Today our team visited Slaughterhouse Twente in Hengelo. Being a Halal slaughterhouse, we hoped to gain some best-practice ideas and inspiration which we could then take on to our visits in Turkish slaughterhouses and to the Turkish Ministry. Animals in Turkish slaughterhouses are often slaughtered in a very animal-unfriendly fashion (hoisted off the floor by one leg). Certain Dutch Halal facilities can, possibly, serve as an example when it comes to improvements.
Ali Cinar, an employee, gave us a tour of the empty slaughterhouse facility and demonstrated the use of their rotational-restraint box. Once in the rotational-box the bovine would be positioned upside down with its head pointed towards Mecca. The throat is then slit and the animal bleeds out. No form of stunning is applied at this plant. Together with the director of the facility, Yasar Persin, we have made an appointment for a follow-up visit aiming to further exchange ideas and finally, observe the movement of the animals and the slaughter process when animals are present.
We would like to thank Twente slaughterhouse for their hospitability and the tour of their facilities.
For more information about our efforts to reduce animal suffering in Turkey and abroad, visit our webpage www.halal-slaughter-watch.org
