Subject: Slaughtering

Change the world farm by farm: The moral care of audit and the paradox of animal welfare inspection in Europe

Mc Loughlin

Published in 2025

Scientific article noting that European veterinary inspectors face a moral dilemma between official standards and the industrial reality of animal welfare during their inspections. Their power is limited, and they have to arbitrate between compliance, benevolence and systemic constraints.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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The evaluation of animal welfare indicators based on transport duration and lighting differences in the slaughter of broiler chickens

Siska W., Latif, H., Purnawarman T

Published in 2025

Study showing that blue lighting in the pre-slaughter room reduces stress (corticosterone) in broilers, shortens bleeding time and maintains carcass quality. The authors recommend the use of blue lighting in poultry abattoirs.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

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European Parliament: written answer to question E-001682/25: Turkish law that allows the killing of roaming dogs and cats

Question: Sebastian Everding (The Left), Anja Hazekamp (The Left), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Erik Marquardt (Greens/EFA), Tilly Metz (Greens/EFA), Tomáš Kubín (PfE), Maria Zacharia (NI). Answer: Mrs Kos on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2025

In response to concerns about the mass slaughter of stray dogs in Turkey, the Commission points out that animal welfare is not regulated at EU level for third countries. However, it supports the actions of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE),of which Turkey is a member, to promote international standards on the ethical management of dog populations.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

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Quantifying the welfare impact of air asphyxia in rainbow trout slaughter for policy and practice

C. Schuck-Paim, W.J. Alonso, P.A. Pereira, J.L. Saraiva, M. Cerqueira, C. Chiang & L.U. Sneddon

Published in 2025

Study using the Welfare Footprint Framework to quantify the effectiveness of slaughter practices used on trout, by measuring the time spent by the fish in negative affective states. The study shows that electrical or percussive stunning can significantly reduce pain, providing evidence-grounded metrics to guide regulatory decisions.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

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Humane stunning or stun/killing in the slaughter of wild-caught finfish: The scientific evidence base

James KL, Aparicio SP, Jayasuriya NS, Herath TK, Lines J, Sneddon LU, Amarasinghe US, Randall NP

Published in 2025

Review article on methods of stunning and/or killing wild-caught fish. The authors highlight the urgent need for research into humane stunning methods that are better adapted to the needs of each species and that can be performed under the conditions found in commercial fishing.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

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Assemblée nationale : Réponse à la question n°2219 : Maltraitance animale dans certains abattoirs français

Question: Mr. Jean Laussucq (Paris (2nd constituency) - Ensemble pour la République). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2025

Question from a French Deputy on acts of abuse in certain abattoirs.  In its answer, the government reminds the Deputy of the existence of a control and intervention system in abattoirs, stating that it remains vigilant over the application of the three key actions in operation since 2021 with regard to abattoirs: support, control, sanction.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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Assemblée nationale : réponse à la question n°4154 : Contrôle des conditions d’abattage des animaux dans les abattoirs

Question: Mr Karim Benbrahim (Loire-Atlantique (1st district) - Socialistes et apparentés). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2025

Answer from the French Government to a question from a member of the National Assembly on abattoir monitoring and controls. The Ministry states that the work to control slaughtering conditions by government-appointed agents amounts to the equivalent of more than 1,200 full-time posts. Additionally, a national inspection force is brought in for complex cases, which can impose sanctions up to and including closure  in the event of serious failings.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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Professional emotional neutrality and the role of background emotion work in the slaughterhouse

Marcel Sebastian

Published in 2025

Article analyzing how abattoir workers develop an emotional distance from the killing of animals through intense and often unconscious emotional work. It highlights the importance of background emotions in morally sensitive occupations, making an original contribution to the sociology of work and emotions.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

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Animal welfare risks from commercial practices involving cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans

Browning H, Burn C, Schnell AK, Crump A, Birch J.

Published in 2025

Article updating a 2021 study. It proposes practical improvements that can be made to the welfare of cephalopods and crustaceans, and identifies research priorities as a guide for good practice.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Crustaceans, Mollusks

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n°3103 : Soutenir le droit à l’abattage à la ferme

Question: Mr Jean-Philippe Tanguy (Somme (4th district) - Rassemblement National). Answer: French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

Published in 2025

Following the loss of local abbatoirs; call by a Deputy for the expansion of the practise of on-farm slaughter, which is less stressful for animals and better adapted to local conditions. In response; the government refers to the European health framework, and expresses its support for mobile abattoir projects that comply with the rules: It has also launched a plan to strengthen local abattoir networks.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep

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