Hidden cameras at an animal abbatoir in the United Kingdom showed shocking welfare breaches. Government-appointed vets were supposed to be on hand at the abbattoirs the size of Bowood Lamb abbatoir in Thirsk in North Yorkshire, the 10th filmed and 9th found to be breaking laws pertaining to animal cruelty. Unfortunately, not only were the laws not followed, but the workers added to the distress of the animals by kicking them in their face, laughing at bleeding sheep, dropping sheep from the chute onto a slippery floor in the killing area etc.

The law states taht the animals be stunned before slaughter to prevent unnecessary suffering, they should be killed quickly with a single-sweep of a surgically-sharp knife, they should not see the knife or witness the death of other animals. Instead, at Bowood, 4,000 sheep were filmed watching fellow animals bleeding to death before being shackled. Their throats were sawed off by slaughtermen wearing traditional Muslim kufi skullcaps and muttering the words “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) as they slaughtered the animals. In one case it took five attempts to sever blood vessels.

The animals weren’t stunned as the animals shook for 20 seconds after their throats were cut. Under Muslim (halal) and Jewish law the animal must be conscious when killed.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) suspended the operating licenses of the four slaughtermen at the North Yorkshire abattoir following the gratuitous violence and contempt shown on the video.

Warning: The scenes in the video below are disturbing.