More significant improvements are made for the animals in Turkey: for the first time an upright restraint box (to restrain animals during slaughter) is being built in Turkey. This new box is to replace the current horrible trip-floor restraint boxes commonly used in Turkey and many other Islamic countries, which forces cows and bulls to fall down to have a leg chained and be hoisted alive (see VIDEO here illustrating trip-floor boxes).
This progress is a result of Eyes on Animals and TSB|AWF team educating Turkish manufacturers of problems with current slaughter equipment and pressuring them to manufacture more humane restraint options. We are impressed that Helmaks in Ankara was the first to take it on. After our training course last year in Ankara, where we explained the serious welfare problems with trip-floor boxes, Helmaks agreed to stop manufacturing them. With the help of V-Cons’ (A Belgian company that manufactures restraint boxes in a way to limit panic and pain) advice and experience, Helmaks began designing their own upright system. Their upright box is not yet finished, a belly lift and anti-slip floor are still necessary and it needs to be tested. We will stay in touch with them about these things. We would like to acknowledge these efforts by Helmaks and also VCons’ willingness to help Helmaks out.
