Yesterday Eyes on Animals worked at a slaughterhouse near Bursa (Turkey) to show the difference between traditional slaughter (without pre-stunning) and more humane slaughter (with a stunner). They were slaughtering cattle from the Czech Republic. We showed them how the use of a stunner renders the cattle at least unconscious before they are hoisted by a chain around … [Read more...] about Teaching stunning at cattle abattoir near Bursa, Turkey
Turkey
Spreading awareness in slaughterhouses in Bursa, Turkey
The Eyes on Animals team in Turkey spent the whole day today visiting slaughterhouses in Bursa. We explained to the managers what a captive bolt stunner is and how it works to render animals unconscious (and thus insensitive) before slaughter. They are in favour of stunning, but none dare to be the first to start stunning the animals as stunning is still, wrongly, seen as … [Read more...] about Spreading awareness in slaughterhouses in Bursa, Turkey
Training the use of stunners at cattle slaughterhouse near Agri, Turkey
This morning we gave a practical training course to another slaughterhouse in eastern Turkey, not far from the city of Agri. Here, like almost all other cattle and sheep slaughterhouses all over the country, animals were being hoisted by one leg and having their throats cut all while fully conscious and thus fully capable of feeling pain and fear. We showed them how a … [Read more...] about Training the use of stunners at cattle slaughterhouse near Agri, Turkey
Follow-up inspection cattle slaughterhouse near Kars, Turkey
This morning we conducted a follow-up inspection at a cattle slaughterhouse near Kars in Eastern Turkey. Eyes on Animals had shown the people of this plant what a captive bolt stunner was a few months ago and taught them how to use it properly to render animals unconscious prior to slaughter so that they were insensitive to the pain. Turkey, being an Islamic country, has … [Read more...] about Follow-up inspection cattle slaughterhouse near Kars, Turkey
Disappointing meetings with Ministry of Agriculture, Halal Acreditation Agency and Halal Standards inTurkey
Today was a very disappointing day in Turkey and showed us again how humans take advantage of every opportunity to make money, at the cost of animal welfare. Asalet went to 3 organizations in Ankara (the Ministry of Agriculture, the Halal Accreditation Agency and TSE-Halal standards) to show them the way animals are tortured in Turkish slaughterhouses, where they are … [Read more...] about Disappointing meetings with Ministry of Agriculture, Halal Acreditation Agency and Halal Standards inTurkey
Inspection and stunning at a slaughterhouse near Balikesir, Turkey
Today brought us hope again. We dropped by a slaughterplant near Balikesir. We explained our work to the director and showed him how a captive bolt stunner works. The director learned how to use it and is convinced now that it is better to render the animals unconscious first before cutting them then cutting their throats while still conscious. He used it well on all … [Read more...] about Inspection and stunning at a slaughterhouse near Balikesir, Turkey
Follow-up visit to slaughterhouse in Gönen, Turkey
Disappointing news. The slaughterhouse in Gönen that we leased a stunner to, and taught the workers how to use last October, sadly no longer use it. This morning they returned the captive bolt stunner to us! All the workers were in favour of rendering the animals unconscious before cutting their throats, and felt better doing so, but their customers are worried that they … [Read more...] about Follow-up visit to slaughterhouse in Gönen, Turkey
Inspection of sheep slaughter at a slaughterhouse near Tekirdag, Turkey
Today we visited a slaughterhouse that leased one of our stunners 2 years ago to render the cattle unconscious before slaughter. The chief butcher is a strong supporter of the captive bolt stunner and uses it as often as he can to stun cattle first. He cannot use it on all cattle as in Turkey the owner of the animal decides, there is no national legislation making stunning … [Read more...] about Inspection of sheep slaughter at a slaughterhouse near Tekirdag, Turkey
Meeting with large Turkish animal-welfare NGO Haytap
We are back in Turkey to do follow-up checks on the slaughterhouses that we had leased a stunner to and taught the employees how to render animals unconscious first with it before cutting their throats. However, this week we are also meeting with NGOs and meat companies, so that they also put pressure on slaughterhouses in Turkey to clean up their act. This morning we met … [Read more...] about Meeting with large Turkish animal-welfare NGO Haytap
Introduction and training on use of stunners for cattle slaughterhouses near Izmir, Turkey
Asalet and Berker from Eyes on Animal are near Izmir in Turkey showing slaughter personnel and officials how captive bolt pistols work and explaining the benefit of using them during slaughter to at least render the cattle insensitive to pain before their neck is cut. In Turkey cattle are normally fully conscious during restraint, hoisting and neck-cutting, with animals … [Read more...] about Introduction and training on use of stunners for cattle slaughterhouses near Izmir, Turkey
