole process of pre-slaughter !-l •O..QJ.iJ The term "humane slaughter" as ordinar­ Cl) .µ •r-1 handling or positioning for Shechita is s:: ily used implies that the animal has been 0 :::>. � � conducive of extreme pain and suffering. z • ll< rendered unconscious and insensitive to These inhumane pre-slaughter handling .µ pain before being shackled, hoisted and methods have no religions justification cut or stuck. But orthodox Jews and Mus­ whatever, but-are merely for convenience lims claim that their method, by which the and efficiency. Yet, as in the ritual u. throat is cut while the animal is con­ If) slaughter exemption contained in the fed­ Hz 0 scious, also is humane. r-- .µ eral Humane Slaughter Act, the whole pro­ ,. .C: M {I) C/l .µ M cess from beginning to end is included, 0.
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