Australia – Animal welfare groups have called on federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke to halt the slaughter by throat slitting of up to 4000 sheep a week at four Victorian abattoirs for new kosher exports, which began last month.
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The RSPCA and Animals Australia believe that killing without any form of electrical stunning of conscious sheep is illegal under the current industry standard and have called on the minister to intervene as the practice escalates in Victoria.
The Australian standard for ritual slaughter states that animals must be electrically stunned, however exemption permits have been issued under special arrangements made under a legally disputed guideline.
It is believed abattoirs at Kyneton and Geelong last week began killing 1000 sheep each a week without stunning for kosher exports to Israel, while abattoirs at Warrnambool and Cranbourne were set to follow. [theage]